GENEVA (AP) — The president of the international Red Cross says doctors in Libya are seeing a dramatic rise in the number of casualties, mostly civilians.
Jakob Kellenberger said Thursday that local doctors over the past few days saw “a sharp increase in the number of casualties arriving at hospitals in Ajdabiya and Misrata” where there has been heavy fighting and air strikes.
Kellenberger said in Misrata 40 patients were treated for serious injuries and 22 dead were taken there.
He said the Red Cross surgical team in Ajdabiya operated on 55 wounded this past week and “civilians are bearing the brunt of the violence.”
He said the aid organization is cut off from access in western areas including Tripoli but believes those are “even more severely affected by the fighting” than eastern rebel-held territories.
