Hundreds of people are leaving Tripoli each day and heading for the mountainous rebel-controlled areas: the regime denies that such an exodus is happening, but its grip on the capital is loosening as food, electricity and gas supplies run low.

Meanwhile, a few score kilometres from Tripoli, having taken control of nearly the entire city of Zawiya following six days of fighting, the rebels have launched a powerful offensive to re-take the crucial local refinery, which supplies Tripoli with oil and gas. Fierce combat is also under way in Ajaylat, a new front in western Libya between the Tunisian border and Tripoli.

And the rebels thoughts are increasing turning to the post-Geddafi phase. According to the AFP press agency, which has seen a copy of the text, the National Transition Council (NTC) has drawn up a new 'road map', with each stage of democratic transition following the ousting of the present leader laid out.

Finally, 'technocrats' of the Libyan regime have "made contact with the rebels" in order to "find locations" outside the country where they can seek safe have, according to Wahid Bourchan, a representative of the NTC in Gharyane, a city in western Libya, which has recently come under rebel control.

As a witness told ANSA in a telephone link: "Hundreds of civilians are leaving each day," "They either come here to the mountains or are heading for Tunisia, but they always come by here". The capital is feeling the squeeze: "There aren't any supplies left and everything costs four times its normal price.

There's no electric power, no gas and food is getting scarce." Even the regime's check-points are becoming leaky: "seeing that people will always manage to get away, despite the check-points".

At Zawiya, which controls the road leading from Tripoli to Tunisia, making it a strategic location, forces loyal to Geddafi have surrounded the refinery. "There are snipers inside the refinery plant. We control the area up to the gates and we shall launch an attack to take control of the plant," Abdulkarim, a rebel fighter, explained. Shots and bursts of heavy arms fire can be heard in the area.

The new 10-page 'road map' containing 37 articles is a modified version of an initial document presented in March. The NTC, which is defined as "the highest office in the country" and "sole legitimate representative of the Libyan people", intends to transfer to Tripoli as soon as possible.

Once set up in the capital, the NTC intends to appoint an "interim government" within three months, with the task of preparing elections within eight months, to elect a provisional parliament with 200 members.

A prime minister will form a government which should gain the parliament's confidence. This transitional parliament will then appoint a committee to draft the new Libyan constitution, which will be put to a referendum.