Libyan Revolutionary Forces give Gaddafi loyalists Ultimatum

Libyan revolutionary forces have given an ultimatum to loyalists of the country’s fugitive ruler Muammar Gaddafi in the city of Sirte to lay down arms or face action.

Ahmed Bani, a military spokesman for the Transitional National Council (TNC), said that the Gaddafi forces have been ordered to let revolutionaries enter Gadhafi’s hometown of Sirte.

The ultimatum comes as Libyan fighters tightened the grip on Gaddafi’s hometown, where he still retains tribal support, on the eastern and western fronts on Monday to prepare a final assault for gaining full control of Libya, CNN reported.

A group of fighters that are originally from Sirte have been sent to Gaddafi’s last holdout to negotiate with local tribal leaders there for a bloodless surrender of the city.

“We want to give more time for negotiations, to give a chance for those people trying to persuade the people inside Sirte to surrender and open their city,” Mohammad Zawawi, a spokesman for fighters said.

However, Mahmud Shammam, a TNC spokesman has warned that talks for peaceful handover of Sirte will not be open-ended, adding the Libyan council would like to “unify Libya very quickly.”

Fighters have reached within 30 kilometers of Sirte on the west and have pushed seven kilometers past the village of Bin Jawad which lies 62 kilometers from the last bastion of the fugitive ruler.

Meanwhile, NATO warplanes have bombarded Sirte over the past few days, targeting dozens of military vehicles, two military shelters, and other military targets, reports said.