Libya's official television Al-Jamahiriya went off the air this afternoon amid unconfirmed reports that rebels had seized the state broadcaster.

Al-Jamahiriya stopped broadcasting at around 4 p.m., with television screens suddenly turning black. Minutes later the network's logo appeared at the bottom right of the screen with no picture or sound transmitted.

Libyan opposition websites said rebels, who have taken large swathes of Tripoli where they control several neighbourhoods, seized the headquarters of the television.