Fresh attack casts doubt on Misrata rebel victory

THE western Libyan city of Misrata came under heavy bombardment yesterday by forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, a rebel spokesman said, a day after rebels celebrated a government pullback.

Captured government troops said they had been ordered to retreat from the coastal city after a siege of nearly two months, and rebels fighting to overthrow Gaddafi had claimed victory there on Saturday.

“The situation is very dangerous,” rebel spokesman Abdelsalam said by telephone from Misrata.