(CNN) -- NATO's secretary-general told CNN Monday that Moammar Gadhafi and his regime "have no future," but refused to predict how long the Libyan leader could hold on.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen denied that Libya had devolved into a "stalemate," insisting that NATO was "making progress" and had "taken out" a substantial part of Gadhafi's military capability.
"I'm not going to guess about a timeline. I want a solution sooner rather than later," Rasmussen said.
"It's hard to imagine an end to the violence as long as Gadhafi remains in power," he said, stressing that a political solution was required.
Gadhafi's forces have been inflicting a heavy toll on rebels in the port city of Misrata, survivors there have told CNN.
Survivors in Misrata -- the only city in western Libya held by rebels -- described what the carnage inflicted by indiscriminate shelling has wrought: crushed bones, burns and amputations.
"They are shelling the port and civilian neighborhoods. It has become an operation of revenge, not just taking over the city of Misrata," said Ibrahim al-Neairy, a rebel who was injured in the fighting and evacuated to Benghazi.
The United Nations' humanitarian chief is expected to brief the Security Council Monday on fighting between Gadhafi's forces and the rebels.
The briefing to the U.N. Security Council comes after its 15 members approved a resolution in March that called for the protection of civilians from Gadhafi's regime by any means necessary. Since March 31, a NATO-led coalition has been pounding pro-government targets across the country.
There have been widespread assumptions among experts that the conflict between pro- and anti-Gadhafi forces will continue to be a stalemate for some time.
As time wears on, though, human rights groups have expressed growing concern for besieged Libyans in Misrata.
The wounded arriving in Benghazi, the rebel hub city, painted a gruesome picture of the fighting in Misrata.
Hanan Muhammad, who was evacuated along with about 800 others on an aid ship charted by the International Organization for Migration, was wounded when a missile struck near her home.
"I was in my house praying when the first missile landed. Shortly after, more missiles, one after another started hitting our neighborhood," said Muhammad, who suffered a broken arm and shrapnel wounds.
"Terror. Fear. People are scared every moment of the day no matter their age," she said. "Oh God, it's like a horror movie."
Al-Neairy, who suffered facial burns and shrapnel wounds, said he does not regret fighting.
"The price for freedom is high and it necessary to be liberated from this regime," he said.
Amnesty International has said Gadhafi's attacks in the port city may amount to war crimes.
A report issued last week by the monitoring group accused pro-Gadhafi forces of the "unlawful killing of civilians due to indiscriminate attacks, including use of heavy artillery, rockets and cluster bombs in civilian areas and sniper fire against residents."CNN's Sara Sidner contributed to this report.
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