Ras Lanuf, Libya (CNN) -- Libyan rebels continued their westward advance Sunday, taking operational control of two key cities, Ras Lanuf and Brega, CNN observed.
Rebel forces told CNN that forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi pulled back from Ras Lanuf. A CNN crew in the city witnessed damaged vehicles on the outskirts of the town, though the town appeared to have avoided major destruction.
There were some homes that appeared burned, and others had gaping holes. The damage looked to be from fighting when Gadhafi's forces had originally pushed the rebels out. There were no clashes reported Sunday, rebels said.
Rebels also appeared to have taken control of the key oil town of Brega on Sunday, a CNN team on the scene observed.
Some opposition fighters focused on securing Brega's entrance while others traveled in trucks heading west, encountering little resistance along the way. The gains signify that the rebel forces have reclaimed all the territory they lost to Gadhafi's forces at the start of the war. The opposition comeback was paved in part by coalition airstrikes designed to stop the killings of civilians, and that have hit Gadhafi's forces.
In Tripoli on Sunday, CNN's Nic Robertson reported he heard six loud explosions and saw heavy anti-aircraft tracer fire.
While the opposition rolled westward, the city of Misrata -- located between the rebels' current position and Tripoli -- remained under siege by government forces for the 11th consecutive day, an eyewitness told CNN. Read Full Story
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