latest business news: Fighting kills 11 in Libyan city

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Fighting kills 11 in Libyan city

Libyan rebel fighter in Misrata - 30 June 2011

Rebel fighters say they are preparing for a possible advance on Tripoli

At least 11 people have been killed in fighting around the Libyan port city of Misrata, rebel forces fighting Muammar Gaddafi say.

Journalists in Misrata said rebel positions to the west of Misrata, in Dafniya, came under heavy shelling from Col Gaddafi's forces.

Meanwhile, rebel commanders told the BBC they had linked up their positions to the south and west of Misrata.

The rebels say they are trying to break out of Misrata to advance on Tripoli.

Since anti-government protests turned into armed rebellion more than four months ago, the two sides have been locked in a stalemate, despite Nato-led air forces assisting the rebels.

They hold much of Libya's east, plus Misrata and several towns in the Nafusa mountains near the Tunisian border.

The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse in Misrata says the latest fighting began early on Tuesday, with firing and shelling from both sides continuing well into the afternoon.

News agency reports said the rebel positions in Dafniya came under heavy fire as government forces attempted an advance.

A hospital worker in Misrata told Reuters news agency that 11 rebel fighters were killed and dozens wounded while a rebel source told AFP news agency that 11 people "almost of them civilians" had been killed.

Rebel commanders told the BBC that their fighters had linked up positions to the west and south of the town, creating a defensive arc around that flank.

The rebels also showed the BBC a number of soldiers from Col Gaddafi's forces who had been wounded and captured in the fighting, our correspondent in Misrata says.

Operating under a UN mandate, Nato and several Arab states have been carrying out air strikes against military targets linked to Col Gaddafi.

Pressure has been growing to find an end to the conflict, but the rebels insist Col Gaddafi must step down. So far he has refused.

This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.