Aid agencies say Misrata faces a humanitarian crisis Sunday 24 April 2011
No 'halt' to fighting in Misrata
Aid agencies say Misrata faces a humanitarian crisis Libya says its army has halted military operations in Misrata to give local tribal leaders an opportunity to negotiate with rebels.
Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim said government troops had not withdrawn from the besieged port city.
Rebels have dismissed his statement, and there were reports of explosions and gunfire in Misrata early on Sunday.
The previous day was one of the bloodiest in the siege of the city, with at least 24 people killed.
On Saturday Mr Kaim said tribes around Misrata had given the army an ultimatum that if it couldn't defeat rebels in Misrata, their fighters would.
He said tribal leaders were angry that fighting had brought life and trade in the western city to a standstill.
Human rights groups say more than 1,000 people have been killed in weeks of fighting in the city.
Early on Sunday, Mr Kaim said armed forces had not withdrawn from Misrata, but "ceased operations" because tribal leaders "decided to... do something to bring back ordinary life to Misrata".
"The other option which is still available from the heads of the tribes is the military intervention to liberate Misrata," he said.
However, correspondents reported bursts of automatic weapons fire and rocket explosions in the city.
Nato planes, like these French jets in the Mediterranean, are running regular sorties over Libya Rebel leaders in Benghazi say Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi was "playing games" and would not allow his forces to leave Misrata.
Misrata - Libya's third largest city - is the rebels' main stronghold in the west of the country.
Doctors in the city said Saturday had been the bloodiest day in nearly two months of fighting, with at least 24 dead and 100 wounded.
Meanwhile, Nato aircraft have carried out more air strikes on targets around the capital Tripoli and other cities, Libyan state news agency Jana reported.
Foreign journalists based in Tripoli reported hearing three large explosions late on Saturday as jets flew overhead.
On Saturday, the US confirmed the first strike by one of its unmanned drone aircraft over Libya, destroying a government rocket launcher near Misrata.
In a statement, Nato said it had carried out more than 3,000 sorties since assuming control of the UN-backed mission late last month.
"We have struck a broad range of targets across the country - tanks and rocket launchers, armoured vehicles and ammunition stores, command and control sites," it added in a statement.
The popular revolt against Col Gaddafi - inspired by similar uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia - began in February and a UN mandate later sanctioned air strikes against Libyan state forces to protect civilians.
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