Battle for Misrata continues

Government tanks launched an assault on Mistrata on Friday, say rebels, while Nato reported that its warships had succeeded in stopping Moamer Kadhafi’s forces from laying mines in the city’s harbour. Meanwhile, the fierce fighting to capture control of Libya’s Dehiba border crossing into Tunisia reached a state of calm, according to witnesses.

Reuters

“Four tanks attacked the city and one has been destroyed so far,” said Ibrahim Ahmed Boushagha, a rebel fighter who followed a wounded man back from the front to Misrata and spoke to the AFP news agency. “They took up positions during the night on the airport road, and tried to enter the city. We’ve stopped them at the outer limits, at least for now.”

A stream of casualties was brought into Misrata's main hospital. Rebels told the AFP that the men had been wounded in a counter-attack by regime forces. Earlier, clashes and explosions were heard in the suburbs.

At midday, the hospital reported two dead and 16 wounded.

Western Misrata also came under mortar and rocket fire on Friday as a Nato warplane flew overhead, say witnesses and medics.

Kadhafi forces were pushed back from Misrata by rebels and a series of Nato air strikes on Monday, but had remained within firing range of the city.

Ibrahim Bet-Almal, who heads the rebel military forces in the area, told the AFP news agency: "Kadhafi is sending reinforcements to the region every day."