Clashes Reported in Several Libyan Cities

 Edward Yeranian | Cairo ?April 16, 2011

Libyan rebel fighters load a truck with ammunition on the outskirts of Ajdabiya, Libya, Saturday, April 16, 2011.

Fighting is being reported in at least three Libyan cities Saturday, including the besieged port of Misrata, where living conditions continue to deteriorate. Human rights groups are also accusing Gadhafi loyalists of using cluster bombs in the city.

Desperate residents of the besieged rebel-held city of Misrata express their grief and anguish as the battle for the city continues unabated. Witnesses report shelling and rocket attacks by pro-Gadhafi forces around Misrata port where hundreds of civilians have been hunkering down.

Al Jazeera TV showed images of buildings around the port ablaze, with fire coming out their windows, after an intense rocket barrage. Witnesses say large portions of the city have been abandoned due to the intense shelling and hundreds of families are living in cramped conditions, without running water and electricity.

The group, Human Rights Watch,? is also accusing pro-Gadhafi forces of using dangerous cluster bombs, banned by most countries, in Misrata. Human Rights Watch spokesperson Emma Daley says an observer from the group witnessed Gadhafi forces using what she thinks were cluster bombs.

"We actually witnessed what we believe were three cluster munitions strikes a couple of nights ago over a populated neighborhood of Misrata. And, we interviewed a couple of witnesses who believe that they saw cluster munition attacks on earlier occasions. And finally, our researchers in Misrata found physical evidence. They found sub-munitions from cluster munitions that they were able to identify as a Spanish weapon manufactured in 2007," he said.

Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim, however, denies that Gadhafi forces are using cluster bombs, insisting that it would be foolish to do so, since the evidence would be obvious. "We challenge them to prove this. To use these bombs, you know, the evidence will remain for days and weeks and we know the international community is coming en masse [to] our country soon. So, we can't do this. We can't do anything that would incriminate us, even if we were criminals," he said.

Ashraf Mohammed, an Egyptian man who worked in Misrata and was recently evacuated by sea to the rebel-held city of Benghazi, describes conditions in the city before he left. He said that more than 80 missiles fell on Misrata port, in the 24 hours before he was evacuated from the city. He notes that even more shells fell on the rest of the city, and three Egyptian workers were killed in the attacks.

Mohamed Abu Tunyan, a worker from Bangladesh, explains that the shelling and the lack of food and water made living conditions dire for himself and hundreds of other Bangladeshis. He said he and about 1,500 other Bangladeshi workers were hiding in the Masna steel factory in Misrata for about 15 days. He complains that the shelling on the port area, along with the lack of food and water made living conditions extremely difficult.

Heavy fighting was also reported Saturday around the eastern city of Ajdabiya. Rebel forces have reportedly taken some new ground from Gadhafi loyalists on the road to the oil port of Brega. The fighting comes amid a recent flurry of diplomatic activity, and conferences in Berlin, Cairo, and Doha, Qatar.

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and discuss them on our Facebook page. 16-04-2011 Pale Horse (usa)

“First black President, bombed Africa... How ironic.”

16-04-2011 eriuhdlkj (oz)

"... government forces have been accused of using dangerous cluster bombs in an ongoing assault." oh well, at least the other bombs aren't dangerous.

16-04-2011

Regime change is the main focus of the allied coalition and the rebels couldn't care if their western allied coalition carpet bombed all of Libya to achieve their aims. 2 things are now going to happen. 1 - The destruction of Libya. 2 - The killing of untold numbers of Libyan soldiers and civilians.

16-04-2011 Richard (Nigeria)

President goodluck is the wenan

16-04-2011 NFM (South Africa)

Nato has moved from wanting the libyian government to stop violence against its people (which is unjustifiable), now wanting regime change. A political solution need to be found with AU and UN as the forefront. We need an african solution to our problem not NATO missiles. Libyans must find the solution through peaceful negotiations and democratic elections.

16-04-2011 Ram (UK)

Human Rights Watch is merely doing the job it was set up to do.

16-04-2011 solardiva (USA)

Hold up - Spain's shipment of munition and arms have never been delivered. HRW only saw and collected evidence of cluster munitions. Uncanny coincidence that Israel is using them too? Lets find out who Spain sold the munitions to and then decide if they were Gadhafi's or maybe someone is setting someone else up. Weren't the CIA in Libya? This is their tactics we have seen them before. Digg people - wake up from your slumber.

16-04-2011 Unu (USA)

Is US using cluster bombs? I guess so.

16-04-2011 Johnnie (USA)

In the interest of fair disclosure and journalistic ethics VOA should have mentioned that while most countries have banned cluster munitions, the United States is not one of them. VOA is owned by the US Federal Government after all.

16-04-2011 Colin Trent (UK)

Good luck Gaddafi . You have a lot of support world wide. The coalition forces headed by Obama are bullies forcing regime change.

16-04-2011

Cluster bombs were used by USA/NATO in Serbia war capaign. 100% civilian death achieved. Qadaffi has cluster bombs?

16-04-2011 ryeatley (UK)

"Rebels who have been receiving some assistance from NATO"? Had NATO not become paid-for-in-oil mercenaries serving the few anti-Gaddafi rebels, the whole thing would have finished weeks ago, with little loss of life. As for cluster munitions, who has not signed the Convention on cluster munitions which prohibits the use, transfer and stockpile of such, and has used them rather receently, even in populated areas?

16-04-2011 zabi urrahman mamnoon ahmadzai Journalist of KhbyerWeekly (Afghanistan)

We know that Freedom is important but we all must think about life of people so Mr.Obama and Mr.Gaddafi make a way to solve all problems. i think peace is important and we all need it.

16-04-2011 Jim Kendall (USA)

Perspective: Every man, woman and child - on both sides of the issue - who dies in Libya is dying - for all he cares - for Gaddafi. All Gaddafi is concerned for is his personal sustenance. Such imperial selfishness deserves TERMINATION.

16-04-2011

Can we really believe anything the "rebels" claim. We know we can't believe the UN, Nato and the US. So why believe the rebels?

16-04-2011

Because the claim of cluster bombs was investigated by human rights watchdogs

16-04-2011 (US)

So basically they are just allegations without any proof. The propaganda media can say whatever they want--does not make it factual. People need to realize they are being manipulated. It all comes down to stealing the natural resources of Libya . For humanitarian reasons of course.

16-04-2011 Chien-Wei Wu (Taiwan, R.O.C.)

While the U.S. is one member of the NATO organization, we should be aware that VOA is also under the jurisdiction of the U.S. BUT, the VOA news is reporting with justice and detachment, showing no partiality to any side. That's what the news industry has been working on. So, there's no doubt that the VOA is performing well on this issue.

16-04-2011 LibyaisforLibyans (Arabia)

Its very surprising to notice that on the internet everyone is skeptical at this bomb to peace operation .. but on our tv's its all good vs bad especially if the bad is unproven or simply not intentional and the good is riddled with bad... such as being a racist bunch of unknowns and being publicly supported by al-qaida and a bunch of crying armed gang with jet fighters attack helicopters dozens of tanks and artillery for every truck.. why are we bombing .. OIL .. why do we like the rebels.. OIL

16-04-2011 Kwame (Ghana)

Gaddafi must stand firm so that after good conquers evil he will know how to use another strategy to let Nkrumah' s dream: UNITED AFRICA with an African High Command come true. He is the only true African leader left. Americans and their allies want to "kick the ladder" and yet descend for our indispensable resources. Hide the ladder for now Gaddafi!

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