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Thursday, April 21, 2011

Libyan rebels have overrun a post on the Tunisian border in a rare advance against government troops in the west of the country, reports say.

The reported capture of the Wazin crossing follows fighting in the area.

Tunisia's state-run TAP news agency says 13 Libyan soldiers, including a general, turned themselves over to the Tunisian military at the border.

The rebels control much of eastern Libya. Fighting is continuing in the besieged western city of Misrata.

AFP news agency says the rebels seized the Wazin post after up to 200 pro-Gaddafi soldiers fled to Tunisia on Thursday.

"We see rebels who control the border crossing," one Tunisian witness told Reuters news agency by phone.

There were similar reports from other news agencies - but no independent confirmation.

Rebel leader Shaban Abu Sitta told AP news agency that the crossing had been taken after three days of intense battles with government soldiers outside the nearby town of Nalut.

There are no further details about the soldiers reported to have handed themselves over at the border