report by journalist Ann Marlowe confirmed that Sorman had been taken several days earlier, and confirmed that Sabratha had been taken by rebels on 15 August, after loyalist forces fled. However, the very next day, heavy fighting was reported to be still ongoing in Sabratha. On 18 August, rebels declared that after a four-day battle they had secured the city of Sabratha and defeated loyalist forces and were in control of 90 percent of the city, including the centre, after having overrun it with at least 200 fighters. The loyalists were defeated after NATO bombed a loyalist military base in the city allowing the rebels to storm the base and seize weapons left behind by Gaddafi's men. This victory was confirmed by a team of Reuters reporters, who witnessed the rebel fighters in control of the city center. A rebel commander claimed that Zuwara was in rebel hands on 18 August, according to the AP news agency. On 19 August, a Guardian reporter confirmed the end of fighting in Sabratha; according to him, the fighting there lasted three days, ending on 16 August. He also confirmed that the ancient Roman amphitheater ruins survived the fighting. Rebel fighters also told The Guardian that they are planning to move towards Zuwara. On 22 August, rebels claimed the capture of Zuwara and the Ras Ajdir border crossing. On 23 August, a Tagesschau correspondent confirmed that city of 'Aziziya was under rebel control. On 24 August, loyalist forces attempted to retake the rebel-held city of Ajaylat, mounting an attack with tanks and missiles. They also shelled the rebel-held city of Zuwara. On 27 August, a ship carrying ammunition for the Libyan rebels fighting for control of the coastal road, west of Tripoli to the Tunisian border, blew up on Saturday at the port of Zuwara. On 28 August, an Al Jazeera English correspondent reported that a region near Ajaylat was controlled by a "small pocket" of pro-Gaddafi forces, but that supply lines safely bypassed the town. Rebel advance on Tripoli On 20 August rebels stated that the end of Gaddafi was "very near". The same day rebels within Tripoli started the battle of Tripoli; the main rebel forces were still outside of Tripoli. On 21 August, rebel forces pushed towards Tripoli from two fronts in order to help a local uprising in the city itself. From Zawiya they advanced to village Al Maya, east