Nightly News   |  August 19, 2011

Rebels gain ground in Libya

The rebels are now on Tripoli's doorstep, and closing in. But it seems they are going to have to fight for every mile until they reach the surrounded capital. NBC’s Richard Engel reports.

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>>> after five months of intense fighting and nato air strikes , opposition forces appear to be tightening the noose around the capital. richard engel is in the rebel controlled town of zintan tonight. good evening.

>> reporter: we have now pulled back to a safer distance away from the front line , but we did spend the day with rebels and they tell us they're now building up re-enforcements for a major push on tripoli . the terrain in western libya has given the rebels a huge advantage. they live on the high ground , and control the mountains and deep canyons that look almost like the american southwest . but the rebels here are moving down from the mountain and into the city of zawiyah, just 30 miles from tripoli . holding down gadhafi 's all green flags. they control most of this city of 200,000. and are fighting to take it all. we followed a rebel unit to the front line . among the fighters, this man, he used to be a geologist.

>> are you close to taking the rest of zayiyah?

>> yes.

>> is this the rest of the war, do you think?

>> there are reports that zbad d gadhafi wants to leave the country, do you believe that?

>> he cannot leave libya , we will get him.

>> reporter: but the willingness of gadhafi 's troops to fight is all too clear.

>> about 100.

>> with that incoming? was that -- that was a rocket that exploded here.

>> it was coming from --

>> and i can still see the smoke.

>> you can see the smoke.

>> that was maybe --

>> the rebels are now on tripoli 's doorstep and closing in. but it seems they're going to have to fight for every mile until they reach the surrounded capital. zawiya.

>> richard engel in libya tonight, thank you.