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LIBYA'S rebels say their war against Muammar Gaddafi's regime has entered a "decisive phase" and that victory is within reach by the end of August.
Their claim yesterday came after Washington said the "days are numbered" for veteran strongman Gaddafi's regime.
As the chorus grew, fighting raged across Libya, with the rebels denying they were in talks with a defiant Gaddafi, who himself predicted swift victory against both the rebels and their NATO allies.
Mansur Saif al-Nasr, the rebel National Transitional Council's (NTC) envoy to Paris, said "our forces totally control Zawiyah (west of the capital), which will open the way to Tripoli. This will allow the population there to revolt."
"We are entering a decisive phase. Soon we will liberate all of southern Libya. We hope to celebrate the final victory at the same time as the end of (Muslim holy month of) Ramadan" at the end of August, he told RFI radio.
"The population inside Tripoli is preparing for the uprising," Nasr said. "A few weeks ago, Gaddafi's forces put down the revolt because they had air power and tanks, and our forces were not at the gates of Tripoli.
"Today, they have no more air power, no tanks and our forces are at the entry of Tripoli."
The United States expressed optimism that the rebels were closing in on Gaddafi, who has ruled for more than 40 years, with White House spokesman Jay Carney saying the increasingly isolated strongman's "days are numbered."
Zawiyah is a vital oil port on Libya's Mediterranean coast, 40 kilometres west of Tripoli.
Rebels claimed on Monday to control "most" of the town, but Gaddafi forces continued to bombard the area with Grad rockets, prompting a heavy artillery exchange.
Funerals were being held yesterday, a day after 23 people were killed in the town, according to rebels.
