NICOSIA- (AFP) – Libya’s official television Al-Jamahiriya went off the air on Monday afternoon, correspondents said, amid unconfirmed reports that rebels had seized the state broadcaster.

Al-Jamahiriya stopped broadcasting at around 1400 GMT, 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.

The claim could not be immediately verified.