National Transitional Council soldiers are now close to entering the pro-Gaddafi city after a day of heavy fighting.
But it is far from clear whether the city will fall in the next few days as loyalists are well dug in and well-motivated for the fight.
Sirte is not only symbolically important - it is ousted dictator Col Gaddafi's hometown - it is also geographically and strategically vital, as it divides the country between east and west.
Meanwhile, anti-Gaddafi soldiers are moving out into the far reaches of the country in the hunt for the fugitive colonel. Read More