Opposition negotiators on the outskirts of Bani Walid and from the other side, a pro-Gaddafi TV station, all say that negotiations have broken down.

The opposition here in Benghazi say the talks never really got going because every time they tried to engage with them, Gaddafi loyalists just opened fire.

The opposition say they are likely to launch an attack very soon, possibly it is already in progress.

Inside the area it appears there are some desperate men. Gaddafi loyalists who fear retribution for what they did to try to suppress the revolution.

But the opposition say many of the civilian population there support the revolution.

There are many reports that some of Col Gaddafi's sons were in the area but the best guess is that they have already moved on as they do not expect to hold the ground.

Jon Leyne, BBC News