Tripoli, March 01: At least two people have been killed and another seriously injured as armed loyalists of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi open random fire on people.
The incident occurred in the city of Misrata when “pro-Gaddafi gunmen opened fire on passersby in a drive-by shooting,” AFP quoted a witness as saying on Monday.
“Two people were martyred and one was seriously wounded,” the witness added.
Fighting flared earlier in the day in Misrata, Libya’s third city which lies 150 kilometers (93 miles) east of Tripoli.
Opposition forces in control of Misrata said they thwarted an attack by Gaddafi loyalists on Monday, noting that a military helicopter was hit by anti-aircraft fire.
The witness said that the pro-democracy protesters “are still in control of Misrata but they are not armed.”
“We are surrounded by Gaddafi forces,” he said, calling on “the international community to send observers and journalists to the city to see the atrocities committed by the regime.”
Earlier on Monday, a spokesman for the opposition said that a “helicopter fired three rockets at the transmission tower of Radio Misrata.”
“It was hit by anti-aircraft fire in a counter-attack,” he added. He was unable to confirm reports that the aircraft was brought down.
——–Agencies