Libyan rebels in the besieged city of Misrata launched an offensive to try and break through the eastern frontline and take the government-held town of Tawarga.
The attack began in the early morning and three rebel fighters were killed and 44 wounded by 3 p.m. local time, according to officials at Misrata’s Mujamma Aliadat hospital. There were no immediate reports on government casualties.
“We are in the town, we made a big attack this morning,” wounded rebel fighter Loie Mohammed, 19, said from his hospital bed, referring to Tawarga. “Our guys went in a circle to get around the town and attack from behind it.”
The conflict between the rebels and forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi is in its sixth month, with little recent progress on either side. Qaddafi retains control of the capital, Tripoli, while the rebels are holding on to Benghazi in the east and Misrata in the west. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has supported the rebel fighters with an air campaign that began in March.
Misrata’s eastern front has been comparatively quiet for the past two months with most rebel offensives focused on pushing west toward the town of Zlitan. Government forces hit the center of Misrata with missiles on Aug. 9 for the first time since May, injuring one man.
Heavy shelling could be heard from the direction of Tawarga throughout the day and a stream of ambulances arrived in the city from the front line 30 miles (50 kilometers) to the east.
Mohammed said he was wounded by shrapnel as he was manning a mortar. He had bandages over a wound on his side and lay covered in a green sheet with drip feeds in both arms.
“When they tell me it’s OK, I am going back,” he said, referring to the front line.
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