Bani Walid claimed by NTC forces
A Libyan rebel fighter sets a target with a rocket launcher on the front line near Sirte, on September 4, 2011. The rebel forces are waiting for the end of the negotiations with pro-Gaddafi forces. Negotiations for the surrender of Bani Walid failed and will not resume, an official said, opening the way for a military attack on that town.
Libya's rebel forces have entered Bani Walid, one of the last Libyan towns still loyal to former dictator, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, forces loyal to the National Transitional Council say. Libya's interim government, the NTC, said that they had raised the country's new flag over Bani Walid. Reports state that it is still unclear whether Bani Walid has been completely captured, according to the National Post.
The NTC's military commanders said that they met resistance from the Gaddafi loyalists in the town, as fighting for Gaddafi's hometown Sirte continues, according to the BBC.
According to Al Jazeera, the NTC controls about 60 percent of the town.
“We have reached the city centre [of Bani Walid] and have raised the flag,” said Colonel Abdullah Naker, who is the head of the Tripoli Revolutionist Council, according to Reuters.
More from GlobalPost: Video: On the Ground in Bani Walid
According to Al Magharebia:
Ayman Mohammed, a field commander with the Az-Zawiya revolutionaries, said that fighters planned a large scale attack from three sides in an effort to raise the independence flag and complete the liberation.
A Syrian television station, Arrai television, has confirmed reports that Gaddafi's son, Khamis, was killed in late Agusut. According to the pro-Gaddafi station, Khamis died during fight with the NTC forces in Tarhouna, which is 60 miles south east of Tripoli. Khamis has been reported dead twice before.
Mohammad Abdulla al Sanussi, Gaddafi's intelligence chief, was also killed during the battle.
More from GlobalPost: Bani Walid families flee
The story you just read is accessible and free to all because thousands of listeners and readers contribute to our nonprofit newsroom. We go deep to bring you the human-centered international reporting that you know you can trust. To do this work and to do it well, we rely on the support of our listeners. If you appreciated our coverage this year, if there was a story that made you pause or a song that moved you, would you consider making a gift to sustain our work through 2024 and beyond?