Update on Libya:Updated
After a month of on-and-off fighting, the combined forces of the Libyan Army, Misrata militias, and with Zintan’s and Az-Zawiyah’s, have captured the center of Bani Walid. While fighting is ongoing in several neighborhoods, it seems that the Government has won.
The casualty numbers are as follows
Misrata, Government, and Assisting Militias
-50+ Killed
-200+ Wounded
Bani Walid
-26-35 Dead (Both Fighters & Civilians)
-103+ Wounded.
As the combined forces sacked the city, they also freed 13 prisoners that Bani Walid had kidnapped, as well as catching 100 individuals want by the Government for various reasons. In addition, bulldozers have been brought in, and are now demolishing houses. This would seem to go along with my suspicions earlier that revenge would happen is coming to bear fruit, though how much of the city will be wrecked will be uncertain. However, at least some of the militias are going for the “Carthage Option.”
10,300 families have been displaced from the fighting. What happens to them has yet to be seen.
Update: Apparently, one of the elders in Bani Walid is claiming the shelling of the past few days has killed 130 people. No independent confirmation left, but this may be plausible.