Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam denies turmoil sweeping Libya

The son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi denied in a US television interview that turmoil was sweeping the country and said the military did not use force against the people, despite reports to the contrary.

There was a "big, big gap between reality and the media reports," Gaddafi's son, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, told ABC News' This Week television programme.

"The whole south is calm. The west is calm. The middle is calm. Even part of the east."

His assessment came despite media reports of more gains by anti-Gaddafi forces with the latest coming from the city of Zawiyah, only 30 miles (50 km) west of the Libyan capital of Tripoli.

Saif Gaddafi also denied allegations that the military was targeting Libyan citizens.

"Show me a single attack, show me a single bomb," he said in the interview.

"The Libyan air force destroyed just the ammunition sites. That's it."

US President Barack Obama has urged Muammar Gaddafi to step down from power and on Friday imposed sanctions against him and his government to freeze assets. Saif rejected that call and urged the United States to stay out of Libyan business.

"It's not an American business, that's number one," he said. "Second, do they think this is a solution? Of course not."