Ferocious attacks by Gaddafi diehards forced fighters of Libya's new rulers to retreat from the ousted strongman's birthplace Sirte, where a tank shell killed three in a "friendly fire" attack.
Equally fierce resistance from loyalists in the desert town of Bani Walid, Muammar Gaddafi's other remaining bastion of support, has stalled a final assault by National Transitional Council (NTC) fighters, said commanders, who called on NATO to increase its air support.
While the fugitive Gaddafi's whereabouts remain unknown, Libya's defence ministry spokesman Ahmed Bani said in Tripoli one of his sons, Seif al-Islam, was in Bani Walid and another, Mutassim, in Sirte.
Along with his father and former intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi, Seif is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity.
An NTC commander in eastern Sirte told AFP that fighting which raged into yesterday night was the fiercest yet since new regime forces launched their assault on the Mediterranean port city on September 15.
"There were heavy clashes (on Wednesday). Our men came under heavy attack," said the commander, who asked not to be identified.
The fighting was so intense, he added, that his forces were forced to retreat three kilometres (two miles) outside the city.
"They (Gaddafi loyalists) have lost everything. This is their last battle and so are fighting fiercely. Our troops are taking a heavy beating at the moment. Today we retreated three kilometres," he said, adding that battles were concentrated at the port and the city's eastern outskirts.
