reports surfaced of a rebel attempt at taking the border crossing of Ras Ajdir. Tunisian border guards stated that the loyalists brought up heavy weapons, including tanks, to defend it. By the next day it was reported that the rebel attack had been unsuccessful. On 14 August, fighting was still ongoing and the rebels had not taken the center of Zawiya. A rebel commander stated that they controlled the western and southern gate of Zawiya, after managing to push into the city, while government forces were controlling the east and the center of the town. Later during the day, Al Jazeera English stated that the rebels had taken control of a key highway running through Zawiya, the one that links Tunisia to Tripoli. The same day rebels claimed that they captured the neighboring city of Sorman, just west of Zawiya, and that they suffered ten dead and 34 wounded in fighting there. Clashes were also claimed to be occurring in nearby Sabratha. Later, a rebel spokesman also announced the capture of Ajaylat. On 15 August, loyalist forces pushed back the rebels from the city center of Zawiya in a concentrated effort to block the rebel advance. However, by the evening, rebels claimed to hold 80 percent of Zawiya. They also arrested 15 people they said were African mercenaries and Libyan Army soldiers, though at least one alleged mercenary claimed he was an innocent Nigerian guest worker. Some fighters said they expected it would take some time to clear all the snipers from tall buildings inside the city. Some shelling continued, though rebel soldiers said fighting was getting closer to the loyalist-held oil facility. Al Jazeera reported the fall of Sabratha to rebel forces, with the exception of an army base west of the city, which had been besieged. As of 15 August, rebel forces stated that they were negotiating surrender terms with the remaining loyalist forces in Sabratha. On 16 August, government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim claimed that loyalist forces had retaken Sorman, confirming accounts that Sorman had earlier been captured by rebel forces. He also claimed that Gaddafi governmental forces were in full control of Zawiya, and that "they will soon retake Gharyan". NATO Colonel Roland Lavoie said on 16 August that "there is still some fighting reported" in the suburbs of Sorman, though he did not say who NATO believed was in control of the city proper. An eyewitness