Tripoli, June 8 (IANS) Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has vowed to fight till death against the military strikes in his country. The state TV aired an audio message by Gaddafi where he called on his supporters to flock to his residence in Tripoli, Xinhua reported.

The message came immediately after there were reports of a huge fire in Gaddafi's Bab al-Aziziya residential compound.

Gaddafi's compound was targeted several times by NATO Tuesday.

The compound was under "intensive continuous bombardment", state TV reported, adding that many buildings in the area were destroyed in the strikes.

The US, Britain and France started March 19 strikes from the air and sea against Gaddafi's forces after the UN Security Council passed a resolution to impose a no-fly zone over Libya and authorise "all necessary measures" to protect civilians in Libya.

NATO formally took over full command and control of military operations against Libya March 31.