Civilians flee Kadhafi hometown as medics warn of crisis

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SIRTE: Heavily armed anti-Kadhafi fighters tightened their siege of the ousted Libyan leader's hometown of Sirte Monday as hundreds of terrified civilians poured out of the Mediterranean coastal city.

Fleeing residents spoke of dwindling supplies of food and water and said Kadhafi forces had attempted to stop people leaving, while doctors warned of a growing humanitarian crisis.

Fighters loyal to the new government also pounded Moamer Kadhafi's forces in the desert city of Bani Walid, southeast of the capital Tripoli, the only other significant stronghold left to his loyalists.

National Transitional Council (NTC) troops advancing from the east said they had pushed 10 kilometres (six miles) inside Sirte's outskirts but were still 15 kilometres from the centre of the sprawling city.

NTC fighters captured a large weapons cache from loyalist forces including Grad rockets and machine gun ammunition.

Crates of grenades were loaded aboard more than a dozen pick-ups and hauled to a base by dozens of fighters shouting "Allahu akbar!" (God is greater), flashing victory signs and firing in the air.

Hundreds of fearful residents fled the looming offensive, arriving at NTC checkpoints on the front lines both east and west.

The collapse of the mains supply has left residents without access to clean drinking water, triggering an epidemic of water-borne diseases.

NATO said Monday its aircraft had multiple military targets in Sirte. Britain however said it had agreed with the alliance to withdraw the five Apache helicopters it has in service over Libya, a clear sign the NATO air mission is winding down.

Later Monday, NTC Commander Mustafa bin Dardef reported fresh clashes near Sirte.

There have been repeated reports that one of Kadhafi's sons, Mutassim, is holed up in Sirte's southern outskirts.

NTC forces believe Kadhafi's most prominent son, Seif al-Islam, is in the other major enclave still in the hands of loyalist forces, the desert city of Bani Walid. (AFP)