Frontline Blog

Sunday 17 April 2011

Forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi fired rockets at rebel positions near the eastern city of Ajdabiya Sunday.


13:31 |

Forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi fired rockets at rebel positions near the eastern city of Ajdabiya Sunday.

It is not immediately clear if there were any casualties from the shellings, which come a day after fighting west of the city left at least seven dead and 27 wounded.  

Fighting was reported Saturday in at least two other Libyan cities.  Rebels clashed with pro-Gadhafi forces in the oil town of Brega.

Witnesses also reported heavy fighting in the western city of Misrata.   Rebels have accused pro-government forces of using dangerous cluster bombs in the city - a charge that pro-Gadhafi forces deny.  

A rebel spokesperson told the Reuters news agency that Mr. Gadhafi's forces fired at least 100 of the widely banned explosives into an industrial area of the city on Saturday.   

Cluster munitions explode into numerous smaller explosives that can cause widespread and indiscriminate destruction.   They have been banned by most countries because they are so imprecise and dangerous.  Libyan authorities have denied using the explosives.

Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration says a second boat was scheduled to leave for Misrata Saturday to rescue stranded migrants.  The relief group says the boat will also deliver hundreds of tons of humanitarian aid to Libya.

The new clashes follow diplomatic efforts this past week to try to ease the conflict, including a NATO meeting in Berlin and a meeting in Cairo that included Arab, African and European delegates.


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