. ▁The ▁re bel ▁soldiers ▁also ▁gave ▁their ▁account ▁of ▁the ▁ref in ery ▁battle , ▁saying ▁that ▁after ▁performing ▁a ▁five - hour ▁rear ▁guard ▁action , ▁ 1 0 0 - 1 5 0 ▁loyal ist ▁soldiers ▁had ▁retre ated ▁via ▁the ▁sea ▁using ▁boats , ▁at ▁least ▁one ▁of ▁which ▁was ▁target ed ▁by ▁a ▁NAT O ▁war plane ▁and ▁subsequently ▁s unk . ▁NAT O ▁described ▁the ▁boat ' s ▁actions ▁as ▁" re position ing " ▁and ▁" progress ing ▁towards ▁another ▁location ▁[ where ] ▁we ▁believe ▁they ▁were ▁going ▁[ s ic ] ▁to ▁make ▁attacks ▁on ▁" c iv ili ans " ." ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 9 ▁August , ▁re bel ▁forces ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁take ▁Mart y rs ' ▁Square ▁in ▁central ▁Z aw i ya , ▁also ▁capt uring ▁the ▁hospital ▁where ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁loyal ist ▁troops ▁were ▁based . ▁However , ▁pro - G add af i ▁forces ▁soon ▁launched ▁an ▁inten se ▁counter att ack ▁with ▁rock ets , ▁mort ars ▁and ▁anti - air craft ▁guns . ▁ ▁By ▁ 2 0 ▁August , ▁reb els ▁had ▁taken ▁full ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁including ▁the ▁eastern ▁parts , ▁which ▁was ▁confirmed ▁by ▁journal ists ▁who ▁were ▁taken ▁to ▁former ▁loyal ists ▁positions . ▁Journal ists ▁said ▁that ▁fighting ▁was ▁still ▁on going ▁to ▁the ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁though ▁and ▁loyal ist ▁shell ing ▁of ▁Z aw i ya ▁continued . ▁Al ▁J aze era ▁stated ▁that ▁fighting