Libyan rebels making progress

Rebel fighters in Libya say they are within 50 kilometers of the country's capital, Tripoli. Fighting continues between opposition forces and soldiers loyal to Muammar Gaddafi in the city of Az-Zawiyah, which is on the coastal road towards Tripoli. The opposition say they are trying to stop supply routes to Gaddafi's forces in the capital. Al Jazeera's Omar Alsaleh has the latest developments.



Libyan rebels fought their way into the strategic city of Az-Zawiyah west of Tripoli on Saturday, in their most significant advance in months. They battled snipers on rooftops and heavy shelling from Muammar Gaddafi's forces holding the city. Az-Zawiyah, 50 kilometres from the capital, is a key target for rebels waging a new offensive launched from the mountains in the far west of Libya, an attempt to break the deadlock in fighting between the two sides that has held for months in the centre and east of the country. Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr, reporting from Libya, says the opposition fighters were "able to fight their way into Az-Zawiyah but they have still not been able to secure it."



Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr reports from the western Libyan town of Az-Zawiyah, where rebel forces say they have taken control of a key coastal highway that links Tripoli, the capital, to Tunisia.



Libyan rebel fighters claim they have taken control of 70 per cent of the key western town of Az-Zawiyah, which lies on the highway connecting Tripoli, the capital, to Tunisia. The opposition says it suffered "many casualties" due to sniper fire from troops loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, while taking the town, but that opposition fighters will now march on to Tripoli. The rebels had previously taken the city, but were pushed out when Gaddafi forces launched a security operation there. Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr reports from Az-Zawiyah, Libya.