Libyan fighters have completely surrounded Moammar Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte and are engaged in heavy clashes with his loyalists on the city's streets, a revolutionary commander said Saturday.
Last week, the Libyan defense ministry announced that Sirte's port, airport and military base were all under the revolutionary forces' control.
On Saturday, commander Musatafa al-Rubaie told The Associated Press that even though the fighters have surrounded Sirte from all sides, a path out has been left for civilians who still want to leave the coastal city.
After weeks of fighting Gadhafi's loyalists inside Sirte, the fighters now hold positions about 5 kilometers from the city center, he said.
"The plan is that the eastern and western forces will meet in the middle of Sirte," al-Rubaie said. "When we reach this point, we will celebrate the liberation of Sirte."
Meanwhile, fighters on the western approaches to the city fired rockets and tank fire at loyalists' positions, while NATO aircraft were heard circling overhead.