Intent on reaching Tripoli, hundreds of opposition fighters have left Misurata in a column of vehicles.
In Zlitan, sporadic artillery fire from forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi held the rebels back, but not for long. About 50km away, fighters in the city rose at the same time as seismic events in Tripoli.
Along the road, other towns and villages also joined the list of places rising up against Gaddafi's forces.
But poor communication meant that, until now, no one in the surrounding areas knew the regime forces had been overrun.
Al Jazeera's Andrew Simmons reports from Qasa al Khiar.
