Revolutionaries were anticipating higher-up orders to attack either the city of Bani Walid or Sirte

Libya's opposition fighters are reportedly preparing to carry out their final attacks on the cities, which have remained loyal to the country's fugitive dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Revolutionaries were anticipating higher-up orders on Sunday to attack either the city of Bani Walid in the northwest or Gaddafi's north-central hometown of Sirte, AFP reported.

A deadline proposed by the opposition National Transitional Council (NTC) for the pro-Gaddafi forces to lay down their arms expired on Saturday.

The director of the NTC military affairs, Omar al-Hariri, says it could take the fighters up to a week to take over the dictator's remaining strongholds.