Battle for Sirte continues
In Libya's besieged city of Sirte, hospitals are struggling.
With a shortage of medical supplies and personnel, officials say patients are literally dying on the operating table.
Members of the International Committee of the Red Cross said Sunday the hospital situation is fast becoming a humanitarian crisis.
(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SPOKESPERSON FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CRESCENT TO LIBYA, DIBEH FAKHR, SAYING:
"The crew of the Red Cross spent many hours in Sirte and evaluated the hospital, which is working under difficult circumstances. There are shortages of doctors, medical instruments, oxygen cylinders and even the water storage has been affected. The hospital is suffering and so are the doctors."
Over the weekend, the National Transitional Council declared a two-day truce to allow civilians to escape-- but as of Saturday night, the truce was broken.
Sirte is one of two towns still holding out against the interim government, where civilians are caught in the middle of fierce fighting, now in it's third week.
Julie Noce, Reuters
With a shortage of medical supplies and personnel, officials say patients are literally dying on the operating table.
Members of the International Committee of the Red Cross said Sunday the hospital situation is fast becoming a humanitarian crisis.
(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SPOKESPERSON FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CRESCENT TO LIBYA, DIBEH FAKHR, SAYING:
"The crew of the Red Cross spent many hours in Sirte and evaluated the hospital, which is working under difficult circumstances. There are shortages of doctors, medical instruments, oxygen cylinders and even the water storage has been affected. The hospital is suffering and so are the doctors."
Over the weekend, the National Transitional Council declared a two-day truce to allow civilians to escape-- but as of Saturday night, the truce was broken.
Sirte is one of two towns still holding out against the interim government, where civilians are caught in the middle of fierce fighting, now in it's third week.
Julie Noce, Reuters
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