Libyan Rebels Advance on Gaddafi's Stronghold Sirte

A map showing Sirte (spelt Surt), Tripoli and Bani Walid. Map from thestudentreview.co.uk/author/tom-wooldridge/

The Libyan rebels have captured the key Red Valley leading to Sirte, the hometown and one of the last remaining bastions of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

"Our men took control of the Red Valley" at 2:45 pm (12:45GMT), Mustafa Bendaraf, a commander from the rebels' Transitional National Council on the front line, said of the region 60 km east of Sirte, as cited by Al Jazeera.

The area of the Red Valley was said to be one of the main lines of defense by pro-Gaddafi troops.

The Transitional National Council has been in talks with Libyan tribal elders for their forces to enter Qaddafi's hometown of Sirte and the loyalist-held towns of Bani Walid and Sabha but the appear to have achieved little as the rebel forces are reported to be amassing for a push against Sirte and Bani Walid.

Earlier on Thursday, Muammar Gaddafi's loyalists have fired at least 10 rockets from inside one of his last strongholds, hours after a TV station aired an audio message reportedly from the ousted Libyan leader urging his fighters on.

At least 10 loud explosions were heard on Thursday along the desert front line at Bani Walid, a dusty town of 100 000 some 140 km southeast of Tripoli, following early morning skirmishes in the same area.

Smoke billowed from the projectiles - said to be Grad rockets - after they landed in Wadi Dinar, about 20km outside the town.

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