Qaddafi forces caught mining Misrata port

BRUSSELS - NATO says its warships have intercepted several boats laying anti-shipping mines outside the harbor of the Libyan city of Misrata.

British Brig. Rob Weighill, director of operations in Libya, said the incident occurred Friday morning, and the boats belonged to forces loyal to Muammar Qaddafi.

NATO crews are disposing of the mines, he said speaking via teleconference from the operation's headquarters in Naples.

"This is another clear demonstration of Qaddafi's regime to completely ignore international law, and also an effort, it must be seen, to prevent humanitarian assistance going into the port of Misrata to help the beleaguered population and those that need to be brought out," Weighill said.

Qaddafi forces continue to shell the citizens of Misrata with long-range artillery mortars and rockets, Weighill said today.

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Nonetheless, he said the NATO military campaign has degraded the attack capabilities of Qaddafi forces.

"Fortunately we have halted the advance of troops threatening civilian populations and population centers, we have seriously degraded command and control centers and logistic capabilities, and we have attacked troops and equipment directly involved in fighting that brings harm to innocent civilians," said Weighill.

Since taken command of the Libya mission, NATO has flown more than 4,000 sorties, and launched 1,700 airstrikes.

Also, a spokeswoman said rebel chief of staff Abdel-Fatah Younes met Thursday with senior NATO officials in Brussels.

Carmen Romero said there had been "an exchange of views on Libya," but declined to elaborate.

Younes, a former Libyan interior minister who defected to the opposition, called on the international community to supply heavy weapons to the rebels.

Meanwhile, loyalists of Qaddafi and rebels fought Friday in the Tunisian town of Dhubeiba, near the border.

A witness, who would only give his first name, Ayman, said Libyan troops chased rebel fighters across the border into Tunisia and clashed with them until the Tunisian military either captured or drove out Qaddafi's troops.

Speaking at midday, he said "Qaddafi forces are no longer in Dhuheiba."

The Tunisian government said it is extremely concerned and told the Libyan government it wants "immediate measures to halt such violations" of Tunisian territory.