Libyan rebels say they are fighting Muammar Gaddafi's forces in residential areas of the eastern town of Brega.
Rebel forces have been advancing on Brega for several days despite heavy artillery fire from government troops holding the town.
It has not been possible to verify the rebel claims.
The fall of the town, home to one of Libya's biggest oil facilities, would be a major breakthrough for anti-Gaddafi forces, correspondents say.
Brega, about 750km (465 miles) east of the capital Tripoli, has changed hands several times in the fighting along Libya's Mediterranean coast since the rebellion began in February.
"The news coming from there is there is a street war going on between Gaddafi troops and the rebels, and 127 are wounded from our side," Abdulrahman Busm, an official in the rebel National Transitional Council, told Reuters news agency by telephone.
Another rebel spokesman, Mohammed al-Rajaly, told AFP news agency that his forces had liberated the north-eastern half of the city and were moving against government forces in the south-western part.
Reuters reports that Nato aircraft have been targeting pro-Gaddafi forces near Brega in recent days, reporting hits on armoured vehicles and rocket launchers near the town.
Col Gaddafi has refused to step down. In a speech on Saturday, he described the rebels as traitors and rejected suggestions that he was about to leave the country.
His speech came a day after Western and Arab powers said the rebel leadership was the legitimate government of Libya and repeated their demand that Col Gaddafi and his family should give up power.
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