NATO's airstrikes have destroyed 25 Libyan tanks near the eastern town of Ajdabiya and the western city of Misrata, the commander of alliance operations said Sunday.

"The situation in Ajdabiya, and Misrata in particular is desperate for those Libyans who are being brutally shelled by the (Muammar Gaddafi) regime," said Lieutenant General Charles Bouchard, the NATO operation's commander.

"To help protect these civilians we continue to strike these forces hard, with 11 tanks destroyed today as they approached Ajdabiya and 14 tanks destroyed earlier this morning on the outskirts of Misrata," he said.

Shelling and gunfire rocked the battleground town of Ajdabiya for a second day Sunday, as forces loyal to Libyan leader Gaddafi launched the most sustained offensives after pulling back last month.

In Misrata, Libya's third largest city, alliance operations had already taken out 15 tanks, bringing the total number destroyed in the city to 29.

NATO took over command of the multinational operation from the United States on March 31. It has recently been criticized by Libyan rebels for low efficiency and mistaken airstrikes on rebel fighters.