Gunners pound rebels, embassies sacked after Gadhafi's son said killed

 

By the CNN Wire Staff

May 1, 2011 -- Updated 1616 GMT (0016 HKT)

Libyan rebels on patrol near the airport at al-Ghiran close to the key port city of Misrata on April 30, 2011.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• NEW: A U.S. official blames an "organized mob" for attacks on embassies
• NEW: NATO has "no evidence" to confirm Gadhafi relatives died, one official says
• Witnesses report heavy fire from pro-Gadhafi forces in Misrata and Benghazi
• One man thinks it is "revenge" for a strike that reportedly killed one of Gadhafi's sons

Benghazi, Libya (CNN) -- Government forces pounded rebel-held cities and crowds ransacked empty embassies in Tripoli on Sunday after Libyan authorities reported a NATO airstrike killed one of longtime strongman Moammar Gadhafi's sons and three of his grandchildren.
The U.S. Embassy was attacked by what one U.S. official called an "organized mob," along with the British, French, Italian and Qatari embassies, British and Italian officials told CNN. Meanwhile, pro-Gadhafi forces stepped up their shelling of rebel positions in Benghazi and Misrata after Libya's government reported the deaths.
"It's going to be like revenge," one eyewitness in the embattled city of Misrata said.
The eyewitness reported significant damage and some casualties in Misrata, the country's third-largest city. The city remains in rebel hands, with no forces aligned with Gadhafi remaining in the city itself, he said.
Another witness, who agreed to be identified only as "Mohammed," said "very heavy shelling" targeted the coastal city's port.Continued