Forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi were on Tuesday continuing their attacks on rebels in several cities in the Western part of the country, rebels said, after a third night of airstrikes by international forces.
Forces were shelling Zintan and trying to enter the city centre using heavy artillery, a rebel spokesman in the city, located some 160 km East of Tripoli, told the broadcaster Al Jazeera. "We will not be merciful with anyone who cooperates with the regime. We have a strong will and we will not draw back," spokesman Adel al-Zintani said.
Residents of Misurata also said their city was under attack by Gaddafi's forces. They complained that communications were blocked, and that there had been no water in the city for the past week. A doctor in Misurata said hundreds had been injured there over the past two days and medical resources were running out.
Libyan opposition forces said many people had been killed by Gaddafi's forces on Monday, despite the military operation aimed at curbing Gaddafi's ability to attack civilians. Coalition airstrikes took out radar sites near the eastern city of Benghazi and hit two navy bases near the capital Tripoli in the early hours of Tuesday.
Loud anti-aircraft gunfire could be heard in Tripoli and images broadcast showed tracer fire over the city. An Al Jazeera correspondent reported two loud explosions and said two large fires appeared to have broken out in the city's harbour. Witnesses told DPA that strikes over Tripoli were not affecting daily life in the capital. Stores were open all day and traffic was normal. The airstrikes to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya began on Saturday.