Qaddafi's tanks closing in on rebel-held Zawiyah square

RAS JDIR. March 9. KAZINFORM The tanks of pro-Qaddafi forces were reported to be closing in on the rebel-held main square of the western city of Zawiyah on Wednesday, hours after Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi vowed on television to topple rebels in the east; Kazinform refers to Arab News.

A rebel fighter, speaking by phone from inside Zawiyah, "We can see the tanks. The tanks are everywhere."

The fighter, named Ibrahim, said forces loyal to Qaddafi were in control of the main road and the suburbs of Zawiyah.

Rebel forces still controlled the square and the enemy was about 1,500 meters away, he said.

Ibrahim said there were army snipers on top of most of the buildings, shooting whoever dared to leave their homes.

He said half the city was destroyed by air attacks.

"There are many dead people and they can't even bury them. Zawiyah is deserted. There's nobody on the streets. No animals, not even birds in the sky," he said.

Rebels had killed a high-ranking cousin of Qaddafi in fighting earlier in the week, and "that's why he bombed the city. They wanted to retrieve the body and they did," Ibrahim said.

He said about 60 rebel fighters had gone to attack an army base on Tuesday about 20 kms (12 miles) from Zawiyah; Kazinform cites Arab News.

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