MISRATA, Libya (Reuters) – A group of wounded Libyan soldiers captured by rebels in Misrata said on Saturday they had come under fierce attack from insurgents as the army tried to retreat from the besieged coastal city.

Misrata’s rubble-strewn streets were lined with ruined buildings and distant explosions and machine gun fire rang out around Libya’s third largest city in the morning. But it was unclear how far out of Misrata the army had managed to pull out.

MISRATA, Libya (Reuters) – Libyan troops captured by rebels in Misrata said on Saturday the army had been ordered to retreat from the besieged port, marking a possible shift in a two-month revolt against leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The Libyan government said NATO air strikes might force Gaddafi’s army to stop fighting in Misrata, Libya’s third largest city, and let local tribes take over the battle.

MISRATA, Libya, April 23 (Reuters) – Washington should deploy ground attack aircraft against Muammar Gaddafi’s forces and recognize the rebels, leading Senator John McCain said, becoming highest-profile Western politician to visit rebel-held Libya.

Libya’s government indicated late on Friday it might adjust its strategy in the besieged city of Misrata, limiting the role of the army and instead sending tribesmen to battle insurgents.

MISRATA, Libya (Reuters) – The Libyan conflict is heading for stalemate, the top U.S. military officer said on Friday, and U.S. Senator John McCain urged the United States to recognise the rebels and transfer frozen Libyan funds to them.

Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. military’s joint chiefs of staff, told U.S. troops in Baghdad that Western-led air strikes had degraded between 30 and 40 percent of Muammar Gaddafi’s ground forces.

MISRATA, Libya (Reuters) – Libyans who wanted to venture outside to celebrate rebel gains against Muammar Gaddafi’s forces in Misrata were prevented from doing so by government snipers in a tall building above Tripoli street.

After a two-week struggle over control of the structure – once home to an insurance company — they finally got their chance after a victory late on Thursday night.

MISRATA, Libya (Reuters) – Libyans who wanted to venture outside to celebrate rebel gains against Muammar Gaddafi’s forces in Misrata were prevented from doing so by government snipers in a tall building above Tripoli street.

After a two-week struggle over control of the structure – once home to an insurance company — they finally got their chance after a victory late on Thursday night.

MISRATA, Libya (Reuters) – Driving an ambulance in the besieged Libyan city of Misrata is always a matter of life or death these days — not only for the injured passenger in the back, but also for the luckless driver in the front.

Drivers say snipers and mortar operators loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, waging a bitter street-by-street war of attrition against rebels across Misrata, regard an ambulance as a juicy target.

MISRATA, Libya, April 22 (Reuters) – The top U.S. military
officer said air strikes had hobbled Libyan forces, but admitted
the conflict was moving into “stalemate” as Muammar Gaddafi’s
troops pressed on with their punishing siege of rebel Misrata.
Rebels welcomed U.S. plans to deploy unmanned aircraft,
typically operated remotely from the United States. But it
emerged bad weather had forced the first two drones sent to
Libya to turn back.

“It’s certainly moving towards a stalemate,” said Admiral
Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. military’s joint chiefs of
staff, addressing U.S. troops during a visit to Baghdad.

MISRATA, Libya, April 22 (Reuters) – The top U.S. military
officer said air strikes had hobbled Libyan forces, but admitted
the conflict was moving into “stalemate” as Muammar Gaddafi’s
troops pressed on with their punishing siege of rebel Misrata.
Rebels welcomed U.S. plans to deploy unmanned aircraft,
typically operated remotely from the United States. But it
emerged bad weather had forced the first two drones sent to
Libya to turn back.

“It’s certainly moving towards a stalemate,” said Admiral
Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. military’s joint chiefs of
staff, addressing U.S. troops during a visit to Baghdad.

MISRATA, Libya (Reuters) – The United States has started using armed drones against Muammar Gaddafi’s troops, who battled rebels at close quarters on the streets of Misrata, despite Western threats to step up a month-old air war.

Rebels welcomed the deployment of U.S. unmanned aircraft and said they hoped the move would protect civilians.