Tripoli, Mar 28, 2011 - Forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi withstood Monday in Sirte the rebel offensive supported by NATO heavy bombing, which the Libya government describes as illegal and immoral interference.

The fighting took place in Gaddafi's hometown, where regular troops were fighting at a disadvantage because they had to protect themselves from the onslaught of the rebels and the Western military aircraft that maintains its siege, state television reported.

A spokesman provided images of bombings with Tornado aircraft of NATO over the southern town of Sabha, saying that the attack intended to destroy bunkers and other facilities that allegedly store weapons and ammunition used to attack opponents in Misratah.

For its part, the state news agency JANA reported that air raids on Sabha destroyed several houses, the airport and other infrastructure.

"Sirte will not be easy to take. Now, because of NATO bombing on government heavy weapons, the opposition army is fighting almost with the same arsenal", Gen. Hamdi Hassi, opposition commander from the city of Bin Jawad, said to foreign media outlets.

Since the opposition took Benghazi, the second largest city and capital of the insurgency, rebels have taken Ajdabiya, Brega, Ras Lanuf, the main oil port, and are now fighting in An Nawfaliya, about 180 km east of Sirte.

The presidential spokesman, Moussa Ibrahim, described international actions as clear interference and defined the conflict as civil war, hence it is an action outside resolution 1973 of the UN Security Council.

Libyan television reported Sunday night that NATO country members bombed civil and military zones near Tripoli. (Prensa Latina).