The besieged western Libyan city of Misrata has continued to be bombarded by rockets and automatic weapons, despite claims that Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi's army has fled the city, Sky News TV channel reported on Sunday.
While rebels claim that they have retaken 80 percent of the city, hostilities continue, a correspondent of Sky News reported from Misrata.
"Whatever they claim the shelling goes on, despite the claims," Sky News correspondent Alex Crawford said.
Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim had said that Gaddafi's army suspended operations against the rebels but had not left the city as the regime was negotiating with local tribes for a ceasefire.
Misrata has been besieged by Gaddafi's government forces for about eight weeks now. Hundreds of the city's residents are believed to have been killed in the shelling as the government forces are firing rockets and mortars at residential quarters.
The UN Security Council adopted a resolution imposing a no-fly zone over Libya on March 17, paving the way for a military operation against embattled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi which began two days later. The command of the operation was shifted from a U.S.-led international coalition to NATO in late March.
Despite dozens of sorties carried out by NATO aircraft against Gaddafi's forces, the government troops maintain their combat capability and continue to pound poorly-equipped rebels with heavy artillery and rocket fire.
MOSCOW, April 24 (RIA Novosti)
