For the third time in a week, rebels claim they have Qaddafi surrounded, Abdul Hafith Ghoga, the deputy chairman of the Transitional National Council told The New York Times. "Rebel fighters believe they have cornered Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi in the desert town of Bani Walid, only 150 miles from the capital, and have called on him to give up peacefully to avoid further bloodshed, a top official of the transition government said Wednesday." Given that previous claims  have proven false and that "there was no way to corroborate Mr. Ghoga’s claim on the location of Colonel Qaddafi," as the Times notes, the news loses a bit of its credibility. But if the reports are true, it would represent the first time the rebels have located the former Libyan leader.

The rebels have given Qaddafi, his family, and supporters until this Saturday to surrender without conditions. Ghoga also confirmed that Qaddafi's son, Saadi el-Qaddafi, offered to negotiate a coalition government with the rebels, which the rebels rejected. "Mr. Ghoga laughed out loud when asked about Saadi el-Qaddafi’s overtures. 'They have no choice, Qaddafi has no choice, he has to surrender by Saturday.'"

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