Civilians flee besieged Libyan town
- 13 years ago
This is a road out of the besieged Libyan town of Sirte.
People here are desperately trying to flee weeks of heavy fighting in one of the last remaining strongholds of former leader Muammar Gaddafi.
One resident described the situation in Sirte - Gaddafi's hometown - as desperate.
(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN RESIDING IN SIRTE, ZAHRAN AWAD, SAYING:
"The situation is extremely bad. There is no petrol, no food, no medicine, nothing. And the people can't leave because there is so much fighting and shelling."
Libya's transitional government has been trying to capture Sirte for weeks.
But its troops have met stiff resistance from fighters loyal to Gaddafi, who was ousted from power in August.
On Sunday, residents took advantage of a lull in fighting to make a break for it.
But Sirte is home to 100,000 people and aid agencies are warning of an unfolding humanitarian crisis.
Andrew Raven, Reuters.
People here are desperately trying to flee weeks of heavy fighting in one of the last remaining strongholds of former leader Muammar Gaddafi.
One resident described the situation in Sirte - Gaddafi's hometown - as desperate.
(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN RESIDING IN SIRTE, ZAHRAN AWAD, SAYING:
"The situation is extremely bad. There is no petrol, no food, no medicine, nothing. And the people can't leave because there is so much fighting and shelling."
Libya's transitional government has been trying to capture Sirte for weeks.
But its troops have met stiff resistance from fighters loyal to Gaddafi, who was ousted from power in August.
On Sunday, residents took advantage of a lull in fighting to make a break for it.
But Sirte is home to 100,000 people and aid agencies are warning of an unfolding humanitarian crisis.
Andrew Raven, Reuters.