Control of Zawiya would mean Tripoli surrounded
Libyan rebels are battling to control a key coastal oil refinery in Zawiya, just 50 kilometres east of Tripoli, the BBC reports. Heavy gunfire and rocket attacks took place in a sixth day of fighting on Wednesday, as Gadhafi’s forces continue to hold the refinery with snipers, while rebels say they control the gate of the complex. Zawiya is a key town for the rebels, as it lies on the route between Tripoli and Tunisia, and its capture by rebels would mean Tripoli would be surrounded by land, with NATO forces blocking sea access.