Forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi bombarded the rebel-held city of Misrata today with heavy weapons, rebels and residents said.
“There have been heavy bombardments since 7 o’clock (0500 GMT) this morning. They are bombing everything, the houses, the centre of the city,” rebel Saadoun told Reuters by phone.
“It’s the heaviest bombardment I have seen so far.”
The sound of heavy artillery could be heard in the background.
Al Arabiya television said an unspecified number of people were killed and wounded and several mosques, schools and residential buildings badly damaged in the attack on the city of 300,000, about 200km east of Tripoli.
The attack began hours after the UN Security Council passed a resolution endorsing a no-fly zone and military attacks on Gaddafi’s forces to protect civilians.
Misrata is the last big opposition stronghold in western Libya.
“This morning I spoke to a doctor in Misrata, there is heavy bombardment there, explosions inside the city,” said Tariq, a doctor from Misrata who now lives in Britain. He said he spoke by phone to colleagues and relatives there today morning.
“They cannot send out any ambulances. They think it’s artillery and tanks, shelling, not air strikes. It’s very worrying,” he said.
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