Red Cross inside Sirte, bombardment continues

Aid workers from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) brought medical supplies into Muammar Qadhafi's besieged hometown of Sirte on Saturday as fears grew that a humanitarian disaster may unfold inside. Civilians have been streaming out of Sirte in their hundreds over the last few days as interim government forces intensified their shelling of the coastal city in an effort to dislodge fighters loyal to Qadhafi.
The prolonged battle for Sirte, encircled by anti-Qadhafi fighters and hit by regular Nato airstrikes, has trapped people inside the town of about 100,000 people through several fierce assaults over two weeks.
Fighting continued on fronts to the west and east of the town on Saturday, with both sides again exchanging rocket and mortar fire. Loud thuds were heard from the centre, and white smoke billowed up into skies where Nato planes roared. A truckload of supplies and two cars carrying European ICRC workers arrived at western checkpoint manned by fighters loyal to the ruling National Transitional Council (NTC). Some NTC commanders said they would try to allow the foreign workers safe passage into the city but shelling continued.
An ICRC worker, Karen Strugg, told Reuters her colleagues had made it inside. "They're inside delivering medical aid. And they want to come out," Strugg said on a road leading into the centre. Fighting remained heavy at a roundabout in the east of the city where NTC fighters have been held at bay for six days by artillery and sniper fire from pro-Qadhafi forces. NTC commanders said the snipers were the main factor frustrating their advance. Reuters journalists have seen some anti-Qadhafi fighters run from the front under the fire.