Casualties feared as Gaddafi’s tanks move against rebel town

Casualties were reported after 50 tanks and pick-up trucks carrying troops launched a series of attacks on the town, 50km (30 miles) west of the capital, Tripoli.

The attacks came as fighting continued near the opposition-held east of the country, where government forces trying to stop rebels advancing towards the capital pounded them with air strikes and rockets.

Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s regime has been using its air power advantage more each day to prevent rebels to advance west along the main road leading out of the opposition-controlled east towards the capital.

Reports were emerging yesterday from Zawiyah, which rose up against the government two weeks ago, that Gaddafi’s forces had seized back control of the town, with some sources claiming that women and children were among the dead.

The government heavily shelled the city with artillery and mortars, according to one witness who said Gaddafi’s tanks were roaming the city and firing randomly at homes.

He said electricity, phone and internet services were all cut. He managed to escape the city through surrounding farmland and reach a point where mobile phone coverage was available.

“The city is in ruins,” he said. “Some buildings have been entirely destroyed and everyone on the street is shot on sight.

“There are many wounded but the hospitals are running out of supplies.”

The attack on Zawiyah is reported to have been spearheaded by an elite unit led and named after one of Gaddafi’s sons, Khamis.

The Libyan government denied its troops were killing civilians and insisted they were only taking up defensive positions around the town.

However, the statements could not be verified because independent observers were not being allowed into Zawiyah.

On a separate front in the east, Libyan planes launched at least five new airstrikes yesterday near rebel positions in the oil port of Ras Lanuf.

Over the past few days rebels moved out of their stronghold in the east, capturing both Brega and Ras Lanuf. But they were met with superior firepower and air strikes when they tried to push westward and were forced to withdraw to Ras Lanuf.

Meanwhile, in Benghazi, a spokesman for the newly-created Interim Governing Council said a man who claimed to represent Gaddafi made contact with them to discuss terms for him to step down.

Mustafa Gheriani said the council could not be certain whether the man was acting on his own initiative or did in fact represent the Libyan leader, who has refused to cede power in the past.

“But our position is clear: No negotiations with the Gaddafi regime,” he said.

The escalation in violence in the developing civil war in Libya suggests the regime has decided to attempt to crush the rebellion, despite the growing threat of international action.

Western military intervention does not seem imminent, although the increasing use of planes for air strikes could prompt world powers to impose a no-fly zone over Libya.

British and French officials said a no-fly zone resolution was being drawn up as a contingency although it has not been decided whether to put it before the United Nations Security Council, where Russia holds veto power and has rejected such a move.

Western officials have said a no-fly zone does not require a UN mandate, but they would prefer to have one.