Welcome to our live rolling coverage of the continuing events in Libya as the battle for Tripoli enters day five. Libyan rebels announced they will transfer their leadership from Benghazi to the capital Tripoli. Meanwhile, in a short audio broadcast on loyalist satellite TV channels, Libya's Muammar Gadhafi called on his supporters to march on Tripoli and "purify" the capital of rebels. Here we will bring you the latest developments as they happen.

 

Special: Libya conflict

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9:26 am

Good Morning and welcome to our live rolling coverage of the revolution in Libya. Here’s a brief snapshot of the latest developments.

• Heavy fighting can be heard around Tripoli as Gadhafi loyalists make a final stand in the capital. A number of explosions have rocked the area surrounding the embattled leader’s compound in the past hour. Up to 1,000 opposition fighters have surrounded an apartment block near Gadhafi’s former headquarters following unconfirmed reports that the he was inside with some of his sons.

• In a sign the end may be near, opposition forces have announced they will transfer their leadership from Benghazi to the capital Tripoli immediately.

• Gadhafi has made another broadcast to urge his remaining supporters to “purify” the capital of “rats”, while his spokesman taunted his enemies by saying the 69-year-old was safe, healthy and “leading the battle for our freedom”.

 • The US and South Africa have struck a deal to allow the UN to release $1.5bn in frozen Libyan assets for humanitarian needs.

• Scores of bodies have been found in Tripoli with signs of executions carried out by both sides. Thirty bullet-riddled bodies of fighters loyal to Gadhafi. Two had been bound with plastic handcuffs, and one was on an ambulance stretcher with an intravenous drip still in his arm.

 

6:46 am

The United States and South Africa struck a deal on Thursday to allow the release of $1.5 billion in frozen Libya funds for humanitarian aid and other civilian needs, U.N. diplomats said on Thursday.

6:06 am

The Libyan rebel government hopes to restart oil exports within two to three months and reach full volumes in about a year, Ali Tarhouni, the official in charge of financial and oil matters told Reuters from Libya's oil ministry in Tripoli.
 

 

5:44 am

The Libyan rebels announced Thursday to move their government to Tripoli.

 

5:41 am

The United Nations will release 1.5 billion U.S. dollars in Libyan assets after the United States and South Africa reached deal on the issue on Thursday, a diplomat close to the talks said.

 

5:05 am

Two days after the Libyan rebels entered Muammar Gaddafi's Bab Al-Aziziya compound in western Tripoli, hunt for the embattled leader intensified Thursday as rebel fighters were exploring tunnels in the compound.

 

4:48 am

 Libya's Muammar Gaddafi called on his supporters to march on Tripoli and "purify" the capital of rebels, who he denounced as "rats, crusaders and unbelievers" in a defiant, angry speech that betrayed no hint of despondency.

 

4:36 am

Defected Libyan ex-prime minister Abdessalam Abdel Jalloud said in Rome, Italy at a press conference on Thursday that he was ready to found a new political party.

 

4:35 am

UN under-secretary-general for political affairs B. Lynn Pascoe said here on Thursday that the United Nations will assist Libya at the directives of its new government after the current conflict in the North African nation has come to a close.

 

3:40 am

The Libya contact group called on the embattled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and his inner circle to surrender at the conclusion of its meeting in Istanbul on Thursday.

 

2:15 am

U.S. State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said on Thursday that Washington expected the UN to lead the potential police support to Libya if it was requested by the country's opposition.

 

1: 20 am

Tunisia's main border post with Libya, Ras El Jedir, is on alert as the number of people injured in the fighting in Libya is witnessing a sharp increase, the official press agency TAP reported Thursday.

 

0:54 am

More than 20,000 people have been killed in Libya since the civil conflict started in February in the North African state, rebel leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil said.

 

0:25 am

The Libya Contact Group promised here on Thursday to release 2.5 billion U.S. dollars in frozen Libyan assets to the National Transitional Council (NTC) before the end of the month.