Forces of Libya's interim authority, the NTC, say they've raised the country's new flag over Bani Walid after securing control over almost all of the town from Gaddafi loyalists. The NTC's military spokesman Ahmed Bani told reporters in Tripoli that 90% of Bani Walid had been liberated. NTC forces are struggling to overcome loyalists still holed up in Sirte. From Tripoli, Caroline Hawley reports.

It's taken several weeks, but fighters loyal to the new Libyan authorities have now pushed their way into the centre of Bani Walid, firing their guns in the air in celebration. It's not clear what's happened to the pro-Gaddafi forces, who'd resisted their advance for so long. Reports said they deserted their posts and abandoned their uniforms, but they could still pose a threat. Bani Walid has been one of the last strongholds of support for Muammar Gaddafi, but it's his hometown Sirte that is the real prize for the new authorities.

The Somali Islamist insurgent group al-Shabab has called on Kenya to withdraw its troops from Somalia immediately in order to avoid what it called bloody battles. Kenyan trucks, tanks and hundreds of troops are now reported to be about 80km inside

Somalia after moving in at the weekend. Will Ross reports from Nairobi.