Gaddafi defiant as British patrols target Bani Walid

In his latest statement, Colonel Gaddafi said: “We will fight them everywhere. We will burn the ground under their feet… Get ready to fight the occupation.”

Guma el-Gamaty, UK representative of the National Transitional Council which now controls most of Libya, belives Tripoli is almost secure now.

“Gaddafi is still at large but he is hiding. He is isolated. He is almost surrounded in possibly one of two small places where we think he is,” Mr al-Gamaty said.

“We think it is just a matter of time before he is either apprehended or, if he resisted arrest, he might be killed.”

We will burn the ground under their feet… Get ready to fight the occupation. Colonel Gaddafi

The UK strikes in Bani Walid come as the Ministry of Defence announced British forces have so far hit more than 900 targets, including secret police headquarters and command bunkers, since the campaign began in March to protect Libyan civilians from the Gaddafi regime.

Major General Nick Pope, the Chief of the Defence Staff’s communications officer, said: “In the early hours of the morning a precision strike there (in Bani Walid) destroyed a military command and control installation, and a couple of hours later our aircraft identified a pick-up truck armed with a large rocket pod.

He continued: “In the afternoon Tornado GR4s conducted a strike on six buildings in use by former regime forces near Bani Walid, at Qaryat al-Mirqib. All six targets were destroyed by Paveway guided bombs.

Reports say two of Colonel Gaddafi’s surviving sons, Saif al-Islam and Mutassim Gaddafi, are in charge of last-ditch defences in Bani Walid. Colonel Gaddafi himself may also be holed up in the town