New Transitional Administration for Libya formed by anti Gaddafy forces

Picture : Mustafa Abdel Jalil

Meanwhile, Libya's former justice minister announced he was forming a "transitional government" to replace Gaddafi's crumbling regime, which now controls only some western areas around the capital and a few long-time bastions in the arid south, reporters and witnesses say.

In al-Baida, Mustafa Abdel Jalil said the new administration would include commanders of the regular army, many of who defected to the opposition, and would pave the way for free and fair elections in three months' time.

"Our national government has military and civilian personalities. It will lead for no more than three months, and then there will be fair elections and the people will choose their leader," Abdel Jalil said.

Al Jazeera's Tony Birtley, reporting from Benghazi, said people in the city "realise that at the end of the day, they are going to be responsible for the liberation of their entire country and they are taking steps to do that".

"There was a big meeting of the former justice minister who is leading this process and the tribal elders," our correspondent said.