NTC forces battle Gaddafi loyalists

Fierce clashes erupted late yesterday in Bani Walid, a bastion of Muammar Gaddafi, as a deadline loomed for loyalists of the deposed Libyan strongman to surrender or face a final assault.

And while world police body Interpol called for the fugitive Col Gaddafi’s arrest for crimes against humanity, following a request by the International Criminal Court, there were reports a number of his generals had fled Libya.

The National Transitional Council has set a Saturday deadline for towns still loyal to Col Gaddafi to surrender, and on-off talks have been going on for days over Bani Walid, where a number of former regime officials, including Col Gaddafi’s spokesman Mussa Ibrahim, are believed to be holed up.

As the deadline neared, a top NTC commander said no breakthrough had come and “decisive military action” was imminent.

“Up to now these negotiations did not lead to positive results,” said Salem Jeha – a highly influential member of Misurata’s military council – ahead of the midnight deadline.

“If the negotiations fail then there will be decisive action, decisive military action,” Mr Jeha said from the NTC military headquarters in Misurata.

Mr Jeha said military action could now take place “at any time” adding that “we are not waiting forever.”

“But where this military action takes place, that is a surprise. We are in position and we can move in any direction and this is our strength.”

Mr Jeha, a former colonel in Col Gaddafi’s army, said he expects to face stiff, but futile, resistance.

“What we know is that the remnants of Gaddafi’s troops are fighting until the end to hold on to their territory. I am very sure that they cannot defend the positions they are in.”

Even ahead of the deadline, fighting broke out in Bani Walid as pro-NTC elements inside the town clashed with Gaddafi forces.

“Sleeper cells of revolutionaries went into action and fighting has taken place between them and armed men loyal to Gaddafi on the streets of the town,” Abdullah Kenshil, the NTC’s chief negotiator, told journalists about 20 kilometres from Bani Walid.

Mr Kenshil said the main forces of the NTC were still outside Bani Walid.

“We will not launch an attack without a decision by the NTC, but for now we have no choice and we want to protect our forces and the inhabitants of the town,” he said.