'Dogfight' For Heart Of Gaddafi Stronghold
7:01am UK, Tuesday October 11, 2011
Libya's interim government forces are preparing to push into the heart of Colonel Gaddafi's home town where 1,000 loyalists may be holed up.
But they are now trying to move further into the city and one commander told Sky News that very senior members of the former regime could be there.
That is why Gaddafi loyalists, who still control central residential areas, are putting up stiff resistance. It is turning into something of a dogfight.
For now, the forces fighting for the National Transitional Council have made a hole in a large wall a few hundred metres from the city proper where they are firing at Gaddafi loyalist positions.
It is still not quite clear exactly how many pro-Gaddafi fighters are left or whether they are still determined to fight.
Anti-Gaddafi forces pound loyalist positions in Sirte
On Sunday night, there was a great deal of resistance according to the most senior operation commander on the battlefield on the southern front line.
He said Col Gaddafi's son Moatasim and even the former leader himself may be in Sirte, though that is unlikely. The commander said 1,000 loyalists could be there.
We found a building that leads down into a maze of reinforced tunnels.
The tunnel network is large, with conference rooms and air conditioning.
One has to wonder how much more of that kind of infrastructure is further into the city.
A commander said this battle may last just days - but in truth it could drag on for some time.
