Libya’s rebels in Misurata suffered a major setback early Saturday, when Gaddafi’s forces breached Nato’s no-fly zone and bombed fuel storage tanks, causing them to explode and burn, according to VOA.
Fuel depot explosion in Misrata Libya (AP)It’s not known how the no-fly zone was evaded, but some reports indicate that it was done with helicopters bearing the Red Cross emblems.
Government forces have also been scattering land mines in and around Misrata harbor, preventing aid and evacuation ships from docking. The Chinese anti-vehicle mines are dropped by mini-parachutes from rockets that open during flight, according to the BBC.
Misrata is the third largest city in Libya, with a population over half a million. It’s been under siege by Gaddifi’s forces for weeks, and Gaddafi’s forces have now destroyed much of Misrata’s remaining supply of fuel. Some reports indicate that Misrata will be running out of food within a few weeks, along with other parts of eastern Libya, according to Reuters
The United Nations Security Council originally approved the no-fly zone to save the city of Benghazi from the kind of humanitarian disaster that Misrata is now facing.
