Bahrain (and Beyond) LiveBlog: A New Phase of Conflict
Wednesday, March 16, 2011 at 20:23
2110 GMT: An update from Misurata, 210 km (130 miles) east of Tripoli....
Opposition fighters say they have repelled regime forces on the southern and western sides of the city, with a battle --- but "not a heavy one" --- continuing on the eastern side.
Libyan state television has appealed to the people of Misurata to support regime troops: "The armed forces are from you and for you. Avoid strife....This is a call for stability and security for everybody. Do not listen to provocation and avoid discord."
2000 GMT: Reuters summarises fierce fighting in Ajdabiya in east Libya, with "weary" government soldiers saying that they were meeting "renewed resistance" from the opposition.
"The fighting is fierce. His supply lines are stretched so he can't push on from Ajdabiya. We've got some surprises in store. We're going to fight on and we're going to win," said Mustafa Gheiriani, an opposition spokesman in Benghazi.
Reinforcements from Benghazi are said to be heading to Ajdabiya.
Witnesses describe a violent regime crackdown around the city.