Civilians join Gaddafi fighters to defend hometown
Libyan fighters battled street by street for control of Muammar's Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte for the third day on Saturday, taking sniper, assault rifle and rocket fire from his loyalists perched on the city's rooftops.
Ruling National Transitional Council (NTC) fighters said it was unclear how many Gaddafi loyalists were in the city but several suggested that some of Sirte's civilian residents had started joining the fight on the ousted leader's side. "There has been some resistance from civilians, volunteers. They're above the buildings with Kalashnikovs, anti-aircraft guns, rockets and other weapons," NTC fighter, Mahmoud Terbelu, said as he stood in the middle of a large roundabout littered with bullet casings. (Reuters)
