Tripoli, Libya (CNN) — Forces against ousted Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi entered his hometown of Sirte by convoys on Saturday, a day after they pulled back following fierce resistance.
At least 100 cars were seen entering Sirte on Saturday as anti-Gadhafi forces are trying to take the city.
The advance comes a day afteranti-Gadhafi fighters retreated Friday from chaotic, fierce street fighting in the city.
During the fighting Friday, a brigade of fighters from Misrata wrested control of the Al-Gurdabia military base and a civilian airport near the western edge of Sirte, according to the Misrata Military Council.
Seven anti-Gadhafi fighters were killed and 31 others wounded in Friday’s fighting in Sirte, said Ali Gheliwan, a Misrata Military Council spokesman.
From the central city, the forces retreated to the outskirts after troops loyal to Gadhafi put up strong resistance.
Expected support from residents of Sirte did not materialize as loyalists fought house to house with an intensity that had not been anticipated.
One of Gadhafi’s sons, Mutassim, the regime’s national security adviser, may have been coordinating the fighting in Sirte, according to Alm Hashi, a revolutionary fighter.
He said Mutassim Gadhafi’s voice crackled on the radio with orders for troops loyal to his father.
CNN’s Ben Wedeman, Kareem Khadder, Phil Black, Raja Razek and Mick B. Krever contributed to this report.
via Anti-Gadhafi forces head to Sirte a day after retreating – CNN.com.
