Advance of rebels, but always strong Gaddafi - The Australian

Rebel fighters to break through the lines advanced and Libyan Government on fronts twin yesterday, seizing key positions and threatening the main route of Muammar al-Gaddafi in Tripoli in the greater thrust to the ground for weeks.

The attack, which included stolen rebels in Benghazi, to the West of the Libya with the Tunisia, began shortly after dawn. Rockets and mortars were fired from rebel positions to the village of al-Qawalish in the foothills of the Western Cordillera of the Nafusa.

Six hours later, after an attack from three sides who sent the forces of the Government retreat in the desert, hundreds of rebels on trucks yelled "allah akbar" (God is greatest) as they loudly in the village.

For weeks, Government forces have used al-Qawalish as a position from which to bombard the rebels in the mountains of Western. Stimulated by French deliveries of weapons and the bombing of NATO, the rebels can use his capture as a platform to advance to Tripoli.

Thrust brings the rebels near the town of Garian, about 40 km to the Northeast, which controls the main road leading to the Libyan capital. "It will become much more interesting if the rebels in Garian", said one Western diplomat. "Not only allowing them to consolidate their grip in the mountains, it would cut more likely Gaddafi road if he wants to get out of Tripoli."

Hundreds of rebel reinforcements were sent in the West of the Benghazi Libya since may for the latest attack, using an air route that leads to the Tunisia, where they infiltrate across the Libyan border in the Nafusa mountains. Many were recruited from Tripoli and formed a unit called the Tripoli Khattiba rebel liaison with cells and guide the forces from the area in the city.

The coast Mediterranean Libya, rebel commanders said they had pushed 20 km west of Misratah, bringing within 130 km of Tripoli, with their larger advanced single since Gaddafi forces forced the city in May.

But a bombing of Government artillery and Grad rockets tested the rebels, killing three fighters and injuring more than 50. In the stronghold of the rebels of Benghazi, of thousands of people from eastern Libya through in a show of support for the opposition.

Representatives of the National transition Council warned that Gaddafi overthrow could take several months, reports of the divisions of the Directorate of rebels and failures in military planning.

"The NTC had no idea of how to advance from here," said a rebel leader. "It became bitterly divided." There are huge, fuel, medical problems of finance and armaments to unravel.

"The NTC are having enough problems trying to agree on how to provide themselves Benghazi, let alone organize the takeover of Tripoli." The notion that they are ready for a move on the capital to coincide with the uprising of the city, or even to plan properly, it is ridiculous. »

Foreign diplomats and the rebel leaders have spoken of a deadline August 1 aim to overthrow Gaddafi, but rebel commanders warn that unless Qaddafi is removed by a coup of State or a political agreement, conflict slip fall in the North.

THE TIMES