TRIPOLI, Libya, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- Soldiers of Libya's new government renewed their assault on ousted military leader Moammar Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte and reported progress Sunday.
For almost two weeks, pro-Gadhafi militants have put up fierce resistance to National Transitional Council forces, who have repeatedly pulled back amid missile and mortar barrages, the BBC said.
A correspondent with the NTC forces said they had made advances and were about a half mile from the city center.
The assault was helped by NATO airstrikes as authorized by the United Nations. In a statement, NATO said it had "struck a series of targets Gadhafi forces used in order to threaten the civilian population of Sirte."
It said coalition jets had bombed an ammunition storage facility, an anti-aircraft gun, a command center and two armed vehicles in the city.
The statement said intelligence reports indicated Gadhafi loyalists were terrorizing civilians.
"The brutal nature of their acts signifies a defunct regime in its final days," NATO said.
Sirte and Bani Walid, southeast of Tripoli, are the last two pro-Gadhafi strongholds in the country, which has been in rebellion since February calling for an end to the military dictator's 42-year reign.
