Libya’s new regime forces were battling block by block towards the centre of Sirte yesterday, eyeing the symbolic prize of finally capturing Muammar Gaddafi’s hometown after a month-long siege.

But Gaddafi diehards were putting up fierce resistance and in their other remaining bastion, Bani Walid, they mounted a fightback, killing 17 National Transitional Council fighters.

The interim ruling NTC has been waiting for Sirte’s full capture to declare the liberation of the whole of Libya, clearing the way to draw up a timetable for elections.

A column of NTC troops thrust towards central Sirte from positions east along the Mediterranean coast, coming under heavy rocket and small arms fire as they inched forward house by house.

They advanced about a kilometre into the city centre from the south and east by the afternoon, backed by heavy shelling and tanks.

“The revolutionaries are less than one kilometre from the central square. We control about 90 percent of Sirte,” said Makhluf el-Ferjani of the Sirte military council.

Little more than sniper fire was coming back at them, but at least 17 NTC fighters were killed and dozens more were wounded yesterday, medics said.

“They have nothing left,” said NTC fighter Khaled Abu Zakuk.

Burned-out vehicles littered the streets as NTC tanks and artillery pounded Gaddafi positions in open ground in the Dollar area of the city from a ridge some four kilometres inland, which they seized in a major advance on Sunday.

On the third day of what commanders have touted as a final assault, NTC troops captured Sirte’s showpiece conference centre, university campus and hospital on Sunday, AFP correspondents said.

But the military gains came at a heavy price, with medics reporting 13 dead and 90 wounded on the western side of the city alone.