Benghazi: Libya's rebels said today their war against Moammar Gaddafi's regime had entered a "decisive phase" and that victory was within reach by the end of August.
They also ruled out negotiations with the regime after Washington said the "days are numbered" for veteran strongman Moammar Gaddafi's regime.
As the chorus grew, fighting raged across Libya, with the rebels denying they were in talks with a defiant Gaddafi, who himself predicted swift victory against both the rebels and their NATO allies.
Mansur Saif al-Nasr, the rebel National Transitional Council's (NTC) envoy to Paris, said "our forces totally control Zawiyah (west of the capital), which will open the way to Tripoli. This will allow the population there to revolt."
"We are entering a decisive phase. Soon we will liberate all of southern Libya. We hope to celebrate the final victory at the same time as the end of (Muslim holy month of) Ramadan" at the end of August, he told France's RFI radio.
"The population inside Tripoli is preparing for the uprising," Nasr said. "A few weeks ago, Gaddafi's forces put down the revolt because they had air power and tanks, and our forces were not at the gates of Tripoli.
"Today, they have no more air power, no tanks and our forces are at the entrance to Tripoli."
The United States expressed optimism that the rebels were closing in on Gaddafi, who has ruled for more than 40 years, with White House spokesman Jay Carney saying the increasingly isolated strongman's "days are numbered.
They also ruled out negotiations with the regime after Washington said the "days are numbered" for veteran strongman Moammar Gaddafi's regime.
As the chorus grew, fighting raged across Libya, with the rebels denying they were in talks with a defiant Gaddafi, who himself predicted swift victory against both the rebels and their NATO allies.
Mansur Saif al-Nasr, the rebel National Transitional Council's (NTC) envoy to Paris, said "our forces totally control Zawiyah (west of the capital), which will open the way to Tripoli. This will allow the population there to revolt."
"We are entering a decisive phase. Soon we will liberate all of southern Libya. We hope to celebrate the final victory at the same time as the end of (Muslim holy month of) Ramadan" at the end of August, he told France's RFI radio.
"The population inside Tripoli is preparing for the uprising," Nasr said. "A few weeks ago, Gaddafi's forces put down the revolt because they had air power and tanks, and our forces were not at the gates of Tripoli.
"Today, they have no more air power, no tanks and our forces are at the entrance to Tripoli."
The United States expressed optimism that the rebels were closing in on Gaddafi, who has ruled for more than 40 years, with White House spokesman Jay Carney saying the increasingly isolated strongman's "days are numbered.
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