2011-03-17 11:24

TRIPOLI - Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi's son Saif al-Islam said Wednesday that government forces were approaching the largest rebel stronghold of Benghazi and all military operations against the rebels would be over in 48 hours.

Saif al-Islam told reporters that Benghazi, the second largest city in the country, would fall whether the UN Security Council agreed to impose a no-fly zone or not.

"Everything will be over in 48 hours," he declared.

Witnesses said on Wednesday that a military airfield southeast of Benghazi was bombed. No casualties were reported.

Separately, residents of rebel-held Misrata, 150 km east of Tripoli and the country's third largest city, said government forces launched a fierce offensive with tanks and artillery against the rebels in the city from three directions. Water shortage occurred in several neighborhoods. Meanwhile, the Libyan forces announced on state television that people who would lay down their weapons and promise not to conduct resistance or disruptive activities would be pardoned.

On Tuesday, Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaaim said government forces would recapture all rebel-held territory, adding that about 3,000 rebel militants were still fighting in Benghazi.

The Libyan government forces announced earlier that it had regained control of most cities which were once in the hands of the rebels.