Libya forces drive on to centre of Sirte

Libya's new regime forces were battling block by block towards the centre of Sirte yesterday, eyeing the symbolic prize of finally capturing Gaddafi's hometown after a month-long siege.
But Gaddafi diehards were putting up fierce resistance and in their other remaining bastion, Bani Walid, they mounted a fightback, killing 17 National Transitional Council (NTC) fighters.
A column of NTC troops backed by tanks thrust towards the centre of Sirte from positions east along the Mediterranean coast, coming under heavy rocket and small arms fire as they moved forwards house by house.
"We are less than a kilometre and a half (a mile) from the central square," said NTC commander Tareq Drisa.
Burned out vehicles littered the streets as NTC tanks and artillery pounded Gaddafi positions in open ground in the Dollar area of the city from a ridge some four kilometres (two and a half miles) inland, which they seized in a major advance on Sunday.
On the third day of what commanders have touted as a final assault, NTC troops captured Sirte's showpiece conference centre, university campus and hospital on Sunday, AFP correspondents said.