Gaddafi loses control of western town: Witnesses

Anti-government militias are in control of the Libyan town of Zuara, about 120km (75 miles) west of the capital, Egyptian workers who crossed into neighbouring Tunisia said on Thursday.

The workers, who said they were based on a construction site in Zuara until they fled the country, said there was no sign of police or military and the town was controlled by "popular committees" armed with automatic weapons.

"The people are in control. Police stations have been burned and we didn't see any police or army in the past few days," Egyptian labourer Ahmed Osman said after leaving the town and crossing the border into Tunisia.

Forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi lost control of the eastern Cyrenaica province last week after a popular uprising there against his rule, and there are signs his grip is loosening in the west of the country as well.