A medic prays outside Bani Walid as anti-Gaddafi fighters regroup at a checkpoint Anti-Gaddafi forces in Libya are regrouping for fresh attacks on loyalist strongholds after suffering a setback in the town of Bani Walid.
The anti-Gaddafi troops were forced back by artillery fire on Friday and also faced fierce fighting in Col Muammar Gaddafi's home town of Sirte.Gaddafi spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said the resistance would continue for "months and months".
Meanwhile the UN voted to ease a number of sanctions imposed on Libya.
'Worst front'
On Friday, anti-Gaddafi troops had entered the northern area of Bani Walid, 90 miles (140km) south-east of the capital Tripoli.
They initially found deserted areas, with families having fled.
But they were then hit by sniper fire, mortar attacks and rocket barrages as they tried to advance on the city centre.
The BBC's Peter Biles, who was outside Bani Walid, saw a number of ambulances coming from the town carrying wounded.
One fighter, Osama al-Fassi, told Associated Press: "This may be the worst front Libya will see. I don't think we will have orders to move in today."
Our correspondent says the interim leadership, the National Transitional Council (NTC), had hoped to crack Bani Walid and Sirte and that the fall of one or both would have an effect on the Gaddafi remnants, particularly in Sabha further south, about which little has been heard.
In Sirte on Friday, anti-Gaddafi troops were hit by gunfire from loyalists in high-rise buildings as they pushed in from the west. There was a heavy exchange of machine gun and rocket fire.
The BBC's Alastair Leithead, close to the frontline, says he does expect another move by the anti-Gaddafi forces on Saturday but troops expect it to be slow.
They captured the airport on Friday but the siege of the town continues.
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The BBC's Peter Biles: "What is clear is that the Gaddafi forces certainly still have the capacity to respond"
The move clears the way for NTC chief Mustafa Abdul Jalil to attend the UN General Assembly next week.
US officials say President Barack Obama will meet Mr Jalil on the sidelines of the gathering on Tuesday.
The UN also passed a resolution to ease sanctions against Libya, including on its national oil company and national bank.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said about $19bn (£12bn) in Libyan assets frozen in the UK would be gradually released as a result.
The Security Council also voted to set up a UN mission to support the country's interim government.
France and the US welcomed the UN developments, calling the transfer of the UN seat to the NTC a "historic" step.
Source: BBC News, 17 September 2011 Last updated at 08:57 GMT
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