Libya Live Blog - April 23

Libya Live Blog - April 23

As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe.

Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.

• Timestamp: 

  12:23am

  We're getting a few more details on the NATO airstrikes that hit Triopli and surrounding areas late Saturday

  The AFP news agency reports:

  The latest explosions were heard around 20:40 GMT and one of them was felt in a hotel housing journalists, not far from downtown Tripoli.

  Two of the earlier explosions came from downtown Tripoli, while the rest came from areas further out, but the correspondents were not immediately able to determine the targeted sites.

   

   

• Timestamp: 

  11:30pm

  We're going to wrap up today's coverage. Here's a summary of the day's major developments:

  
  * Three new explosions have rocked Tripoli, the Libyan capital.

  
  * Fierce fighting appears to be continuing in Misurata, despite claims of victory by the rebels.

  
  * The US has confirmed its first Predator drone strike at an undisclosed location in Libya. 

  
  * Dozens of pro-Gaddafi soldiers were reportedly killed and captured in Saturday's fighting.

  
  * The city's Hikma hospital has confirmed 10 dead and 50 wounded.

  
  * An aid ship chartered by the International Organisation for Migration delivered 160 tonnes of food and medicine to besieged Misurata.
• Timestamp: 

  11:01pm

  Three new explosions rocked the Libyan capital late on Saturday as NATO warplanes overflew Tripoli, AFP journalists said, after several earlier blasts in the city centre and other areas.
• Timestamp: 

  10:25pm

  A rebel fighter stands with his weapon at the front line along the western entrance of Ajdabiya on Saturday:
  
  
  [Photo: AFP]
  
  

  Rebels were preparing to resume their campaign to resist Gaddafi forces in the eastern city of Ajdabiya on Saturday, which has been in virtual stalemate for weeks.

  
  

  Gathering at the western gate leading to the city, many were armed with automatic weapons. Some kept watch, looking through binoculars next to road blocks barring civilians and journalists from entering. 

  
  

  As one rebel spoke confidently of an impending victory, another fighter complained of being ill-equipped and lacking military experience in the face of Gaddafi's forces. 

  
  

  Ajdabiya and the oil town of Brega along the eastern front have been in virtual stalemate for weeks.

  
  

  But according to a rebel commander, not far from Ajdabiya, a NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) aircraft destroyed more than two dozen trucks and cars carrying Gaddafi's forces on Saturday. 
• Timestamp: 

  9:38pm

  Abdelati Obeidi, the Libyan foreign minister, has crossed the border into Tunisia, according to Tunisia's state TAP news agency.

      
  TAP said Obeidi, who entered Tunisia through the main transit point of Ras Jdir on the Tunisian-Libyan border, was heading to Djerba airport. It said he was believed to be on his way to Cyprus, but a senior Cypriot government source said: "We cannot confirm this report, he is not coming to Cyprus."

      
  A security source at Djerba airport said Obeidi later took a flight to the capital Tunis.

      
  Obeidi was promoted to foreign minister after the defection of his predecessor Moussa Koussa to Britain.

      
  He visited Cyprus earlier this month to discuss the conflict, and held talks with government officials in Greece, Turkey and Malta as deputy foreign minister.
• Timestamp: 

  9:24pm

  Opposition forces have managed to circumvent troops loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in the besieged city of Misurata, but the fighting is still ongoing.
  
  Misurata, the last large city held by rebels in western Libya, had been under a punishing government siege for nearly two months and hundreds of civilians have died in the fighting.
  
  Read the full story here.

• Timestamp: 

  5:28pm

  Al Jazeera's Andrew Simmons, reporting from Misurata, says the city has "not been liberated at this stage" despite certain claims being made by opposition forces and that "fierce fighting continues".
  
  "I've been told by a number of opposition spokespeople in the past two hours that they have made major gains and that's corroborated by other sources I've talked to.
  
  

  "They have made major gains in the west of the city, and they have actually managed to get around the Gaddafi forces blocking them near the western gate and that is quite a significant development for the rebel forces," he said.
  
  Listen to our correspondent's latest update below:
  
  
  
  
• Timestamp: 

  5:05pm

  Following are the latest available details of military activity in Libya:

  
  * Libyan troops captured by rebels in Misurata said on Saturday the army had been ordered to retreat from the western port, and a rebel spokesman said soldiers had booby trapped bodies and buildings as they fled.

  
  * A spokesman for Libyan rebels said the city of Misurata was freed from Muammar Gaddafi's forces on Saturday after a siege of Libya's third-largest city lasting nearly two months.

  
  * The United States launched its first Predator drone strike in Libya on Saturday.

  
  * NATO jets hit a target near Gaddafi's compound in central Tripoli early on Saturday, which the government described as a car park but which Reuters reporters said looked like a bunker.

  
  * China has warned Britain over plans to send military officers to advise Libyan rebels struggling against Gaddafi's forces, saying that Beijing opposes any steps that go beyond the mandate of a UN resolution.
  
  

  * NATO took command of Western military operations in Libya on March 31 and has about 200 aircraft at its disposal. It says its aircraft have conducted a total of 3,438, of which 1,432 have been strike sorties. NATO defines strike sorties as missions intended to identify and engage targets, but which do not always involve the use of munitions. Western military operations began on March 19. 

  
  * NATO conducted 138 sorties on Friday, including 59 strike missions. It said targets included:

  
  - Two command and control bunkers in Tripoli.

  
  - Three tanks, one bunker, one early warning radar and one surface to air radar in the vicinity of Misrata.

  
  - Two tanks, two bunkers, buildings in the vicinity of Zintan.

  
  - Three ammunition storage bunkers in the vicinity of Mizdah.

  
  - One tank, one armoured vehicle in the vicinity of Ras Lanuf.

  
  * A total of 18 NATO vessels have been patrolling the Mediterranean to enforce a UN-mandated arms embargo. On Friday, 47 vessels were hailed to determine destination and cargo. One vessel was boarded.

  
  * A total of 571 vessels have been hailed and 14 have been boarded since the beginning of arms embargo operations. Five ships have been diverted.

  
  * Of the 28 NATO states, only France, Britain, the United States, Belgium, Canada, Norway and Denmark have been conducting air strikes. Others have contributed aircraft and ships to support operations, enforce a no-fly zone and an arms embargo.
• Timestamp: 

  4:54pm

  We are hearing reports that it is highly unlikely Misurata has been "freed" by the rebels, and that this is rather a "tactical withdrawal" by Gaddafi troops. 
  
  Earlier, a rebel army spokesman in Benghazi told Al Jazeera:

  
  "It's a trick and he's [Gaddafi] is playing a dirty game ... saying his forces withdraw and will let the tribes deal with it ... I cannot talk now as I'm waitng for some information to come to me at 5 or 5:30pm, and I hope this info will expose Gaddafi's trick."

  When asked about rebels claiming Misurata is now free, he said: "It probably means Tripoli street is free, they [the fighters] are not aware of the trick and the game been played ... Gaddafi is not stupid to give up Misurata ... do you know what it means that Misurata falls? It means Tripoli will also fall and so will other areas like Tajoora, Yefrin and others."
• Timestamp: 

  4:27pm

  Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna sheds light on the current situation on the ground and the role "tribes" are playing in the battle for Libya:
  
  
  
  

• Timestamp: 

  4:10pm

  For those of you just joining us, here's a quick recap on the main events in Libya:
  
  - The Pentagon has confirmed that it has launched its first drone attack, but gave no details on the target.  

  - A spokesman for opposition forces, meanwhile, says they have won over control of Libya's third largest city, Misurata. There is no independent confirmation of this. 

  - The city's hospitals have been reporting an influx of injured men, including government soldiers.

  Our correspondent, Mike Hanna, has sent this report from the opposition stronghold of Benghazi:
  
  

• Timestamp: 

  2:36pm

  At least 10 people were killed and dozens wounded in intense street battles in Misurata on Saturday, a doctor told AFP. Khalid Abu Salra said at the main Hikma hospital:

  Since 8am we have received 10 dead and 50 wounded, which is usually the number for a full day. We're overwhelmed, overwhelmed. We lack everything: personnel, equipment and medicines.

  
  Rebels captured more than a dozen government soldiers in Misurata and took them to hospital for treatment [Reuters]

• Timestamp: 

  2:23pm

  The Pentagon has confirmed the first Predator unmanned aerial vehicle, or drone, strike in the early afternoon Libya time.

• Timestamp: 

  12:30pm

  Algerian foreign minister Mourad Medelci has denied allegations of being involved in mercenary operations in Libya or military support to Gaddafi forces. Medelci told Algerian radio that the accusations have been repeatedly denied. He said they were based on agendas unrelated to, and older than, the Libyan conflict.

  A few days ago rebels declared the capture of 15 Algerian mercenaries in Ajdabiya.

  Meanwhile, AFP news agency quoted Libyan National Transitional Council press officer Mahmoud Shamam as saying that Gaddafi has the backing of Arab countries such as Algeria.

• Timestamp: 

  10:51am

  Read our web producer Evan Hill's blog from Benghazi about how telecommunications engineers in eastern Libya managed to outwit the government's moves to sever communication links by clicking on the page below:

  

• Timestamp: 

  10:31am

  Rebel sources have told Al Jazeera that NATO warplanes attacked Gaddafi forces near the coastal road between al-Zaitoniya and al-Soihat. There were also reports that 21 Gaddafi army vehicles were destroyed. Sources also said that Gaddafi's forces shelled a village called al-Faluja near Ajdabiya.

• Timestamp: 

  10:23am

  Al Jazeera has learnt that Libyan rebels have taken over the main hospital in Misurata which was under renovation and used by Gaddafi forces as a base. Rebels are also in control of Misurata bridge near thecity's western gate.

  Medical sources say at least 13 people were injured in Friday's fighting, but there were no reported deaths.

• Timestamp: 

  9:46am

  There may be a possible shift in the two-month Libyan revolt against Gaddafi, with the government saying that NATO air strikes may force troops out of Misurata, Libya's third-largest city, and let local tribes take over the battle.

  Misurata is the last large city held by rebel forces in western Libya and has been under siege for nearly two months. Hundreds of civilians have died in the fighting there.

  About a dozen wounded government soldiers captured by rebels were brought to hospital on Saturday.

  
  Libyan rebels captured more than a dozen government soldiers in Misurata on Saturday [Reuters]

• Timestamp: 

  8:46am

  A Libya expert and rights advocate has told Reuters news agency on Saturday that the wall of fear protecting Gaddafi may soon crumble. Human Rights Watch emergency response director Peter Bouckaert said:

  I think that we are reaching a tipping point. From our discussions with people in many of the western cities, they are waiting for the moment to join the protests.

• Timestamp: 

  8:40am

  The Libyan army has been ordered to pull out from the western city of Misurata, according to a wounded government soldier captured by rebel forces on Saturday. Khaled Dorman told Reuters news agency:

  We have been told to withdraw. We were told to withdraw yesterday.

• Timestamp: 

  7:37am

  Libya's deputy foreign minister Khaled Kaim said US Senator John McCain's visit to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi in eastern Libya on Friday showed that the "American administration has run out of options".

  They are claiming that they are protecting civilians, but what they are doing, they are siding with the rebels.

• Timestamp: 

  7:27am

  Libyan government officials have taken foreign reporters to an unpaved plot next to Gaddafi's sprawling Bab al-Aziziya residential compound in Tripoli on Saturday to show where NATO jets hit a target nearby, purportedly a car park. Reuters news agency reporters said it looked like a bunker. Officials said the strike killed three people.

  LLibyan officials showed reporters two craters they said were from missiles from a NATO air strike [Reuters]

• Timestamp: 

  6:51am

  The Libyan government has been conducting guided tours regularly in attempts to show loyal support for embattled leader Muammar Gaddafi.

  
  Gaddafi loyalists rally with posters of the Libyan leader outside Bab al-Azibziya. [AFP]

• Timestamp: 

  6:39am

  Libyan deputy foreign minister Khaled Kaim said troops are being withdrawn from fighting in Misurata, saying local "tribes" will now take over the task of subduing the rebels in the area. He said a "surgical solution" had failed due to NATO air strikes.

  We will leave it to the tribes around Misurata and its people to deal with the situation there.

  Kaim said the tribal leaders have asked Gaddafi's troops to step aside if they are unable to retake the western Libyan city and would force the rebels to surrender.

  NATO officials said Libyan government forces have adopted some rebel tactics, in plainclothes and using unmarked or civilian vehicles.

• Timestamp: 

  6:18am

  China has warned Britain against overstepping the UN mandate for operations in Libya, following British Prime Minister David Cameron's plans to send about a dozen military officers to help anti-Gaddafi forces improve their fighting capabilities.

  Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei stopped short of accusing Britain of violating the UN Security Council resolution on theLibyan conflict. Responding to the news, he said on the ministry website late on Friday:

  China believes that the United Nations Security Council has primary responsibility for protecting international peace and security, and the various sides should strictly abide by the Security Council mandate in handling matters.

  China disapproves of taking any actions that exceed the mandate of the Security Council.

• Timestamp: 

  5:37am

  NATO has carried out fresh air raids on Tripoli early on Saturday. According to AFP reporters there were several explosions after warplanes flew over the Libyan capital, triggering anti-aircraft fire.

  Al-Libya TV said the city was "now the target of raids by the barbaric crusafer colonialist aggressor".

• Timestamp: 

  4:56am

  There are reports of pro-Gaddafi sleeper cells in Ajdabiya. Al Jazeera's Sue Turton reports:

• Timestamp: 

  3:55am

  The AFP news agency has released some photos of Libyan rebles being treated at a Tunisian university hospital in Tataouine - pretty rough images:and another...

  
  

• Timestamp: 

  4:02am

  There's more on the Tripoli strike now on Reuters:

  Three people were killed on Saturday in a NATO airstrike that hit a carpark near Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's Bab al-Aziziyah compound in central Tripoli, a government spokesman said.

  Mussa Ibrahim told reporters it appeared to be a 'very powerful explosion' that struck in the early hours of Saturday.

  However, the news agency is sticking to its previous line that none of its correspondents heard any explosions.

• Timestamp: 

  2:33am

  According to Libyan authorites, Tripoli has been hit with a fresh NATO strikes. Retuers reports that its correspondents did not hear "any loud explosions but heard jets fly over the city, rattling windows.

• Timestamp: 

  1:02 am

  Meanwhile, the children were watching....

  Our  Web producer, Evan Hill, sent us this shot from Benghazi. He said that,  "Most of the kids you see on the city's streets these days are carrying toy weapons or tiny BB-shooting blow guns."

  

  [Evan Hill/ Al Jazeera]

• Timestamp: 

  12:26am

  The AFP news agency reports that pro-Gaddafi forces will be leaving Misurata:

  The Libyan army will withdraw from Misurata and leave local tribes to resolve the conflict in the country's third largest  city either by talks or through force, the deputy foreign minister said Friday.

  'The situation in Misrata will be dealt with by the tribes around Misurata and Misurata's residents and not by the Libyan army,' Khaled Kaim told journalists.

  'We will leave the tribes around Misrata and Misrata's people to deal with the situation, either using force or negotiation.'