By Ali Salem.
Tripoli, 4 November 2o14:
Fighting is still taking place in the Warshefana area between mainly Zintani forces linked the Libyan . . .[restrict]National Army and those supporting Libya Dawn. The clashes are said to have been concentrated today at a small village named Al-Kasart, south of Aziziya but before the Jebel Nafusa escarpment.
Meanwhile the Red Crescent has managed to send aid including medicines and water to the temporary field hospital in Kikla where fighting also continues although Zintani forces again claim they are in control of much of the mountain town. According to Colonel Ajmi Al-Atiri, one of the Zintani commanders, his forces seized an education building in the centre of the town yesterday.
The hospital has been suffering acute shortages of not only medicines and medical equipment but also of staff able to deal with the emergency. The Red Crescent in Tripoli is said to be trying to open a safe passage to the town which is entirely surrounded by Zintani and Libyan Army forces to enable humanitarian aid to get through.
At least 142 people are reported to have been killed in Kikla since the fighting started three and half weeks ago and another 518 wounded, according to Buwabat Al-Wasat. It quoted a doctor at the hospital saying that the figure was only those fighting for Libya Dawn. He did not know the number of dead or wounded among the Zintanis and the army.
The fighting appears to have again intensified in and around the strategically important town which, through firepower, can control a number of roads in and out of the Jebel. On Saturday, it was reported that 12 people had been killed in fighting in the area. This is said to have risen to 20 dead by Sunday evening.
It is impossible to known exactly what is happening in both Kikla and the Warshefana district, other than that fighting is still taking place. There are no independent journalists in the area and both sides are presenting the news to suit their own purposes. [/restrict]
