Misrata shelled by Gadhafi forces as AU meets on Libya

Misrata shelled by Gadhafi forces as AU meets on Libya

Muammar Gadhafi's forces shelled Misrata, the only major city in the western half of Libya that remains under partial rebel control on Tuesday, as African mediators discussed Libya's future after their cease-fire proposal failed.

According to residents, doctors and rights groups, weeks of fierce government bombardment of Misrata have terrorized the city's residents, killing dozens of people and leaving food and medical supplies scarce.

A medical official there told Newsmen that "Unfortunately, with the long-range war machines of Gadhafi forces, no place is safe in Misrata."

Resolution Talks                                               

He said six people were killed on Monday and another corpse was brought in on Tuesday, as African mediators were holding talks about Libya after the rebels, backed forcefully by European leaders, rejected their cease-fire proposal because it did not insist that Gadhafi relinquish power.

The AU delegation is meeting in Algeria.

Demands

The rebels' leadership council has insisted that Gadhafi must give up power.

A former justice minister, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, who split with Gadhafi and heads the Benghazi-based Transitional National Council said "Col. Gadhafi and his sons must leave immediately if he wants to save himself If not, the people are coming for him."

Abdul-Jalil , said in their talks with the African Union delegation, the rebels raised the issue of Gadhafi's reliance on foreign mercenaries from other African and Arab nations, particularly Algeria.

The AU sought a suspension of three weeks of international airstrikes that have prevented Gadhafi's forces from overpowering the vastly weaker rebel forces.

More than 1,000 flag-waving protesters gathered in the eastern rebel stronghold of Benghazi as the African Union delegation arrived on Monday.

Three of the five African leaders in the mediation team seized power in coups and as a result, the protesters in Benghazi said they had little faith in the visiting African Union mediators, most of them regarded as allies of Gadhafi.

The group was led by South African President Jacob Zuma. Other key participants were the leaders of Mali, Mauritania, Republic of Congo and Uganda.

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini strongly backed the rebel demand for Gadhafi's immediate departure and said he doubted that the Libyan leader would have abided by the cease-fire after breaking more than one previous pledge to halt violence.

AP/Grace/Ekata