NATO forces led by France and Britain have pledge more air strikes to put more pressure against beleaguered Libyan President Moammar Gadhafi as it called on rebel leaders to press harder to take advantage of the air power support.

The call by France and Britain came as Libyan rebel forces battle for control of the oil port Braga. On Tuesday, loyalist Gadhafi troops shelled rebel positions with rockets along the eastern front line and shelled Misrata, the only major city in the western half of Libya that remains under partial rebel control.

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe has called on NATO air strikes to target weapons used by Gadhafi forces against civilians in Misrata to put more pressure against the Libyan regime. His call was supported by British Foreign Secretary William Hague who said that allies must "intensify" their efforts.

However, NATO Dutch Brig. Gen. Mark Van Uhm commended the alliance's actions especially in enforcing an arms embargo, patrolling a no-fly zone and protecting civilians.

Van Uhm said, "I think with the assets we have, we're doing a great job."

Libran rebel spokesman Ali al-Issawi claimed that Gadhafi's loyal troops killed an estimated 10,000 across the country, most of them civilians, and injured some 30,000 more, with many of them sustaining life-threatening wounds.

Another 20,000 were said to be missing and believed to be in jail.

There was no independent report to verify the claims of the rebels.