Az Zawiyah, #Libya Falling to Pro-Gaddafi Forces?

Speaking of mercenaries, pro-Gaddafi forces are attacking the town of Az Zawiyah which lies 40km west of Tripoli; this is coming after the town sustained an overnight attack by pro-Gaddafi forces. Things are getting uglier by the hour, if not by minute.

And that jerk of the son of Gaddafi, Saif, taunted the reporters of the Western media and Al Jazeera, "Show me the photo of dead Libyans!"

Oh wait... is this what the same jerk was talking about? "Please, wait for the surprises..."?

From Al Jazeera Libya Blog 3/5/2011 (time is local Libyan time, GMT+2):

• 9:30am

  Ahmed, a resident of Az Zawiyah speaks to Al Jazeera ont he phone from the middle of the ongoing battle. Shouting to be heard over the sound of artillery and small arms fire, he tells us:

  There is heavy bombing of the city by tanks and heavy weapons and mortars - the rebels are struggling to resist with very primitive means. They [invading forces] have no mercy and are very brutal. There is a large number of injured and a lot of people killed on the streets.

  There is no mercy to civilians. The tanks belonging to to the regime are attacking everything indiscriminately and we have no means of defending ourselves.

  There is a very tragic situation happening right now. It's a very serious situation. We were expecting the world to intervene, but they have let us down. Shelling is now coming in from all sides.

  They are shooting at the Libyan citizens and we have made up our mid that we will die here. I am really sorry, we are in the middle of a battle and the shelling is very heavy - the [phone line] could break at any moment.

  We have taken prisoners out of two vehicles, and we are treating them with respect. But they are shelling us, they are kiling us.

  Where is the United Nations or the Arab League or the international community who have spoken about our rights or protecting us? I don't think they meant what they have said.

  I am in the middle of Martyrs' Square, and we are conducting a battle. The tanks have surrounded us and they are shelling all the buildings - whether they are residential or business properties. The shelling and destruction is indiscriminate and the civilians are taking shelter in the buildings surrouding the square - but they have not given up yet.

  All parts of society - all parts - whether they are professionals and farmers - are all together, supporting each other, hoping that they will be able to survive.

  But it is violent, it is indiscriminate - and the number of dead and injured? I cannot count it yet. We need the world here, we need them to intervene - words are not enough. It's not a matter of oil and gas that you need you of our country - it is human lives and blood being shed - right now.

• 9:15am

  Al Jazeera's Tony Birtley, speaking from Benghazi, tells us Az Zawiyah is in the hands of Gaddafi's forces - but fighting continues, we understand.

• 9:10am

  Six tanks - each carrying four Gaddafi-loyalist soldiers - have been set on fire in central Az Zawiyah, eyewitnesses tell us.

  Several have been arrested, we are told.

  "Most of those attacking us are mercenaries," Lufti Az-Zawi tells Al Jazeera.

• 9:08am

  Fierce fighting reported in central Az Zawiyah - with two tanks reported blown up in Shuhada [Martyr's] Square.

  Some security personnel from al-Gaddafi brigades have been arrested, Al Jazeera reports.

• 8:35am
  
  The attack against Az Zawiyah - just west of Tripoli - was renewed at 6am, Al Jazeera is told.

• 8:25am
  
  The Al-Gaddafi brigades have reportedly renewed the offensive against Az Zawiyah - where 30 were killed in last night's attack. An eyewitness tells Al Jazeera Arabic the city is being shelled, and tanks have been seen entering the city centre.
  
  

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