▁a irst rik es ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁re bel ▁forces . ▁One ▁strike ▁hit ▁a ▁re bel ▁tank ▁in ▁a ▁friendly ▁fire ▁incident , ▁killing ▁four . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁evening , ▁the ▁Lib yan ▁government ▁stated ▁that ▁a ▁re bel ▁force ▁entered ▁the ▁city ▁on ▁a ▁suic ide ▁mission ▁but ▁failed ▁to ▁take ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁and ▁that ▁Z aw i ya ▁was ▁totally ▁under ▁government ▁control . ▁A ▁re bel ▁commander ▁stated ▁that ▁opposition ▁forces ▁were ▁almost ▁a ▁kilometer ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁center , ▁on ▁the ▁western ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁road , ▁while ▁loyal ist ▁troops ▁were ▁on ▁the ▁east ▁side . ▁A ▁Re ut ers ▁rep orter ▁stated ▁that ▁gun fire ▁could ▁be ▁heard ▁on ▁the ▁out sk ir ts ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁Re ports ▁were ▁contradict ory ▁regarding ▁the ▁situation ▁in ▁the ▁city . ▁A ▁Re ut ers ▁rep orter ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁reb els ▁held ▁the ▁city ▁center ▁with ▁no ▁signs ▁of ▁on going ▁heavy ▁fighting , ▁though ▁occas ional ▁gun fire ▁could ▁be ▁heard . ▁An ▁Al ▁J aze era ▁rep orter ▁stated ▁that ▁there ▁was ▁still ▁on going ▁fighting ▁within ▁the ▁city , ▁and ▁the ▁city ▁center ▁had ▁not ▁yet ▁been ▁taken . ▁ ▁O pp osition ▁forces ▁claimed ▁to ▁control ▁ 7 0 ▁percent ▁of ▁Z aw i ya , ▁but ▁loyal ist ▁sn ip ers ▁and ▁sle eper ▁cells ▁remained ▁in ▁the ▁city , ▁and ▁the ▁reb els ▁had ▁not ▁yet ▁been ▁able ▁to ▁clear ▁them . ▁The ▁bulk