Libya calls for international observers

19 March 2011 06:05 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 15 Bookmark

A A A

Libya on Friday called for international observers to come and verify a cease-fire that witnesses say has failed to halt deadly fighting.

One day after the approval of a U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing the use of force to protect civilians, U.S. President Barack Obama warned Moammar Gadhafi to pull back from several besieged cities or face military consequences.

But Obama insisted that American troops will not be deployed in Libya. At least 28 people died and hundreds were wounded as fighting raged in the cities of Misrata, Ajdabiya and Zintan on Friday, according to Khaled el-Sayeh, military spokesman for the opposition.

Libya's deputy foreign minister called for observers from China, Malta, Turkey and Germany "to come to Libya as soon as possible ... to make sure that there is a real cease-fire on the ground."

Khaled Kaim also noted that the "door is open for any other countries to send observers."
Kaim said the media is distorting Libyan military actions and said the country has evidence of "crimes against humanity conducted by the rebels."

Government forces "did not cause the deaths of any civilians," instead inflicting casualties on armed rebel militias, and will not assault Benghazi, Kaim said.

Forces loyal to Gadhafi are honoring a cease-fire and are not fighting a militia group that is making advances in the eastern part of the country, according to Kaim.

Rebel forces are advancing on the town of al-Migrun, south of the rebel stronghold of Benghazi, said Kaim.

The French press agency AFP confirmed to CNN about an advance by a militia group and recorded video of the advance.

Witnesses in the western city of Misrata said earlier Friday that a pro-government assault is persisting and casualties are mounting as countries backing the council's move, such as Britain and France, get their military resources into place to enforce the measure.

"What cease-fire?" asked a doctor in Misrata, who described hours of military poundings, casualties and dwindling resources to treat the wounded. "We're under the bombs.

"This morning, they are burning the city," the doctor said. "There are deaths everywhere." "Misrata is on fire," according to an opposition member, who said tanks and vehicles with heavy artillery shot their way into the city Thursday night and the assault continued Friday. He said Gadhafi's regime announced a cease-fire to buy time for itself. "Please help us."

Outside Ajdabiya in eastern Libya, CNN's Arwa Damon said she heard explosions, listened to fighters' accounts of heavy casualties and saw ambulances. She said fighters, who don't trust Gadhafi, believe that the declaration is a trick.

"Everybody around us is on very high alert, still expecting the worst," Damon said. El-Sayeh said 26 people died in Misrata, 83 were seriously wounded and hundreds were slightly wounded. In Ajdabiya, two died, three were seriously wounded and hundreds were slightly wounded. There was no immediate casualty count for Zintan, el-Sayeh said.

CNN couldn't independently confirm the witness accounts, and it is impossible to tell whether word of the cease-fire declaration trickled down to pro-government forces. (CNN)