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| Confusion rife as Libyan army storms town of Bani Walid | Confusion rife as Libyan army storms town of Bani Walid |
| (6 months later) | |
| Libyan army units have launched a full-scale assault against the town of Bani Walid, accusing it of being controlled by supporters of the former dictator Muammar Gaddafi. | Libyan army units have launched a full-scale assault against the town of Bani Walid, accusing it of being controlled by supporters of the former dictator Muammar Gaddafi. |
| Fierce fighting has raged in the town for two days, with the army reporting 44 wounded and five dead. There are no reliable casualty figures from inside Bani Walid itself. | Fierce fighting has raged in the town for two days, with the army reporting 44 wounded and five dead. There are no reliable casualty figures from inside Bani Walid itself. |
| "We started to enter Bani Walid, we are not far away from the centre," said army spokesman Mohammed al-Gandus. "There was a big battle between Bani Walid people and our army." | "We started to enter Bani Walid, we are not far away from the centre," said army spokesman Mohammed al-Gandus. "There was a big battle between Bani Walid people and our army." |
| Army commanders on Thursday night portrayed the fighting as the final battle against Gaddafi hardliners, who they say have made the town their home, fearing arrest and execution if they are captured. | Army commanders on Thursday night portrayed the fighting as the final battle against Gaddafi hardliners, who they say have made the town their home, fearing arrest and execution if they are captured. |
| "A lot of people who supported Gaddafi are hiding now in Bani Walid. We have a list of names," said Gandus. "They are fighting very well because they know they are going to die soon." | "A lot of people who supported Gaddafi are hiding now in Bani Walid. We have a list of names," said Gandus. "They are fighting very well because they know they are going to die soon." |
| There were conflicting claims about the battle last night, with army units claiming to have captured the airport and main hospital, leaving defending forces controlling only the town centre. | There were conflicting claims about the battle last night, with army units claiming to have captured the airport and main hospital, leaving defending forces controlling only the town centre. |
| "The airport has been captured and we are fighting around a large porcelain factory," said Gandus. | "The airport has been captured and we are fighting around a large porcelain factory," said Gandus. |
| But Ibrahim Warfali, a Bani Walid lawyer inside the town contacted by telephone, insisted the defenders were holding their ground. "They have not entered the city, we are going to celebrate a great victory," he said. | But Ibrahim Warfali, a Bani Walid lawyer inside the town contacted by telephone, insisted the defenders were holding their ground. "They have not entered the city, we are going to celebrate a great victory," he said. |
| At Kilometre 60, a crossroads where army forces have established a perimeter, tanks and pickup trucks mounting anti-aircraft guns drove westwards towards the town. | At Kilometre 60, a crossroads where army forces have established a perimeter, tanks and pickup trucks mounting anti-aircraft guns drove westwards towards the town. |
| The onslaught follows a blockade of the town by pro-government forces after a militiaman from Misrata, credited with the capture last year of Gaddafi, died last month, allegedly from wounds inflicted by Bani Walid militants. | The onslaught follows a blockade of the town by pro-government forces after a militiaman from Misrata, credited with the capture last year of Gaddafi, died last month, allegedly from wounds inflicted by Bani Walid militants. |
| A deadline for the town to surrender those responsible or allow police to search Bani Walid for them expired two weeks ago. | A deadline for the town to surrender those responsible or allow police to search Bani Walid for them expired two weeks ago. |
| Bani Walid, 90 miles south-east of Tripoli, was one of the last pro-Gaddafi redoubts to fall to rebel forces in last year's Arab Spring rebellion. In January riots in the town saw government forces expelled and the town has remained in a state of de-facto independence ever since. | Bani Walid, 90 miles south-east of Tripoli, was one of the last pro-Gaddafi redoubts to fall to rebel forces in last year's Arab Spring rebellion. In January riots in the town saw government forces expelled and the town has remained in a state of de-facto independence ever since. |
| The Egyptian embassy has been continuing efforts to evacuate several hundred Egyptians, with Gandus claiming they are being used as "human shields" by the defenders. | The Egyptian embassy has been continuing efforts to evacuate several hundred Egyptians, with Gandus claiming they are being used as "human shields" by the defenders. |
| In Tripoli, no one seems to know whether the government in fact ordered the attack, or whether senior army commanders made the decision themselves. | In Tripoli, no one seems to know whether the government in fact ordered the attack, or whether senior army commanders made the decision themselves. |
| Earlier this month Libya's new parliament passed decree seven, authorising all necessary means by government forces to bring the killers of the Misrata militiaman to justice. | Earlier this month Libya's new parliament passed decree seven, authorising all necessary means by government forces to bring the killers of the Misrata militiaman to justice. |
| Yet army chief of staff Yusuf Mangoush said on Wednesday that the army was ready to enter Bani Walid, possibly unaware that his units had already done so. | Yet army chief of staff Yusuf Mangoush said on Wednesday that the army was ready to enter Bani Walid, possibly unaware that his units had already done so. |
| Libya's government is itself in chaos, with a parliament elected in July yet to agree a cabinet. The prime minister, Mustafa Abushagur was fired earlier this month and his replacement, Ali Zidan, is still choosing his cabinet, leaving the levers of power in the hands of the executive of Libya's former transitional authorities. | Libya's government is itself in chaos, with a parliament elected in July yet to agree a cabinet. The prime minister, Mustafa Abushagur was fired earlier this month and his replacement, Ali Zidan, is still choosing his cabinet, leaving the levers of power in the hands of the executive of Libya's former transitional authorities. |
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