Government forces retreat in Libya's Misrata

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Government forces retreated in Libya's coastal city of Misrata after two months of siege, but seized a rebel town in the remote Western Mountains, with no sign yet of Muammar Gaddafi being dislodged from power.

"Misrata is free, the rebels have won. Of Gaddafi's forces, some are killed and others are running away," a rebel spokesmen said in the rebel coastal city, where a punishing two-month siege that killed hundreds appeared to have been broken.

One government soldier, Khaled Dorman, among a group of 12 being brought to hospital for treatment in Misrata, told Reuters from the back of a pickup truck: "We have been told to withdraw. We were told to withdraw yesterday."

Their apparent victory in Misrata, the only large city in the West under their control, is a major success for the rebels.

Nevertheless, the overall trend of fighting in Libya is still far from clear in a civil war that has seen seesaw victories for both sides. Al Jazeera television reported that heavy fighting continued on Saturday around a hospital in western Misrata being used as a base by Gaddafi's forces.

Government forces captured the town of Yafran in Libya's Western Mountains on Saturday, a rebel spokesman said. Rebels in that region captured a border post two days ago and had begun been rushing supplies to towns under attack, saying they were cheered by reports from Misrata.

"Gaddafi brigades seized control of the (Yafran) town center and we are currently in nearby villages," a rebel spokesman, who identified himself as Ezref, told Al Arabiya television.

"They are firing mortars and Grad missiles," he said, adding that he had counted more than 44 Grad rockets fired in one hour.

Libya's deputy foreign minister, Khaled Kaim, said that NATO airstrikes had hit targets in Sirte, Gharyan, Aziziyah, Tripoli and Hira on Saturday.

Western powers have been bombing Libyan positions for more than a month. The United States, Britain and France say they will not stop their air war until Gaddafi leaves office.

AIR STRIKES

At least three explosions were heard in Tripoli on Saturday evening after NATO aircraft flew over the capital, drawing Libyan anti-aircraft fire.

Western militaries appear keen to take some credit for the government retreat in Misrata. Britain said its planes had attacked armoured vehicles in the area and NATO said the first U.S. Predator drone to fire over Libya had hit a rocket launcher near the city on Saturday.

President Nicolas Sarkozy told a rebel leader this week that France would intensify its air strikes.
Analysts say the scale of British and French air raids may still be too modest to bring a decisive military result.

The new use of U.S. drones would be a psychological boost for rebels but no "magic bullet" to break the stalemate in a war where Western powers are anxious to limit their military involvement.

Shashank Joshi of London's Royal United Services Institute said the drones' deployment reflected U.S. reluctance to provide low-flying manned aircraft, such as the A-10 Tankbuster and the AC-130 gunship, which France in particular had pressed for.