Libyan rebels held out under continues bombing and sniper fire from Moammar Gadhafi’s forces last Sunday in the city of Misrata – the last city that rebels have a grip on in Western Libya. 17 people were killed said and opposition activist.

Government forces have been trying to take siege in the Mediterranean coast of Libya for weeks, forcing NATO to intensify their airstrikes on Gadhafi’s men.

A resident in Misrata said that on Sunday, government troops pushed through the city center and pounded them with rocket-propelled grenades. By then, residents have already gotten used to the sound of missiles and gun shots. He also said that there were snipers everywhere prepared to shoot on anything that has a hear beat in the city center.

Rida al-Montasser, an activist reached via Skype, said that the rebels are fighting government troops from a central produce market. He further said that the hospital report a doctor gave him showed that 17 people were killed and 74 others were severely injured. Gadhafi’s people allegedly fired even at hospitals.

The airstrikes led by NATO were able to ensure that rebels were not defeated but there are still no signs that the war will end anytime soon. Furthermore, NATO dismissed rumors that they lack aircrafts. Defense Minister of France Gerard Longuet said that what they lack is concrete ground information.

On Sunday, spokesperson of the Libyan Government Moussa Ibrahim denied allegations of human rights supporters that the government used heavy weapons. He also said that they gathered reports that members of al-Qaida terror network have joined the rebels; and now, NATO is helping them too.

Eman al-Obeidy, the woman who claimed to have been raped and beaten by Moammar Gadhafi’s troops is still in custody, said her mother. This is contrary to the statement the government of Libya released to the press. They said, Sunday, that al-Obeidy has been released and is safe with her family.

Eman’s mother, however, said in an interview Monday with the Al-Jazeera television that she received a call at around 3am from Gadhafi’s compound. They told her to make her daughter Eman al-Obeidy change her statements and she will be released.

The government’s spokesperson Moussa Ibrahim said that they offered the al-Obeidy family an interview with one or two reporters, but they refused. He also said that Eman al-Obeidy is safe, healthy, and free. He, however, refused to take more questions regarding the issue saying that Libya has a very conservative society.

Al-Obeidy’s family said that Eman is a lawyer as opposed to being a mentally ill or a prostitute as the Libyan government initially said about her. The government was quick to re-track this statement and said that she is sane. The father of Eman said that his daughter is mentally healthy, and a lawyer who is taking-up higher education in Tripoli.

Eman’s story began when she emerged in a hotel Saturday, body bruised, saying that she has been held against her will and was raped by 15 men. She said that Gadhafi’s brigades violated her honor. Government officials in the area tried to stop her but she persisted on “telling her story.”

As of the moment, no one can confirm her story as the Libyan government decided to stay mum about the issue.

Four journalists for the newspaper New York Times were reported missing while covering the war in Libya, the paper informed on Wednesday.

The newspaper said the journalists were last in touch with their editors from the town of Ajdabiya on Tuesday morning.

The journalists include Anthony Shadid and Stephen Farell. Shadid is a two-time winner of Pulitzer Prize while Farell is a videographer and reporter who was also kidnapped in 2009 by the Taliban group and was saved by the British commandos.

Also, two photographers are missing who include Lynsey Addario and Tyler Hicks, the New York Times reported.

The New York Times’ executive editor Bill Keller said they have already talked with the Libyan government officials in Tripoli. The Libyan officials said they are trying to determine the journalists’ whereabouts.

Keller said the government of Libya had assured them that the journalists would be freed promptly and unharmed once they have known that they are captured.

Last week, a reporter from Brazil was released by the government forces in Libya. However, a journalist from the newspaper Guardian in Brazil is still missing.

A news team from BBC also informed last week that it had been arrested at a checkpoint by the security forces in Libya. They said they were beaten and submitted to mock execution.

A revolt occurred in Libya last month, a time when Muammar Gaddafi, Libyan leader since 1969, lost control of a large group in the country. However, Gadaffi’s security forces have battled back since then.