Libyan troops advance on Sirte in heavy fighting

"The clashes were very intense," another commander, Mustafa Bendardaf, said.
"Five enemy vehicles were taken out. Three were destroyed in NATO air strikes and two were captured by our men," he said.
An AFP correspondent behind the frontline heard intense artillery exchanges throughout the day.
Another NTC commander, Adel Semfez, said that the fighting had been sparked by a reconnoitre launched at dawn by a unit led by famed rebel commander Selim Nabus, which had ambushed a pro-Kadhafi convoy destroying four vehicles and capturing a fifth.
"It was a fairly routine engagement for this front line," he added, stressing that it did not mark the launch of a major offensive on Sirte.
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