Anti-government protesters were in control of a key town just 30 miles from the capital Tripoli as international pressure grows on Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
Lisa Holland, in Zawiyah
Anti-government protesters were in control of a key town just 30 miles from the capital Tripoli as international pressure grows on Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
:: Follow the developing story live on Sky News and at www.skynews.com/liveplus
The fall of Zawiyah to its people comes after the UN agreed to impose sanctions on Libya and Britain withdrew the leader's diplomatic immunity.
Sky News has seen the flag of the anti-Gaddafi movement flying over Zawiyah - the centre of the most bitter fighting in recent days.
Under the supervision of the Libyan government, Sky News has been allowed access into Tripoli.
We have been invited by Colonel Gaddafi along with a group of other international journalists to see, we were told, that he was still in control.
Military forces escorted us out of the capital and we were driven west to Zawiyah, which we were told had not fallen to protesters.
Anti-Gaddafi Protesters Control Key Town
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2:41pm UK, Sunday February 27, 2011
Lisa Holland, in Zawiyah
Anti-government protesters were in control of a key town just 30 miles from the capital Tripoli as international pressure grows on Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
:: Follow the developing story live on Sky News and at www.skynews.com/liveplus
The fall of Zawiyah to its people comes after the UN agreed to impose sanctions on Libya and Britain withdrew the leader's diplomatic immunity.
Sky News has seen the flag of the anti-Gaddafi movement flying over Zawiyah - the centre of the most bitter fighting in recent days.
Under the supervision of the Libyan government, Sky News has been allowed access into Tripoli.
We have been invited by Colonel Gaddafi along with a group of other international journalists to see, we were told, that he was still in control.
Military forces escorted us out of the capital and we were driven west to Zawiyah, which we were told had not fallen to protesters.
However, about five minutes outside the town, the soldiers would not take us any futher.
As we approached the centre of Zawiyah, we heard gunfire - which turned out to be celebrations by the town's people who said they had pushed back Colonel Gaddafi's forces Thursday.
Sky News saw evidence of captured army vehicles, military anti-aircraft guns sitting in the back of ordinary pick-up trucks and people shouting anti-Gaddafi slogans.
It was obvious Zawiyah has fallen to political demonstrators - and the military escort that abandoned us outside the town knew they would be unwelcomed there.
When we asked why we had been brought to the town, it was suggested to us that perhaps Colonel Gaddafi himself was not aware of the situation outside of Tripoli and that he had lost power of the country.
There was also speculation we had been delivered to Zawiyah to persuade us the people there were supporters of al Qaeda.
But from talking to the people there, they are not Islamists - they are residents of Zawiyah who are displeased with Colonel Gaddafi and they were defending their town.
Meanwhile, the Royal Navy's HMS Cumberland is on her way back to Benghazi in the east to pick up any British citizens still stranded in the port city.
As the unrest continues the Foreign Office estimates between 200 and 380 Britons are still inside Libya.
Dozens of oil workers rescued from the Libyan desert by two RAF Hercules are also expected to leave Malta for the UK later on Saturday.