Intense clashes after the people's revolution continue. A human tragedy is being lived particularly in the western part of the country and in Misrata ,which has been under siege for months.
The besieged city is being bombarded intensively by Gaddafi forces. In the city, where electricity is not supplied during nights, clean drinking water is about to run out, and aid material is not allowed into the city from land, people are trying to hold on to life with only aid coming from the sea.
The IHH, which has carried out aid operations in the region from the first days of the clashes, sent 682 tons of aid material by ship to Misrata two weeks ago. The ship, which could arrive in the intensively bombarded city of Misrata in a week, took three days to be unloaded because of security issues. After unloading the ship, IHH teams managed to distribute the aid material to those in need in a very short time. However, the people of Misrata, trying to hold on to life with help coming from the outside world, carry on living in misery. While the bombardments of Gaddafi's forces continue, their food stocks are about to be exhausted.
Serkan Öktem, who organises the work in Misrata, stated that workers there carry on relief work under intense bombardment and gunfire. Mr. Öktem, who noted that Misrata is still under an intensive siege, gave his impressions as follows: “Together with the last ship, we have been carrying out aid operations for almost ten days. The clashes of the first days in the city turned into bombardments after insurgents fought Gaddafi forces out of the city. Misrata, which is positioned between Gaddafi forces' bastions Tripoli and Sirt, is being bombed indiscriminately from 30-40 kilometres away . People here are starving. As IHH, we accomplished the distribution of basic commodities that came with our aid ship. However, the humanitarian crisis is growing more and more every day.''
Laid mines in the port of Misrata
IHH officer Serkan Öktem, who noted that transportation to Misrata is only available by sea, reported that Gaddafi troops laid mines in and around the Misrata port. Mr. Oktem continued as follows: “Yesterday, the coalition forces found mines in small fishing boats. The investigation showed that these mines were laid in and around the port of Misrata by Gaddafi forces. Demining works began immediately. The people here are in need of material assistance of all kinds. About 500 thousand people are trying to survive under the blockade and bombardments.”
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