The rebels now believe they have no need to offer concessions on their demand for Col Gaddafi to leave Libya or surrender, after cutting off his supply lines in the last four days.

Mansur Saif Al-Nasser, their ambassador to France, said they hoped to have secured victory by the end of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan in two weeks’ time.

“Our forces totally control Zawiyah, which will open the way to Tripoli,” he said in a radio interview. “This will allow the population there to revolt.