.- The new wave of violence in the besieged rebel city of Misrata caused this Saturday at least 26 dead and 100 wounded in the "strongest balance" since the start of the fighting, medical sources said, while listening to Tripoli loud explosions. Three loud explosions rocked the Saturday night the Libyan capital, targeted air strikes since the beginning of the night, reporters found.
Three powerful blasts rocked the capital at 22:40 local (20:40 GMT), one of which shook the hotel where journalists are staying, not far from downtown. Previously, two explosions near the center of the Libyan capital were heard at 19:45 (17:45 GMT), followed by other more distant explosions, reporters found, unable to determine the targets of the bombings.
Around 21:00 local, intense gunfire from the DCA and automatic weapons were heard in several neighborhoods of the capital, while planes were flying over the city. In Misrata, between 08:00 and 17:00 on Saturday, the private clinic Hikma, the main medical center of the city from which the pro-Gadhafi occupy the public hospital received 25 dead and 100 wounded, including rebel regime loyalists, said Dr.
Khalid Abu Falra. In a smaller hospital, the Helal, Dr. Mohammed El Fagieh received the corpse of a rebel, taking to 26 the number of deaths registered. "There are undoubtedly many more, as the fighting continues and missiles falling everywhere in the city," while "some areas remain inaccessible" to the emergency services, said this source.
"We lack everything here, equipment, personnel and drugs. We operate in all our blocks chain," added the doctor. The ambulance arrived at the medical center every five or ten minutes. Explosions and gunfire were heard throughout the Saturday Misrata, a coastal city located 200 km east of Tripoli, the scene several weeks of urban warfare between rebels and forces loyal to the regime.
In response to requests for an intensification of NATO air operations, the Pentagon announced Saturday the first attack by a U.S. drone in Libya. "The first attack by a Predator was held in Libya on Saturday afternoon," said a military press spokesman in an email. NATO took place on Friday night raids on Tripoli, pointing in particular to the area where is located the residence of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, near the center of the capital.
The U.S. president, Barack Obama, authorized the use of drones Thursday despite the U.S. military, heavily involved in the early weeks of the intervention of the coalition wants to stay out of military action against the pro-Gadhafi . The announcement by the regime to mobilize people in the neighboring cities of Misrata, and Bani Walid or Zliten-stronghold of the tribe Werfell-seems destined to complicate the task of NATO, as involving a "civilian".
However, should not mean a big change in the front, since many members of these tribes fight and as "popular army" composed of militiamen "volunteers." The international community warned the humanitarian situation in Misrata. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said the humanitarian situation is degraded in this city, where access to water and medical care is difficult.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) fears an exodus "important." According to the agency and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than half a million people have already fled to Libya. A ship chartered by IOM Misrata arrived Saturday with 160 tons of humanitarian aid (food, medical supplies, tents) and was to sail to Benghazi in the afternoon, carrying a thousand foreign refugees, mostly Nigerians.
IOM has evacuated more than 3,100 refugees from 21 nationalities from Misrata. 
Three powerful blasts rocked the capital at 22:40 local (20:40 GMT), one of which shook the hotel where journalists are staying, not far from downtown. Previously, two explosions near the center of the Libyan capital were heard at 19:45 (17:45 GMT), followed by other more distant explosions, reporters found, unable to determine the targets of the bombings.
Around 21:00 local, intense gunfire from the DCA and automatic weapons were heard in several neighborhoods of the capital, while planes were flying over the city. In Misrata, between 08:00 and 17:00 on Saturday, the private clinic Hikma, the main medical center of the city from which the pro-Gadhafi occupy the public hospital received 25 dead and 100 wounded, including rebel regime loyalists, said Dr.
Khalid Abu Falra. In a smaller hospital, the Helal, Dr. Mohammed El Fagieh received the corpse of a rebel, taking to 26 the number of deaths registered. "There are undoubtedly many more, as the fighting continues and missiles falling everywhere in the city," while "some areas remain inaccessible" to the emergency services, said this source.
"We lack everything here, equipment, personnel and drugs. We operate in all our blocks chain," added the doctor. The ambulance arrived at the medical center every five or ten minutes. Explosions and gunfire were heard throughout the Saturday Misrata, a coastal city located 200 km east of Tripoli, the scene several weeks of urban warfare between rebels and forces loyal to the regime.
In response to requests for an intensification of NATO air operations, the Pentagon announced Saturday the first attack by a U.S. drone in Libya. "The first attack by a Predator was held in Libya on Saturday afternoon," said a military press spokesman in an email. NATO took place on Friday night raids on Tripoli, pointing in particular to the area where is located the residence of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, near the center of the capital.
The U.S. president, Barack Obama, authorized the use of drones Thursday despite the U.S. military, heavily involved in the early weeks of the intervention of the coalition wants to stay out of military action against the pro-Gadhafi . The announcement by the regime to mobilize people in the neighboring cities of Misrata, and Bani Walid or Zliten-stronghold of the tribe Werfell-seems destined to complicate the task of NATO, as involving a "civilian".
However, should not mean a big change in the front, since many members of these tribes fight and as "popular army" composed of militiamen "volunteers." The international community warned the humanitarian situation in Misrata. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said the humanitarian situation is degraded in this city, where access to water and medical care is difficult.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) fears an exodus "important." According to the agency and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than half a million people have already fled to Libya. A ship chartered by IOM Misrata arrived Saturday with 160 tons of humanitarian aid (food, medical supplies, tents) and was to sail to Benghazi in the afternoon, carrying a thousand foreign refugees, mostly Nigerians.
IOM has evacuated more than 3,100 refugees from 21 nationalities from Misrata.
- Libyan rebels: 36 killed in Misrata since Saturday - Reuters (24/04/2011)
- Caring For Misrata Is Humanitarian Groups' Battle (24/04/2011)
- Misrata 'to be dealt with by the tribes' - BBC News (23/04/2011)
- Libya Rebels Drive Gaddafi's Forces Out Of Misrata (24/04/2011)
- Misrata rebels say they've expelled Gadhafi forces (24/04/2011)
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