20110410
reuters

AJDABIYAH, Libya (Reuters) - NATO air strikes helped stop a major assault by Libyan forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi on the rebel-held town of Ajdabiyah on Sunday.

NATO said it had hit 11 tanks outside the eastern town and six burned-out hulks could be seen on its western approaches. A Reuters reporter saw 15 charred bodies scattered around two sites about 300 metres (1,000 feet) apart.

NATO said it also destroyed 14 Gaddafi tanks on the outskirts of Misrata, a lone rebel bastion in western Libya which has been under siege for six weeks and where conditions for civilians are said to be desperate.

Earlier on Sunday the rebels seemed to be losing control of Ajdabiyah after the heaviest government assault for at least a week. The attack, which began on Saturday, included a fierce artillery and rocket bombardment while some of Gaddafi's forces, including snipers, penetrated the town.

Rebels had for several hours cowered in alleyways in the town, which is gateway to their stronghold city of Benghazi 150 km (90 miles) up the Mediterranean coast to the north.

The corpses of four rebels were found dumped on a roadside.

"Their throats were slit. They were all shot a few times in the chest as well. I just could not stop crying when I saw them," said rebel Muhammad Saad. "This is becoming tougher and tougher."

But by afternoon rebels looked back in control of Ajdabiyah, commanding key intersections, and the artillery and small arms fire had died down.