Libyan rebels made a new push into the strategic oil town of Brega as a Libyan government envoy traveled for talks on bringing an end to the fighting.
Monday's fighting in Brega is the most recent in a series of back and forth battles that have seen both sides advancing only to later withdraw. It comes as the United States prepares to end its participation in NATO airstrikes in Libya.
Monday acting Libyan Foreign Minister Abdul-Ati al-Obeidi is expected to meet with Turkish officials for talks on brokering a cease-fire with opposition forces.
On Sunday, the envoy representing Moammar Gadhafi held a similar meeting with Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou in Athens.
The talks were held at the request of Libya's prime minister. Greece, a European Union and NATO member, has traditionally had good relations with Gadhafi. Greek officials said Obeidi told Papandreou he will travel to Malta after his Turkey stop, as the Libyan government seeks a way out of the crisis.
The New York Times reports that Gadhafi's son, Seif el-Islam Gadhafi, has proposed a resolution to the conflict under which his father would relinquish power for a transition to constitutional democracy under the son's direction.
The newspaper, citing a diplomat with close ties to the Libyan government, said neither the senior Gadhafi nor the rebels appear ready to accept Seif el-Islam Gadhafi's proposal, which follows years of his public efforts to bring about such a change.
A Turkish ship carrying 230 wounded from the besieged western Libyan city of Misrata docked briefly in the rebels' eastern stronghold of Benghazi Sunday. The Ankara, a car ferry turned into a makeshift hospital, picked up another 100 wounded civilians before departing for the Turkish port of Cesme, where hospitals are preparing to treat the casualties.
Doctors on board the ship said many people had extremely serious injuries. Wounded Misrata residents told journalists the city has no water, electricity or medicine, and that "pro-Gadhafi snipers are everywhere."
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
Libyan oil and resources map
