Nato air strikes overnight forced Libyan government forces to pull back from one of their positions in the city of Misrata, but they resumed bombardment of the port area today, a rebel spokesman said.
"[Libyan leader Muammar] Gadafy's forces retreated from the port area where they were positioned yesterday after air strikes by the Nato forces. The strikes completely destroyed 37 military vehicles," the spokesman told Reuters.
"Gadafy's forces this morning started bombarding an area about 10km north of the city. It is known as the Steel area. The bombardment is still going on. They are using Grad missiles.
"Warplanes are flying over Misrata's outskirts but I don't hear any sound of strikes," he said by telephone.
Elsewhere, a tanker with the first major oil shipment from rebel-held east Libya, reported to be 80,000 tonnes of crude, is expected to arrive in Singapore tomorrow for refuelling.
The Liberia-registered tanker Equator left the rebel-held east Libyan port of Marsa el Hariga three weeks ago, carrying fuel exports vital to financing the uprising against Col Gadafy.
Reuters