AJE: Gaddafi fights to regain control; fierce battle in Az Zawiyah

[pinboy3niner]

Gaddafi fights to regain control

Embattled Libyan leader launches fresh attack on town of Az Zawiyah, near the capital, but the opposition fights back.

Last Modified: 05 Mar 2011 08:09 GMT



Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, has launched a fresh military offensive to retake some of the towns he lost control over the past 18 days.

Opposition to his decades-old rule has quickly swelled into a full-blown rebellion, but Gaddafi stepped up attacks on Friday. By Saturday morning, his forces broke through opposition defences in the city of Az Zawiyah after they began renewed attacks at 6am local time, eyewitnesses told Al Jazeera.

The loyalist forces attacked residential areas in the city, firing heavy artillery from all sides, including from the sea. Tanks and armoured vehicles had broken through defences into Martyrs' Square, in the heart of the town.

By 10am, however, the people of the town had retaken Martyrs' Square, after hours of intense fighting and a high number of casualties. At least 30 people were killed in fierce clashes in the town the previous day, but the death toll from the assault on Saturday morning was unclear.


http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/03/2011355948541399.html

During the battle, AJE provided updates in its Live Blogs, including telephone reports from residents of the city:


(All times are local in Libya GMT+2) < (USA EST +7, PST +10) >

10:14am Conflicting reports coming in from Az Zawiyah - we're hearing just three of Gaddafi's tanks were set on fire - but that troops have now pulled out of the city, and are shelling the city of 100,000 from outside.

9:45am Gaddafi forces are shelling the town of Az Zawiyah, 40km west of Tripoli, from tanks and the sea, eyewitnesses tell Al Jazeera. One resident tells us:

With all the artillery, tanks and armoured vehicles, fierce fighting is ongoing and people are being massacred in a way that we haven't seen - even in Iraq.

I consider it a total genocide.


9:42am Hospital medics tell Al Jazeera that those injured in the streets of Az Zawiyah are being executed in front of their eyes.

Ambulances are being attacked and doctors threatened with death, we are told.


9:30am Ahmed, a resident of Az Zawiyah speaks to Al Jazeera ont he phone from the middle of the ongoing battle. Shouting to be heard over the sound of artillery and small arms fire, he tells us:

There is heavy bombing of the city by tanks and heavy weapons and mortars - the rebels are struggling to resist with very primitive means. They <invading forces> have no mercy and are very brutal. There is a large number of injured and a lot of people killed on the streets.

There is no mercy to civilians. The tanks belonging to to the regime are attacking everything indiscriminately and we have no means of defending ourselves.

There is a very tragic situation happening right now. It's a very serious situation. We were expecting the world to intervene, but they have let us down. Shelling is now coming in from all sides.

They are shooting at the Libyan citizens and we have made up our mid that we will die here. I am really sorry, we are in the middle of a battle and the shelling is very heavy - the <phone line> could break at any moment.

We have taken prisoners out of two vehicles, and we are treating them with respect. But they are shelling us, they are kiling us.

Where is the United Nations or the Arab League or the international community who have spoken about our rights or protecting us? I don't think they meant what they have said.

I am in the middle of Martyrs' Square, and we are conducting a battle. The tanks have surrounded us and they are shelling all the buildings - whether they are residential or business properties. The shelling and destruction is indiscriminate and the civilians are taking shelter in the buildings surrouding the square - but they have not given up yet.

All parts of society - all parts - whether they are professionals and farmers - are all together, supporting each other, hoping that they will be able to survive.

But it is violent, it is indiscriminate - and the number of dead and injured? I cannot count it yet. We need the world here, we need them to intervene - words are not enough. It's not a matter of oil and gas that you need you of our country - it is human lives and blood being shed - right now.

9:15am Al Jazeera's Tony Birtley, speaking from Benghazi, tells us Az Zawiyah is in the hands of Gaddafi's forces - but fighting continues, we understand.


9:10am Six tanks - each carrying four Gaddafi-loyalist soldiers - have been set on fire in central Az Zawiyah, eyewitnesses tell us.

Several have been arrested, we are told.

"Most of those attacking us are mercenaries," Lufti Az-Zawi tells Al Jazeera.


9:08am Fierce fighting reported in central Az Zawiyah - with two tanks reported blown up in Suhada <Martyr's> Square.

Some security personnel from al-Gaddafi brigades have been arrested, Al Jazeera reports.

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/africa/live-blog-libya-march-5

____________________________________________________________________________


Throughout the battle, our own Catherina provided a bird's-eye view of developments in her live thread relaying Twitter reports here:

Libyan Revolution Tweets, Day 17 (or 19*), Part 1
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x562710

[pinboy3niner]

1. Surgeon: 150-250 injured in Az Zawiyah battle

From AJE:

Dr Hamdi, a surgeon in Az Zawiyah hospital, is on the phone with Al Jazeera. He tells us of the scene around him:

I am at the centre of Martyrs' Square. A large number of people are gathering in the centre, after they managed to push back Gaddafi's forces, the tanks have been pushed out of the city.

There have been a number of tanks - the security forces of Gaddafi came into the city with armoured vehicles and tanks and trucks carrying antiaircraft wepons. We managed to capture two tanks, and a number of four-wheel drive military cars.

I live in one of main roads of the city, but I couldn't leave home, because a large number of Gaddafi security men were shooting at anyone who came out.

I couldn't go to the hospital. But when our courageous fighters pushed them back, I could get to the square and helped administer first aid.

There are between 150-250 injured as of now.

At this moment, there are no Gaddafi security forces in the city; they have all been pushed outside of the city. The revolutionaries have taken control and have pushed them to the outside of the city.

There is news that the security forces are gathering and preparing for another attack; the revolutionaries are also preparing for another attack. About 10,000 revolutionaries are preparing for the attack, and they are all happy for what has been achieved so far today.

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/africa/live-blog-libya-march-5

[pinboy3niner]

2. News now of Azawiya sustaining another wave of #Gaddafi attacks

@iyad_elbaghdadi: News now of Azawiya sustaining another wave of #Gaddafi attacks as we speak. Some 20 tanks and 50 4x4's.
2 minutes ago via web

iyad_elbaghdadi: Gaddafi tanks now shelling all buildings around Martyrs Square in Azawiya with civilian residents still inside. #Libya”
about 2 hours ago

The area around the square is full of small apartments and tower blocks.

@iyad_elbaghdadi: Gaddafi battalions are entering Azawiya now after artillery bombardment. Situation dire. #Libya
about 3 hours ago

@iyad_elbaghdadi Attacks on Azawiya are Khamis Brigade staffed by #Gadaffi loyalist Libyans from Sirt. #Libya #Azawiya #feb17
about 4 hours ago

(Thanks to Iterate for finding and culling the tweets.)

[pinboy3niner]

3. dupe