Gaddafi's forces fired ‘Scud Missile’ for the first time of conflict

According to the US defense official, Armed forces trustworthy to Muammar Gaddafi have ablaze a Scud missile for the first time in the country's six-month fighting.

They say it was initiated from near the coastal city of Sirte and aimed at Brega - recently occupied by activists - but landed safely in the desert. Gaddafi loyal forces are thought to have in excess of 200 Scuds in their armory.

The move comes as the rebels go on a push towards the capital, Tripoli.

On Monday they advanced into two tactically important towns controlling access to the capital, from the west and the south. Skirmishing was reported in both Zawiya, 50km (30 miles) west of Tripoli, and Gharyan, 80km (50 miles) to the south.

Medics outside Zawiya told Reuters news agency that sniper and mortar ablaze from ruler forces had left three civilians dead.  Col Gaddafi's forces are still considered to capture the Zawiya oil refinery - the only one in western Libya - where they acquire largely of their fuel.

Prior, the rebels said they had captured Gharyan - a town in the Nafusa Mountains that bestrides the road linking Tripoli with Sabha, Sorman - west along the road from Zawiya to Tunisia - and Tiji, though this has not been verified by the locals.

If the towns drop to the rebels, they would have Tripoli enclosed by land, with Nato blocking sea access. .0The BBC's Matthew Price in Tripoli says how much region the rebels captured and for how long they can seize it is not clear.

But both activists and US said Col Gaddafi was coming under mounting pressure.

Ahmed Bani, Rebel spokesman said the utilization of a Scud was a symbol of  extreme anxiety by the Libyan leader. "This man will utilize any weapon essential to keep his supervision going and resume his rule, even for few hours," he said.

"It's becoming gradually more obvious that Gaddafi's days are figured," said White House spokesman Jay Carney. However, in an audio message broadcast on Libyan state TV on Monday Col Gaddafi was insolent. "The end of the colonizer is shut down and the end of the rats is close," he said.

He requested to his supporters to "ready for the fight to free" Libya.

The Scud initiate was detected by US forces, who say the missile was launched on Sunday morning and landed in the desert about 80km (50 miles) outside the intentional port of Brega.

There was no explanation from Libyan officials. The two sides have fought over Brega, with capture swinging back and forth.

Scud missiles have a series of up to about 500km (800km) and can carry a warhead of up to about one tonne.

Prior in the skirmish the Nato-led allied targeted rocket launchers and Scud missile containers near Sirte, saying the weapons could be fired against civilians or on areas beyond Col Gaddafi's control. Rebels rejected that their National Transitional Council (NTC) has held discussions with representatives of Col Gaddafi in Tunisia.

"There is no talking or discussions between the Gaddafi rule and the NTC in Tunisia or anywhere else," Abdel Hafiz Ghoga, NTC vice-chairman, told AFP news agency.

A UN special ambassador, Abdul Ilah al-Khatib, whose role is to discuss a ceasefire, has arrived in Tunis, and sources in the Tunisian security services said the two sides had met at a hotel on the Mediterranean resort island of Djerba on Sunday.

A UN spokesman said he had "no solid information" on any such discussions.

In the meantime, the Netherlands on Monday unfroze $143m (100m euros; £87m) in detained Libyan assets and gave the funds to the World Health Organization. Dutch government’s spokesman said the funds would be utilized to give medicines and surgical equipment in areas held by activists.