BBC News with Fiona MacDonald
Fighting has continued to
rage
in Libya despite some 70 sorties from international aircraft trying to enforce a UN resolution to end attacks on civilians by Colonel Gaddafi’s forces. At least nine people were reported to have been killed by forces loyal to the Libyan leader in the city of Misrata, the only big rebel stronghold in western Libya. There were also clashes near Ajdabiya, in eastern Libya, as Ian Pannell reports.
We drove towards Ajdabiya. The road is
litter
ed with the charred and smoking remains of Colonel Gaddafi’s military. There were reports that his forces had been repelled by the rebels, but just listen to this. It’s the whistle of a tank round fired past our car by government troops at the opposition fighters. A number of people were injured, some killed. Despite the announcement of a ceasefire, government forces are still attacking the rebels in the east and trying to
hold on to
the territory they’ve taken. Even so, the people of Bengahzi had been celebrating today, believing that the balance of power has now swung
in their favour
.
President Obama said it’s part of American foreign policy that Colonel Gaddafi should leave office.
I also have stated that it is US policy that Gaddafi needs to go. And we got a wide range of tools
in addition to
our military efforts to support that policy.