Libyan rebels said they hope to celebrate victory by the end of Ramadan month, as regime forces fired a Scud missile for the first time in the conflict.

Libyan rebels said they hope to celebrate victory by the end of Ramadan month, as regime forces fired a Scud missile for the first time in the conflict.

The rebel National Transitional Council's envoy to Paris, Mansur Saif Al-Nasr, said the fight with embattled leader Muammar Gaddafi h as entered a “decisive phase.
"Our forces totally control Zawiyah, which will open the way to Tripoli. This will allow the population there to revolt," Saif Al-Nasr told RFI radio.

"We are entering a decisive phase, soon we will liberate all of southern Libya, We hope to celebrate the final victory at the same time as the end of Ramadan," he added. The Muslim holy month will end on around August 31.

Zawiyah is a vital oil port on Libya's Mediterranean coast, 45 kilometers (28 miles) west of the capital Tripoli.

SCUD MISSLES
Meanwhile, US defense officials said that military forces loyal to Gaddafi have fired a Scud missile for the first time in the country's six-month conflict.
They said it was launched from near the coastal city of Sirte and aimed at Brega - currently held by rebels - but landed harmlessly in the desert.

Libyan forces have been believed to have more than 200 Scuds in their arsenal. The missiles have a range of up to about 500km and can carry a warhead of up to about one ton.
There has been no word from the Libyan authorities.

Rebel spokesman Ahmed Bani said the use of a Scud was a sign of desperation by the Libyan leader. "This man will use any weapon necessary to keep his regime going and resume his rule, even for few hours," he said.

"It's becoming increasingly clear that Gaddafi's days are numbered," said White House spokesman Jay Carney