Libyans flee as city remains under siege

The Associated Press

SIRTE, Libya -- Families in pickup trucks stacked with mattresses and jugs of water fled Moammar Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte yesterday ahead of an expected new push by revolutionary forces to seize the city, as the anti-Gadhafi forces claimed progress in the battle for a city in the remote southern desert.

A commander of the new government's forces said late yesterday they were in control of most of the Gadhafi desert stronghold of Sabha after a day of fighting. The commander, Bashir Ahwaz, said most of the tribesmen loyal to Gadhafi fled the city instead of putting up a fight, but three of his men and 19 pro-Gadhafi tribesmen were killed.

He said it would take another week for his forces to take control of all of Libya's southern desert and its borders with Algeria and Niger. Several groups of officials from Gadhafi's regime, as well as one of the ousted dictator's sons, have fled to Niger.

Earlier, residents fleeing Sirte said they had been living under a state of siege with Gadhafi's forces preventing them from leaving, while living conditions deteriorated and the city came under constant rocket fire and NATO bombardment.

"I tried to leave earlier with my family, but Gadhafi's forces wouldn't let me," said Abdullah Mohammed, 34, a computer engineer traveling with his wife, two daughters and son. "We managed to run away at dawn by taking back roads out of the city." Youssef Ramadan, 35, said there has been no power since Aug. 20, a day before revolutionary forces swept into Tripoli and forced Gadhafi into hiding.

"There's no fuel and food is running low," he said. "A lot of civilians are stuck in their houses because of the fighting."

Gadhafi ridiculed his opponents from his hiding place.

"What is happening in Libya is a charade gaining its legitimacy through airstrikes that will not last forever," he said in the statement broadcast on the Syrian-based Al-Rai TV, which has become his mouthpiece. "It's hard to bring down this regime because it represents millions of Libyans."