Air strikes continue, Gaddafi fights back

Forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi have bombed the town of Misrata, rebels claim. International coalition has continued its air strikes near Tripoli. Gaddafi’s forces last night bombed houses and the largest hospital in the town of Misrata, about 200 kilometers east of Tripoli, Agence France Presse (AFP) has reported. Air strikes continue, Gaddafi fights back A rebels’ spokesman told the AFP that “situation in Misrata is very difficult and that houses and hospitals are being shelled by tanks”. BBC has reported that Gaddafi’s forces continued to bomb rebel-held town of Zintan on Wednesday. There is also fighting between the forces loyal to the Libyan leader and the rebels in the city of Adjabiya. Residents fleeing the town described shelling, gunfire and houses on fire. The international coalition led by France, Great Britain and the U.S. has continued air strikes last night. A powerful explosion was heard near Libyan ground forces military base about 30 kilometers east of Tripoli, eyewitnesses told AFP. The military base has already been bombed by the international forces as a part of the air campaign which began on March 19. Libya’s state news agency JANA said Wednesday that coalition forces attacks on settlements in the east of the capital killed “large numbers” of civilians. An unnamed source told JANA that both civilian and military targets were bombed in the town of Al Jufra, 600 kilometers south of Tripoli. NATO is still debating who should lead the intervention in Libya but there is no solution in sight yet, according to Western diplomats. In the meantime, NATO ships started patrolling the Libyan coastline on Wednesday in order to make sure that weapons embargo is in effect. Many NATO countries supported the action by sending 16 ships and submarines. EU member states have reached a preliminary agreement to expand sanctions to Libyan National Oil Company (NOC), a diplomatic source stated on Wednesday in Brussels. A Libyan rebel (Beta/AP)

Air strikes continue, Gaddafi fights back

A rebels’ spokesman told the AFP that “situation in Misrata is very difficult and that houses and hospitals are being shelled by tanks”.

BBC has reported that Gaddafi’s forces continued to bomb rebel-held town of Zintan on Wednesday. There is also fighting between the forces loyal to the Libyan leader and the rebels in the city of Adjabiya. Residents fleeing the town described shelling, gunfire and houses on fire.

The international coalition led by France, Great Britain and the U.S. has continued air strikes last night. A powerful explosion was heard near Libyan ground forces military base about 30 kilometers east of Tripoli, eyewitnesses told AFP.

The military base has already been bombed by the international forces as a part of the air campaign which began on March 19.

Libya’s state news agency JANA said Wednesday that coalition forces attacks on settlements in the east of the capital killed “large numbers” of civilians.

An unnamed source told JANA that both civilian and military targets were bombed in the town of Al Jufra, 600 kilometers south of Tripoli.

NATO is still debating who should lead the intervention in Libya but there is no solution in sight yet, according to Western diplomats.

In the meantime, NATO ships started patrolling the Libyan coastline on Wednesday in order to make sure that weapons embargo is in effect. Many NATO countries supported the action by sending 16 ships and submarines.

EU member states have reached a preliminary agreement to expand sanctions to Libyan National Oil Company (NOC), a diplomatic source stated on Wednesday in Brussels.