Gadhafi defiant as rebels claim to take 'revolution' inside Tripoli

Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, a son of the ruler and a top official in his regime, insisted on Libyan state-run television that the rebels were losing every battle. His statement came hours after his father told supporters that the "traitors" and their NATO allies were lying and nearing their end.

The Gadhafis' accounts, however, contrasted with reports from CNN reporters, witnesses and rebel officials that government forces continued to lose ground all around the North African nation and faced fresh attacks in the capital.

Faithi Baja, political affairs chief for the rebels' Transitional National Council, said in a video statement Sunday that rebel fighters' freshly launched operation inside Tripoli is "going easily" and that they are inching toward Gadhafi's Bab al-Azizia compound.

"The revolution from inside Tripoli has officially started (Saturday) evening in many parts ... of Tripoli, and is expected to spread to all of Tripoli," said Jumma Ibrahim, a rebel spokesman from the western mountain region around Zintan.

"Most of the neighborhoods in Tripoli are rising up," he said.

Heavy clashes erupted Saturday night in at least one Tripoli neighborhood, marked by intense gunfire, explosions and people screaming as they ran through the street, a resident told CNN.

Gunfire and explosions have been common in the capital, but CNN personnel on the ground for weeks report that this weekend's fighting appears to be among the most intense yet.

But speaking just before midnight in Tripoli, government spokesman Musa Ibrahim insisted that all is safe and "in excellent condition." He said that the Libyan capital remains under government control, adding that the nearby highways remain open.

He blamed small groups of "armed gangs" -- a term that Gadhafi loyalists have frequently applied to rebels -- for the blasts and gunfire heard overnight Saturday inside Tripoli. He insisted that government forces had put down the fighters "within half an hour," making the statement at the same time gunfire continued to crackle intermittently around the capital.

About two hours later, Moammar Gadhafi echoed his spokesman in claiming rebel officials were lying about the situation in Tripoli and beyond while predicting the six-month-long conflict would climax soon.

In his audio address, broadcast on state-run TV, the Libyan leader blasted the rebel "traitors" and the NATO forces backing them as unethical and intent on destroying the county and ruining lives. And as he had done in a speech six days earlier, he tried to rally citizens to his side.

"A great thing, anyway, that despite the Christian air raids, you continue to be up in Tripoli," he said, an apparent reference to those who listened to his speech from Green Square.

"March forward, march forward, march forward. They have lost and used everything, and their last resort is their lying campaign. Now, this is the ending," he added.

The rebel spokesman claimed opposition fighters control the main intelligence operations building in Tripoli. He also said some Libyan army personnel had defected and joined the rebels in the vicinity of the capital's airport, which he claimed the rebels were able to take over with their newfound support.

But the government spokesman, denied that the airport had switched hands -- insisting, as with the rest of Tripoli, it was safe and under the control of Gadhafi's forces.

CNN could not immediately confirm whether rebel fighters had taken control of any parts of the city, including the airport.

International pressure on Gadhafi appears to be growing. Tunisia -- Libya's western neighbor that, until now, had been neutral in the conflict -- joined a host of other nations in recognizing the Transitional National Council as Libya's legitimate government.

A U.S. official said Friday that Gadhafi might be preparing for a "last stand" in Tripoli as a months-long NATO air campaign continues amid reports of rebel advances.

A second U.S. official said the longtime leader's plan could involve a final military offensive against civilians, launched from his last major strongholds around the Libyan capital.

The officials, who have knowledge of the situation on the ground, did not want to be named because of the sensitive intelligence matters.

Meanwhile, the fighting continued on a number of fronts, including in the west, where fighting has raged for days over the strategic city of Zawiya. The city is about 30 miles west of Tripoli and is a major supply route to the capital.

On Saturday, it appeared the rebels had taken control of all of Zawiya after pushing Gadhafi's forces beyond the east gate, according to CNN's Sara Sidner, who was in the city. Artillery fire could be heard, and mortars were launched toward Zawiya on Saturday, she reported. Rebel fighters told Sidner that NATO had warned civilians to leave the main part of the city. NATO has not yet commented on that statement.

However, Musa Ibrahim, the Libyan government spokesman, said late Saturday that Gadhafi's forces are surrounding Zawiya and still control it.

Earlier, the rebels seized a major oil refinery in Zawiya and controlled only the western part of the city, said Hobab Jomaa, a rebel fighter.

But Saif al-Islam Gadhafi laughed at the notion that the opposition would take Tripoli. And he was emphatic that he, his father and their supporters would not surrender.

"We are in our land, in our country," he said. "We have no problem if it takes six months, one year or two years -- victory will be ours. This is our country, and we will not leave it."