Moscow meeting

Libya's foreign minister is to meet his Russian opposite number in Moscow on Wednesday, Itar-Tass news agency said. The meeting, requested by the Libyans, would be first known visit by a Libyan government official to Moscow since the war began.

Russia has called for Gaddafi to go, but has criticised Western states for recognising the rebel leadership as Libya's legitimate government, saying they were taking sides. Moscow emphasises it is in contact with both rebels and government.

After a long period of stalemate in the desert along the eastern front, the rebels said they had routed most of Gaddafi's troops in Brega to the west, which has an oil refinery and terminal, and encircled the town.

More than 40 people on both sides were reported killed in the fighting since late last week for a city which for months marked the eastern limit of Gaddafi's control.

Rebel spokesman Shamsiddin Abdulmolah said its streets were strewn with landmines, making it hard to secure full control.

"The main body (of Gaddafi's forces) retreated to Ras Lanuf," which lies to the west, he said by telephone from the eastern rebel stronghold of Benghazi.

The government denied the claim.

"Our brave soldiers are in Brega in their thousands and control it completely," spokesman Ibrahim said.

He said the government had lost 30 soldiers over five days of fighting, but rebels had lost many times more.

Abdulmolah said 12 rebels were killed and some 300 wounded on Saturday and Sunday. Most rebel forces were now past Brega and heading west.

Brega has changed hands several times in the back-and-forth fighting along Libya's Mediterranean coast since the rebellion began in February.

Libyan TV, in a bid to counter the rebel claims, showed what it said was footage taken on Monday of ordinary life in Brega, with students taking an exam and workers at a natural gas plant.

Gaddafi is refusing to step down despite the rebellion, NATO air strikes and defections of members of his inner circle.

On Saturday - as his envoys met US officials - he called rebels traitors and said he had no plans to leave the country.