31 regime troops killed in Tripoli clashes

At least, 31 troops loyal to the embattled Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi have been killed and 42 others captured by opposition fighters during clashes around the capital, Tripoli. This comes as opposition fighters are inching closer to the capital city in a final push to end Gaddafi's four-decade rule. Meanwhile, clashes are underway with loud explosions heard in the capital after hours of gunfire in and around Tripol, AFP reported. Opposition sources say hundreds of revolutionary fighters are also on their way to Tripoli from the nearby western city of Zawiyah. A senior official from the Benghazi-based Transitional National Council (TNC) said Sunday that the fighting is the beginning of the end for Gaddafi. Reports also say that there have been clashes near Gaddafi's compound in Tripoli. The fighting around Tripoli combined with the revolutionary fighters' rapid advance in the city's outskirts mark a turning point in Libya's six-month conflict. Libya has been the scene of intense fighting between government troops and revolutionary forces since a revolution seeking to topple Gaddafi began in mid-February.