Libyan rebels claim to have seized Gaddafi's hometown Sirte
13:25 28/03/2011 MOSCOW, March 28 (RIA Novosti) - Libyan rebels claimed on Monday to have captured the town of Sirte, the home of embattled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, according to media reports.
Shamsi Abdul Molah, a spokesman for the opposition's National Council, told the Al Jazeera satellite channel that opposition forces had moved into the city at approximately 1:30 a.m. last night (local time).
"They had no problem getting in there, they did not encounter any resistance," Al Jazeera's correspondent in Benghazi reported.
The National Council said it was now expecting a major battle in the area around Tripoli.
Other media reports said the pro-Gaddafi troops had been pushed out of Sirte and now the rebels effectively control all of Libya's oil exports.
However, according to Reuters, Sirt is still under government control.
Sirte, a Gaddafi stronghold, is about halfway between the rebel-held east of the country and the Gaddafi-controlled west.
On Sunday, NATO began taking command of all aerial operations in Libya from the US-led force. The transfer of authority will take up to three days.
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