Night footage captures fierce airstrikes in Sirte
- 13 years ago
(ROUGH CUT-NO REPORTER NARRATION)
STORY: Heavy airstrikes bombarded the birthplace of Muammar Gaddafi at the start of the week.
Overnight strikes by NATO helicopters on Monday (October 3) hit several targets in the city's skyline.
Commanders with the National Transitional Council (NTC) have predicted they will fully capture Sirte, which has a peace-time population of 75,000, by the weekend.
On Friday (October 7), Libya's interim government forces pushed towards the centre of Sirte after being backed by NATO warplanes and helicopters just days earlier.
Gaddafi loyalists and civilians have blamed NATO air strikes and shelling by anti-Gaddafi forces for the deaths of civilians in Sirte. Both NATO and fighters loyal to Libya's interim government deny that and say it is the Gaddafi loyalists who are endangering civilians by using them as human shields.
In recent days, fierce streetfighting has overtaken the once sleepy fishing town as NTC forces battle with Gaddafi supporters.
Libyans ended Gaddafi's 42-year rule in August when rebel fighters stormed the capital.
However, Gaddafi and several of his sons are still at large, and his supporters continue to hold Sirte and the tribal town of Bani Walid, south of Tripoli.
Taking Sirte is of huge symbolic importance to Libya's new rulers, and until it is captured they are putting on hold plans to start rebuilding the oil-producing North African state.
STORY: Heavy airstrikes bombarded the birthplace of Muammar Gaddafi at the start of the week.
Overnight strikes by NATO helicopters on Monday (October 3) hit several targets in the city's skyline.
Commanders with the National Transitional Council (NTC) have predicted they will fully capture Sirte, which has a peace-time population of 75,000, by the weekend.
On Friday (October 7), Libya's interim government forces pushed towards the centre of Sirte after being backed by NATO warplanes and helicopters just days earlier.
Gaddafi loyalists and civilians have blamed NATO air strikes and shelling by anti-Gaddafi forces for the deaths of civilians in Sirte. Both NATO and fighters loyal to Libya's interim government deny that and say it is the Gaddafi loyalists who are endangering civilians by using them as human shields.
In recent days, fierce streetfighting has overtaken the once sleepy fishing town as NTC forces battle with Gaddafi supporters.
Libyans ended Gaddafi's 42-year rule in August when rebel fighters stormed the capital.
However, Gaddafi and several of his sons are still at large, and his supporters continue to hold Sirte and the tribal town of Bani Walid, south of Tripoli.
Taking Sirte is of huge symbolic importance to Libya's new rulers, and until it is captured they are putting on hold plans to start rebuilding the oil-producing North African state.