Death Toll Rises As Gaddafi Pounds Misratah

1:51pm UK, Monday April 18, 2011

Increasing numbers of casualties are being reported in Misratah as Colonel Gaddafi's forces continued bombarding Libya's third city with shelling and sniper fire.

Rebels continued their action in Misratah despite heavy fire from Gaddafi's forces

One senior medic estimated a death toll as high as 1,000 since the last rebel foothold in the west of the country came under attack six weeks ago.

Dr Khaled Abu Falgha, administrator of the city's main hospital, also said around 80% of those killed in the battles were civilians.

A joint article by Barack Obama, David Cameron and Nicolas Sarkozy has likened the intense fighting in Misratah to a "mediaeval siege", saying Col Gaddafi is trying to "strangle its population into submission".

Rebels have warned of an impending "massacre" in the city by troops loyal to the dictator if Nato does not step up its attacks on his forces.

The British and French governments want more UN sanctions against Libya but are being blocked by China, Russia and India

Tim Marshall, foreign affairs editor

Medical staff said they had seen a sudden rise in the number of people brought into the hospital suffering gunshot wounds to their heads and necks - the preferred target zone of marksmen.

Dr Falgha said the 60 beds in his facility were all full. Those with lesser injuries were being sent home after initial treatment.

The last week has also seen injuries from cluster bombs, requiring many amputations, he added.

Cluster bombs, which spray deadly bomblets indiscriminately over a large area, are banned by most countries.

A civilian dodges gun fire in Misratah

Residents said Sunday saw government troops, who have pushed into the city centre in recent days, pound Misratahwith mortar rounds and rocket-propelled grenades.

But local activist Rida al Montasser said rebels had fought off government forces in an area around a central produce market, regaining a small sliver of territory.

He and a foreign NGO worker speaking on condition of anonymity reported 17 people were killed in the battles on Sunday.

He also said Col Gaddafi's forces had fired at the city's hospital.

Rebels in control of most of the eastern half of Libya since the uprising began on February 15 have been unable to advance westward toward the capital, Tripoli.

Opposition forces came under fire on the outskirts of Ajdabiyah, denting their hopes of progress there.

YOUR COMMENTS

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Posted by: AA2004ROAD-ATLAS on April 18, 2011 2:14 PM

Misratah is ample and graphic proof of Gaddafi's regime being in non compliance with UN resolution 1973... Stronger punishments are clearly (and urgently!) needed for the murderous regime of Gaddafi in order to make him and his henchmen and supporters of which to think again, administered out by force of will/intent via the international community and its enforcement team.

Posted by: Mr fedup on April 18, 2011 1:51 PM

One must assume that these idiots thought you could fight a war with no losses, or were they banking on someone else intervening to do their work for them.

Posted by: Mr fedup on April 18, 2011 1:49 PM

Marksmen do not aim for the smallest part of the body such as the head, unless they want a fair chance of missing. They aim for the middle of the body, some out their have been watch to many films.

Posted by: Mr fedup on April 18, 2011 1:48 PM

So this is the first conflict where civilians have been killed?,

Posted by: ella123 on April 18, 2011 1:38 PM

Regardless of whether it is Gaddafi's forces or the 'rebels', it is completely wrong to injure and kill civilians. I can't help but notice that every single 'doctor' seen on the news are pro-rebels. I have seen footage on the news of the rebels firing rockets, including into populated areas. Are those rockets not killing and injuring indiscriminately as well?
So far, I haven't actually seen any footage of these snipers from Gaddafi (though I have seen snipers and guns being fired by rebels in celebration of Gaddafi troops being killed by NATO).

Posted by: Really Paul on April 18, 2011 1:08 PM

Heads and necks are all that are usually visible if opponents are making use of hard-cover (dips in the ground, walls etc.) .

Unless the opponent is more-or-less stationary, head-shots are difficult to achieve - it is more normal, when the opponent is moving, to aim at the larger target area of the chest (the "centre of mass"), if possible.

Posted by: Andrey Arshavin on April 18, 2011 12:50 PM

Jeez, the reporting is getting worse, how much more of this propaganda do we have to suffer. We all know about Cluster Bombs, they are only banned by those who signed the agreement, Libya did not, along with several other countries. The fact that the US have said nothing about these munitions being used speaks volumes.

Posted by: Really Paul on April 18, 2011 12:33 PM

@ aargonaut

I find it interesting that the alleged 'cluster bombs', allegedly manufactured in Spain and allegedly intended for sale to an Arabic-speaking country should have their identification markings stencilled-on in ENGLISH!!! What think you, on this point?

Do you know of any other countries in the region that (1) have English as a major language in their Military, (2) own, either by purchase or by battlefield capture, significant stocks of 120mm Mortars and (3) use, or have used, 'cluster bombs' in the past?

Posted by: aargonaut on April 18, 2011 12:18 PM

The fractional sentence 'suffering gunshot wounds to their heads and necks - the preferred target zone of marksmen' - is this the bleedin obvious or what. Where else would ANY sniper aim than the head region. All marksmen - whatever nationality would do this - it is not simply confined to gaddafi supporters - as implied in the narrative.

Posted by: aargonaut on April 18, 2011 12:15 PM

Could the issue of Cluster bombs be kept from the propaganda technique - especially considering that 3 NATO countries also use cluster bombs - dropped from Aircraft. The USA is notorious for using this type of munitions - as is France and Italy. Seems hypocricy for the media to bang on about Gaddafi using them when they have just been dropped in Libya by NATO.

more - http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Libya-Misratah-Death-Toll-Rises-As-Gaddafi-Shelling-And-Snipers-Kill-Rebels-And-Civilians/Article/201104315974473?lpos=World_News_Top_Stories_Header_3&lid=A

#News

Monday, April 18, 2011

Misratah like a "mediaeval siege", Gaddafi is trying to "strangle its population into submission".

Death Toll Rises As Gaddafi Pounds Misratah

Increasing numbers of casualties are being reported in Misratah as Colonel Gaddafi's forces continued bombarding Libya's third city with shelling and sniper fire.