Libyan Civil War Libyan Civil War - Libreria Militare Ares

night, the regime sent warships to Misrata and captured its port. [56][57][58][59] The next day, there were conflicting reports, with rebels
and doctors claiming that the warships retreated from the port, re-securing the port for the rebels. However, this hadn't been
independently confirmed. [60] The same day, a Libyan Air Force Soko G-2 Galeb was destroyed by French fighter jets at Misrata. Later
that day, a French armed forces spokesman confirmed that the plane was destroyed at the air base with an AASM air-to-ground
missile just after it had landed. [4][5][61] Rebels in Misrata also claimed to have killed 30 pro-Gaddafi snipers, and to have managed to
reach the town center. [62][63] On 25 March, more shelling hit the city and in the evening 10-12 loyalist tanks appeared on Tripoli Street.
They were hitting rebel positions before retreating to avoid Coalition planes. There was also confusion over whether the port was
being blocked by loyalist ships, or whether it had been recaptured by the rebels. [64] On 26 March, Gaddafi's forces launched a massive
attack on Misrata, sending in more foreign mercenaries and bombarding the city with mortar shells and tanks. Witnesses described the
situation as "very very dire". [65] As during previous days, when coalition planes started appearing over the skies of Misrata artillery
and mortar shelling on the city stopped and the tanks pulled back to cover. [66] The French MoD claimed that their fighters destroyed
five G-2 Galeb ground attack jets and two Mi-35 attack helicopters at the Misrata airbase while they were preparing to take part in
offensive operations against rebels in the city. [67] Gaddafi's forces resumed the artillery, mortar, and tank shelling of the city the next
day on 27 March. [68][69] Nine people were killed and 23 wounded as loyalist troops fired mortars while advancing towards the city
from the west. [70][71] In the evening, like previous times, the fighting had stopped so loyalist forces could avoid coalition air-strikes. [72]
On 28 March, at noon local time, Gaddafi's forces began bombarding the city again. [73] After the bombardment stopped, a rebel source
confirmed that loyalist troops gained control of a part of the city, effectively dividing Misrata into a government-held part and a rebelheld
part. [74] During the fighting, rebels damaged two loyalist tanks. [75] Just before evening, international journalists were brought
from Tripoli who confirmed that Misrata's suburbs, including Tripoli Street, were under government control. A military officer stated
that there were still about 100 rebels left and the fighting was concentrated around the center of the town. [76] CNN's Nic Robertson
reported that the streets of Misrata were largely empty except for about 100 pro-Gaddafi supporters demonstrating and a strong
military presence. [77] Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught said that the furthest in Misrata that she and the other international journalists were
taken to was the south side of Tripoli Street, one and a half miles from the city's center, from where gunfire could be heard. [78] The
British Ministry of Defense claimed that their planes hit and destroyed two loyalist tanks and two armored vehicles near the city. [79]
On 29 March, loyalist forces swept through the city, securing the western and northwestern part and closing in on the last rebel
pockets of resistance. [80] Witnesses reported that government troops were forcing mass evictions of people from their homes. A
member of the rebel command in the city claimed that loyalist forces were killing and wounding civilians indiscriminately. [81] During
the night, heavy street fighting occurred in the city's Az-Zawaabi district in which nine rebels were killed and five wounded. [82]
On 31 March, a local doctor, who was a member of the opposition, claimed that Gaddafi's forces only retained control of Tripoli
Street. However, nobody else confirmed the claim. [83] Gaddafi forces were using artillery to bombard Misrata, according to a rebel
spokesman. He stated that 20 civilians were killed in the city the previous day when houses were hit by shells. [84]
[edit] References
1. ^ "UN clears way for Libyan no-fly zone". 18 Mar 2011.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/18/3167294.htm.
2. ^ "Nato takes control of enforcing Libya no-fly zone". 25 March, 2011. http://www.dawn.com/2011/03/25/nato-toenforce-no-fly-zone-over-libya.html.
Retrieved 26 March, 2011.
a b c
3. ^
"U.S., British ships launch Operation Odyssey Dawn". CBS News. 19 Mar, 2011.
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/id=7360170n.
4. ^ a b "Gadhafi's Warplane Shot Down by French Fighter Jets in Misrata". ABC News. 24 Mar 2011.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/war-libya-moammar-gadhafi-warplane-misrata-shot-french/storyid=13210685.
Retrieved 24 Mar 2011.
a b
5. ^
"Libya live (16:22)". The Telegraph. 24 Mar 2011.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8390035/Libya-Live.html. Retrieved 24 Mar 2011.
6. ^ "Libyan forces shoot protesters". Al Jazeera. 25 Feb, 2011.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/02/2011225133345917205.html. Retrieved 25 Feb 2011.
a b
7. ^
"Libyan troops defect near rebel-held Misrata-rebel". March 12, 2011.
http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/libyan-govt-forces-launch-attack-on-misrata-rebels/. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
8. ^ Rebel losses 1 - 54 killed (24 February-6 March),[1] 18 killed (16 March),[2] 2 killed (17 March),[3] 142 killed
(18-28 March),[4], 38 killed (29-30 March),[5] 1 killed (31 March),[6] total of 244 reported killed
9. ^ Rebel losses 2 - 400 killed (24 February-28 March),[7] 38 killed (29-30 March),[8] 1 killed (31 March),[9] total
of 428 reported killed
10. ^ "Libya: Allied air strikes secure Misrata for rebels". 23 March 2011.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/23/libya-allied-air-strikes-misrata. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
11. ^ "Libya Fighting Centers on Oil Fields as NATO Weighs Action". 11 March 2011.
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-03-11/libya-fighting-centers-on-oil-fields-as-nato-weighs-action.html. Retrieved
11 March 2011.
12. ^ 487 wounded (by 1 March),[10] 91 wounded (6 March),[11] 20 wounded (16 March),[12] 15 wounded (17
March),[13], 1,400 wounded (18-28),[14] total of 2,013 reported wounded
13. ^ 1 killed (24 February),[15] 14 [16]-22 [17] killed (6 March), 60 [18]-80 [19] killed (March 16), 3 killed (20
March),[20] 2 killed (23 March),[21] 30 killed March (24),[22] 3 killed (25 March),[23] 1-4 killed (28 March),[24] 26 killed
(29 March),[25] total of 137-171 reported killed
14. ^ 2 captured (February 25),[26] 8 captured (February 28),[27] 20 captured (6 March),[28] 20 captured (16
March),[29] total of 50 reported captured
15. ^ "Libye : point de situation opération Harmattan n°8". Ministère de la Défense et des anciens combattants. 26
March 2011. http://www.defense.gouv.fr/operations/actualites/libye-point-de-situation-operation-harmattan-n-8.
16. ^ "Libya: France jet destroys pro-Gaddafi plane". BBC. 24 March 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-
12850975. Retrieved 25 March 2011.