Political solution?

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has warned it will be necessary to find a political solution to the conflict in Libya.

As heavy fighting raged around the city of Misrata on Sunday, Rasmussen said he was very optimistic that Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi would lose his grip on power.

"We have stopped Gadhafi in his tracks. His time is running out. He's more and more isolated," said Rasmussen.

However, speaking the news network CNN Rasmussen added that military power alone would not end the conflict.

"First of all, we have to realize that there is no military solution. We will need a political solution to break the stalemate," he said.

NATO has maintained an air campaign against Libyan military targets since March, but this has so far failed to break the deadlock.

The goal of the UN resolution authorizing the NATO action is to prevent Gadhafi from killing civilians in rebel-held towns and cities.

Rebels fought a fierce battle with government forces in Misrata on Sunday, with particularly heavy fighting reported near to the city's airport.

Running out of supplies

Hundreds have died in Misrata, which has been under siege by government troops for months, and rebels have warned that they are fast running out of supplies.

The port is of vital strategic importance to the rebels, being the only city that they hold in the west of the country.

Government soldiers have been hiding tanks and artillery to make it difficult for NATO to hit their targets without risking civilian deaths.

The economic situation in rebel-held areas is growing gradually worse, with a sharp rise in the cost of basic goods and oil exports at a virtual standstill.

Author: Richard Connor (AFP, dpa, Reuters)

Editor: Martin Kuebler