Ceasefire in place, rebels still bombed in Libya

Misrata, Mar 19: Despite the ceasefire announced by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, forces loyal to him are still continuing to attack the rebel-held city of Misrata with tanks and heavy artillery. Reports quote local residents as saying the number of dead in the attack may be a minimum of 25.

A Libyan citizen in Misrata was quoted by the Reuters as saying, "Gaddafi's forces are bombing the city with artillery shells and tanks. We now have 25 people dead at the hospital, including several little girls...They are even bombing ambulances. I saw one little girl with half of her head blown off."

The report also quoted another citizen as saying, "There are 20 tanks in the city, they are killing everybody because they want to recapture the city by this evening."

Reuters reported a rebel in the city of Misrata as saying, "It's the heaviest bombardment I have seen so far. We believe they (Gaddafi's forces) want to enter the city at any cost before the international community starts implementing the UN resolution...On behalf of all the people of Misrata, the women, the children and the elderly, we call on the international community to do something before it's too late. They must act now...They already failed us before and were late in taking a decision, they should not repeat the same mistake."

The attacks on the rebel comes despite the ceasefire announced by Muammar Gaddafi after a no-fly zone was imposed over Libya by the United Nations. Announcing the immediate cease-fire on Mar 18, Libya's foreign minister had claimed, "cease-fire will take the country back to safety" and he also ensured security for all Libyans.

With France and the US openly voicing their opinions to strike Libya and end the chaos thereby putting an end to the mass-killing done by Gaddafi's forces to suppress the uprising against his 41-year old regime, it now remains to be seen as to what the UN does next.

OneIndia News