Turkish Ship Rescues Wounded Libyan Rebels

A Turkish ship rescued 230 wounded rebels from the Libyan city of Misrata over the weekend.

The evacuees have given reporters detailed accounts of the fighting in the streets. The wounded describe snipers everywhere and told officials that Gahdafi forces are hiding from NATO planes in mosques, grocery stores and houses, which they blow up after the planes pass.

The rebels say there is very little food to eat and many believe Gadhafi is ordering troops to destroy grocery stores as a tactic to starve and control people.

The wounded, mostly men, were transported onboard a car ferry chartered by the Turkish government, known as the ANKARA. Turkish medics onboard treated the wounded as they lay on mattresses on the car decks of the ship.

Turkey’s foreign minister ordered the ship to Misrate after it spent four days at sea awaiting permission from port authorities to dock in Misrata. Ten Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jets and two Navy frigates accompanied the vessel into port.

After loading the wounded and their relatives the ship quickly shoved off as a large crowd of several thousand Libyans and Egyptians gathered in hopes of evacuating.

The ferry made one more stop in Benghazi to pick up more wounded before heading to the Turkish town of Cesme where they will receive more medical care.