Libyan rebels pushing toward Tripoli say they have battled to about 30 kilometers from the stronghold of long-time leader Moammar Gadhafi, while rebels in the capital say they have control of three districts after attacks in coordination with NATO forces.

Rebels advancing from the town of Zawiya, west of Tripoli, say forces loyal to Mr. Gadhafi pounded their positions with rockets and anti-aircraft fire Sunday. The rebels say they took control Saturday of two strategic towns — Zawiya in the west and Brega in eastern Libya.

Explosions and sustained gunfire rang out in Tripoli overnight into Sunday as rebels attacked the capital. An official with the opposition Transitional National Council in Benghazi said Sunday the rebels fighting in Tripoli are approaching Mr. Gadhafi’s headquarters, but there was no independent confirmation of that.

In a political victory for the rebels, the Tunisian news agency TAP announced Sunday that Tunisia’s government has officially recognized the TNC as the legitimate representative of Libyans.

Mr. Gadhafi urged his supporters in an audio message carried on state television to “march by the millions” and squash the uprising. He dismissed the rebellion Sunday as an ill-fated attempt by “traitors” and “rats.”

In a separate speech airing Sunday, the Libyan leader’s son Seif al-Islam Gadhafi said the government will not “abandon the fight.”

Government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim denied the government is on the brink of collapse and he held Western leaders accountable for the bloodshed. He said the Gadhafi government has a lot of support and that both sides should start working toward a peaceful solution.

Mr. Gadhafi has seen the areas under his control shrink significantly in recent weeks as rebels advance on Tripoli from the west, east and south after six months of fighting to end his four-decade autocratic rule.

NATO warplanes have been supporting the rebels by bombing pro-Gadhafi forces under a U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing military action to protect Libyan civilians from government attacks.

Meanwhile, two more Gadhafi aides appear to have defected. Officials with Libya’s opposition National Transitional Council say the Libyan leader’s former number-two, Abdel-Salam Jalloud, is in Italy Sunday after joining their ranks a day earlier.

Tunisian officials also said Libyan Oil Minister Omran Abukraa has decided not to return to Libya after a recent mission to Italy.

British officials said they are evacuating a small number of Britons from Tripoli on a boat traveling to Malta.