In their advance, fighters of the National Transitional Council (NTC) also seized control of the Mediterranean town's hospital and university campus. The fortresslike Ouagadougou conference centre, constructed to host pan-African summits, has been a major objective of the NTC forces since they launched a September 15 offensive on the city.
"We control 100% of the Ouagadougou centre," said Mohammed al-Fayad , an NTC military chief, adding the capture "opens the way" for his forces to overrun the city centre. A correspondent on the spot confirmed the NTC fighters were in control of the landmark complex. "We are ready to take the centre" of Sirte "within a matter of hours," said Fayad.
"It is only a question of coordination between (Misrata fighters on) the western front and (Benghazi fighters on) the eastern front. We just need time."
As he spoke, NTC fighters spread throughout the sprawling complex, tearing down portraits of Gaddafi and the green flags of his fallen 42-year regime.
They later advanced another kilometre north along streets littered with debris and lined by pock-marked buildings towards the heart of the city. At the war-ravaged centre, giant windows were all blasted in and its metal roof had caved in under the artillery barrage.
Forces of Libya's new rulers also said they took control on Sunday of the airport in Bani Walid, one of the last two bastions of fighters loyal to Gaddafi. "Our forces have taken control of the airport of Bani Walid," located in the desert town's southwest, Yunes Mussa, commander of the NTC forces in the region , said.
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