Anti-Gaddafi Fighters 'Know Where He Is'

Anti-Gaddafi fighters have reportedly said they know the location of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi - and that they will reveal it later.

Sky's foreign affairs correspondent Lisa Holland, in Libya, said the new oil and justice minister, Ali al Tarhouni, had revealed the group had knowledge of the former leader's whereabouts.

Holland said: "They (the anti-Gaddafi fighters) are not saying at the moment (where he is), but are indicating they might at a later stage.

"If they come out and say where they believe he is...that may give some inspiration to Col Gaddafi to go on the move.

"The net does appear to be closing, it is all everyone is talking about."

The revelation comes after the fighters' plans to attack the former leader's home town of Sirte were thwarted, as a deadline for the surrender of the town is extended by a further week.

Negotiations for a peaceful handover have been taking place, while a ceasefire across the whole of Libya has been observed for the past week.

A deadline had been set for the town to surrender on Saturday - but the leader of the National Transitional Council, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, announced on Friday that the deadline had been extended.

A senior member of the Gaddafi clan from the town of Sabha has also stepped forward to act as a negotiator with the anti-Gaddafi fighters, according to Sky sources.

Sky's security editor Sam Kiley, with anti-Gaddafi forces on the outskirts of Sirte, said: "The anti-Gaddafi fighters have been blindsided by Abdel Jalil who announced without any reference to any of the frontline commanders that there would be an extension of a week for the negotiations for the surrender of Sirte.

"This provided an opportunity for Gaddafi loyalists in Sabha to join the negotiations, which has further upset things for the anti-Gaddafi fighters because they were poised to march into Sirte tomorrow morning.

"Those plans have been put on hold, not through any pressure from the frontline, but because in the view of the NTC it is better to negotiate their way in than to fight their way in."

Regardless of the extension, anti-Gaddafi soldiers have said they are still intent on launching an assault on Sirte.

One told Kiley: "We have definitely got the strength and power for the army to move forwards and get into Sirte and we've also got the passion to move us forward because we're fighting for a reason here."

While talks may see Sirte handed over, the ousted dictator is remaining defiant, describing the town as "the capital of the resistance".

In two messages broadcast on Syrian Arrai news channel , which coincided with the 42nd anniversary of the coup which brought him to power, he warned his troops would keep fighting.

In one audio message, Col Gaddafi said: "We won't surrender again - we are not women. We will keep fighting.

"The battle will be long and let Libya burn.

"Get ready to fight the occupation... Get ready for a long war, imposed on us," Col Gaddafi continued. "Get ready for the guerrilla war."

Anti-Gaddafi fighters were poised to advance on Sabha and Bani Walid as well as Sirte, which are mostly under the control of forces loyal to the deposed leader.

The three towns are believed to be places Col Gaddafi may have turned to after fleeing Tripoli.

A former bodyguard for Col Gaddafi's son Khamis, told Sky's chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay he believed Col Gaddafi and his most high profile son, Saif al Islam, were heading towards Sabha.