A military official of the new Libyan regime said Saturday Moamer Kadhafi's bastions of Sirte and Bani Walid would be conquered in a "matter of days," even if the fallen strongmans's forces put up fierce resistance.

"In a few days the situation will completely change in Sirte and Bani Walid which will be under our control," said Ahmad Bani, spokesman for the military wing of the National Transitional Council (NTC).

Speaking at a press conference in Tripoli, Bani said the "geographical nature and the strong presence of snipers" in Bani Walid prevented a quick conquer of the oasis city, 180 kilometres (110 miles) southeast of Tripoli.

"We managed to enter the town on the north side that we control. We have advanced towards the centre but we were attacked by snipers and mercenaries who have launched rockets from the mountains," he said.

Earlier, an AFP correspondent said Kadhafi fired rockets and scored casualties in a fierce counter-attack from Bani Walid Saturday, an AFP correspondent said.

In Sirte, the other bastion located 370 kilometres (230 miles) east of Tripoli, Bani confirmed that "revolutionaries took control of the airport and a major air base.

"Since these two well-guarded positions were taken, the rest of the city would be easy to conquer," he added.

But front-line fighters and commanders gave contrasting reports of progress in Sirte, with men on the ground acknowledging they were facing a tough enemy and those in charge downplaying the pockets of resistance.

"We don't even have five percent of Sirte because we just go in and out," said fighter Abdul Rauf al-Mansuri.

Mansuri added that after night-time clashes NTC forces did not control the airport as claimed by a top commander in Misrata and that they had also lost their advantage by pulling back at night, giving Kadhafi's men time to rearm.

"If we controlled the city, we would sleep there, but we don't," he said.

For the remaining bastion of Sabha, 750 kilometres (470 miles) south of Tripoli, Bani said that "when the mercenaries hear that the regime fell in Sirte and Bani Walid, they will act differently," suggesting their possible surrender.

Bani predicted that "in the coming days all of Libya will be entirely under the control of the revolutionaries."

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