Libyan rebels hoisted their flag in the centre of Zawiyah near the capital today after the most dramatic advance in months cut off Muammar Gaddafi's capital from its main link to the outside world.
The swift rebel advance on the town about 50 km west of Tripoli, will deal a psychological blow to Gaddafi's supporters and also cuts the coastal highway to Tunisia which keeps the capital supplied with food and fuel.
But there was no sign Tripoli was under immediate threat from a rebel attack: heavily armed pro-Gaddafi forces still lie between Zawiyah and the capital.
After their initial rapid advances were beaten back by Gaddafi's heavy armour, the Libyan rebels have largely been unable to break the stalemate, even with the help of NATO air strikes.
But rebel forces are now in their strongest position since the uprising against 41 years of Gaddafi's rule began in February. They now control the coast both east and west of Tripoli, to the north is the Mediterranean and a NATO naval blockade, while to the south is empty desert.
Rebels from the Western Mountains region south of this Mediterranean coastal town dashed forward into Zawiyah late yesterday, encountering little sustained resistance from Gaddafi's forces.
Rebels said the capital was their next target once Zawiyah was fully under their control.