Libyan Rebels Fight On As Embattled Leaders Form New Government

The Libyan opposition vowed today to form a new government and clean up its image in the aftermath of a top general's assassination, but the political upheaval did not keep rebel fighters in the west from getting inside of 50 miles from Tripoli.

Backed by captured tanks and other armor, the town of Bir al-Ghanam was overrun by rebel fighters over the weekend by opposition forces based in the Nafusa mountains. The key town is about 49 miles from Moammar Gadhafi's capital of Tripoli.

NATO warplanes helped pave the way for the rebels in Bir al-Ghanam, as well as the two other fronts: The eastern oil port  Brega and the Gadhafi loyalist stronghold of Zlintan in central Libya, the rebels said.

Over the weekend, Qatar flew in five truckloads of weapons and ammunition In a daring airlift into the captured airport outside that central coastal Libyan city. The equipment and ammo is for rebel fighters from Misurata battling Gadahi forces in Zlintan.

Gadhafi's son and senior military commander Khamis has yet to be seen since rebels claimed he was killed in the battle of Zlintan by a NATO air strike late last week.

On the political front, rebel Chairman Mahmoud Jibril, who heads the Transitional National Council in Benghazi, agreed today to dissolve his cabinet as a result of the murder two weeks ago of commanding Gen. Abdel-Fattah Younis.

"It was clear the Cabinet needed to be reshuffled after military, security and media incompetence," said national council member Fathi Turbel.

Libyan Rebels Now Fighting With Tanks and Other Armor

Remember when NATO frowned upon the Libyan rebels having tanks? Well, things have changed significantly on that front. Our friends at RAW posted this video earlier this week showing a Libyan rebel tank column ready to move towards the front at the oil-terminal city of Brega.

The machine-gun mounted pick-up trucks that had been the only "armor" the rebels previously had to work with now follow behind the captured tanks that formerly belonged to Moammar Gadhafi's forces. A rebel source contacted overnight tells me there is much better coordination with NATO now, reducing the chance of alliance warplanes accidentally bombing their well-armed allies on the ground.

Gadhafi's Golden Offer: Leave Office, But Stay in Libya

France proposed today a plan that would allow Moammar Gadhafi to remain in Libya if he leaves office, but Libyan rebel emissaries in Paris for meetings say it may be too late for that option.

"I don't think there is a place for him. He is a criminal now," Transitional National Council representative Souleiman Fortia said after the meeting with French President Nicholas Sarkozy.

Foreign Minister Alain Juppe floated the idea of allowing Gadhafi to remain in Libya if he steps down during an interview on French LCI television.

"One of the scenarios effectively envisaged is that he stays in Libya on one condition which I repeat -- that he very clearly steps aside from Libyan political life," Juppe said. "A ceasefire depends on Gaddafi committing clearly and formally to surrender his military and civilian roles."

Libyan Foreign Minister Abdelati Obeidi, meanwhile, is in Moscow, but claimed after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that there is no talk of Gadhafi giving up power.

"Gadhafi's departure is not being discussed," Obeidi told the Russian Interfax news agency.

The diplomatic push came after a day of brutal fighting in the oil terminal city of Brega, where the eastern rebel army is once again launching a march west toward Tripoli. The city is said to be heavily mined and there are still remnants of Gadhafi forces in the city limits.

Outside of Brega, Gadhafi forces have disguised motorized artillery with rebel flags and markings to throw off NATO aircraft. NATO has bombed in the Brega area in recent days, in part paving the way for the rebel army.

Brega is in a central coastal region that has gone back and forth at least three times in five months of fighting. The rebels have said they want to take and hold Brega for good this time.

Libyan Rebels Strike As Turkey Prepares to Offer Ceasefire Plan

Rebels were active in western and eastern Libya today on the eve of a 40-nation meeting in Istanbul where Turkey planned to propose a political "roadmap" for ending the Libyan civil war.

Insurgents in Western Libya halted an offensive within 50 miles of Tripoli to regroup, while the main opposition army in the east set its sights on the oil town of Brega, which has gone back and forth between forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi and the rebels.

"We have been focused on the west of the country but now we will move," a rebel military source told Agence France Presse.

"We are preparing to enter Brega. The attack will come soon," another rebel fighter told the French wire service.

But Gadhafi spokesman Moussa Ibrahim claimed loyalist forces successfully repelled the initial attack.

"It was a full scale attack and it was heavy and merciless," Ibrahim told reporters. "We were successful in combating this attack and we did defeat both NATO and the rebels and we killed many rebel forces and captured a good number of them as well."

The Libya Contact Group, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, will meet tomorrow in Istanbul to discuss the next steps for removing Gadhafi from power and how to proceed in the post-regime era.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu will offer the proposal that apparently will begin with a ceasefire.

"The main aim is to find a political solution to accelerate efforts to end the bloodshed," a spokesman told The Guardian of London.

Video of Libya Rebels Firing Rockets Near Brega

Raw Video during Thursday's fighting in the Battle of Brega from RT TV.