The final assault lasted one week and was led by the Khamis Brigade, the best trained unit of the Libyan army.

The battle began on 24 February, when Libyan troops loyal to Gaddafi attacked a mosque where protesters were holding an anti-government sit-in.

[20] On 28 February, government troops conducted a counter-attack against the city with 200 soldiers coming in from the east, supported by snipers, tanks and artillery.

[21][22] On the night of 2 March, rebel forces attacked government lines around the city killing two loyalist soldiers.

[29] Government forces claimed to have captured 31 tanks, 19 armored personnel carriers and other weapons including rocket-launchers and anti-aircraft guns that were used by the rebels.

[30] By the morning of 5 March, pro-Gaddafi soldiers were reported to have been beaten back from the centre of the city, after overnight fighting, however they still controlled the town's entry points.

[31] At 7 a.m., at least 20 tanks entered the city and heavy street fighting started with loyalists storming residential buildings and reportedly killing people inside to secure the rooftops for snipers.

[41] On 9 March, the city was reported to be ninety-five percent under loyalist control as rebels retreated from the main square and troops moved in.

[45] The suburbs of the city had been confirmed as cleared and captured by loyalists after the government bussed journalists to a floodlit stadium where some 300 Gaddafi supporters were celebrating with fireworks.

The mopping-up operations were focused on smaller remaining pockets of resistance and some street fighting continued during the day.

[53] On 25 April, the Voice of Russia reported that guerrilla attacks had resumed in Zawiya, indicating that the rebels still maintained a presence in the city.

A spokesman for the rebels' national council said that the opposition fighters were in control of a large area on the western side of the city.

[55] Later the same day, a Reuters crew confirmed that the coastal road was shut down and deserted, except for a large number of soldiers, police and armed men in civilian clothes.

[56] However, by late on 12 June, the rebel attack on the city had been defeated and loyalist forces were in firm control, which was confirmed by reporters taken from Tripoli to Zawiya.

[57] In early August, anti-Gaddafi forces launched an offensive into the plains surrounding Zawiya, reaching the city outskirts.

[60] By 20 August, rebels had taken full control of the city including the eastern parts, which was confirmed by journalists who were taken to former loyalists positions.