▁The ▁battle ▁The ▁Associ ated ▁Press ▁reported ▁that ▁among ▁the ▁re bel ▁forces ▁adv ancing ▁on ▁the ▁city , ▁a ▁leading ▁cont ing ent ▁were ▁reb els ▁from ▁Z aw i ya ▁who ▁had ▁fled ▁to ▁the ▁mountains . ▁The ▁bulk ▁of ▁the ▁opposition ▁force ▁advanced ▁to ▁a ▁bridge ▁on ▁the ▁south western ▁out sk ir ts ▁before ▁being ▁hit ▁by ▁loyal ist ▁art illery ▁fire . ▁One ▁group ▁of ▁reb els ▁got ▁through ▁loyal ist ▁def ensive ▁lines ▁in ▁the ▁western ▁sector ▁of ▁the ▁town , ▁over running ▁it , ▁and ▁pushed ▁into ▁the ▁city ▁center . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁upon ▁the ▁entrance ▁of ▁the ▁reb els ▁into ▁the ▁streets ▁of ▁the ▁city , ▁they ▁were ▁che ered ▁by ▁some ▁residents ▁who ▁came ▁out ▁of ▁their ▁homes ▁to ▁gre et ▁them , ▁shout ing ▁" G od ▁is ▁great ". ▁Some ▁joined ▁the ▁reb els ▁as ▁f igh ters . ▁A ▁re bel ▁sp okes man ▁assert ed ▁that ▁the ▁pro - G add af i ▁forces ' ▁areas ▁of ▁control ▁had ▁been ▁reduced ▁to ▁a ▁couple ▁of ▁po ckets , ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁reb els ▁in ▁the ▁mountains ▁could ▁send ▁supplies ▁and ▁rein for c ements ▁to ▁Z aw i ya ▁at ▁any ▁time ▁since ▁the ▁road ▁was ▁open . ▁After ▁the ▁reb els ▁reached ▁the ▁main ▁square , ▁loyal ist ▁forces ▁from ▁the ▁eastern ▁part ▁of ▁Z aw i ya ▁counter - att ack ed ▁with ▁a ▁bar rage ▁of ▁heavy ▁weapons . ▁ ▁NAT O ▁conducted