REBELS IN LIBYA are said to be engaged in a tense standoff with government forces over the town of Bin Jawad – about 160 kilometers from the hometown of the country’s leader, Muammar Gaddafi.

The cities of Zawiyah, Misrata, Ras Lanuf and Tobruk are said to be completely or partially controlled by opposition forces after a setback for the opposition  on Sunday, reports the Guardian.

Libyan rebels say they will regroup and bring in heavy weapons after forces loyal to Gaddafi pounded opposition fighters with artillery, rockets and gunfire over the weekend in an attempt to stop the rebels’ rapid advance toward the capital.

Mohamad Samir, an army colonel fighting with the rebels, said that his forces need reinforcements from the east after Sunday’s setback.

Sunday’s fighting appeared to signal the start of a new phase in the conflict, with Gaddafi’s regime unleashing its air power on rebel forces. The heavy use of air attacks signaled the regime’s concern that it needed to stem the advance of opposition forces toward Sirte — Gaddafi’s hometown and stronghold.

Meanwhile, the United Nations’ Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Valerie Amos, said that there was “urgent” need for humanitarian aid in Misrata because “people are dying and need help immediately”, CNN reports.

Additional reporting by AP