"The situation in Misurata will be dealt with by the tribes around Misurata and Misurata's residents and not by the Libyan Troops," Kaim told journalists late on Friday.
"We will leave the tribes around Misrata and Misrata's people to deal with the situation, either using force or negotiation." Kaim said the Libyan troops had been given an "ultimatum" to stop the rebellion in the western city, 200km east of the capital Tripoli.
"There was an ultimatum to the Libyan army: if they cannot solve the problem in Misurata, then the people from (the neighbouring towns of) Zliten, Tarhuna, Bani Walid and Tawargha will move in and they will talk to the freedom figters. If they don't surrender, then they will engage them in a fight."
Kaim's announcement is a turning point for the besieged city, which has come under heavy fire from forces loyal to Libyan Dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
Hours after the announcement of a shift in tactics in Misurata by forces of Dictator Muammar Gaddafi, NATO bombs struck what appeared to be a bunker near his compound in central Tripoli.
Regime spokesman Mussa Ibrahim said three people were killed by the "very powerful explosion" in a car park near Gaddafi's Bab al-Aziziyah compound.
Reuters reporters said the area was surrounded by a wall and guarded by watchtowers and soldiers. They saw two large holes in the ground where the bombs had torn through soil and reinforced concrete, to pierce what appeared to be an underground bunker.
Smoke was rising from one of the craters and ammunition crates lay nearby. Ibrahim said the area was disused and the ammunition boxes were empty.
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