NATO steps up air attacks on Tripoli

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Berlin, Aug 21, IRNA -- NATO has reportedly intensified its air assault on Tripoli on Saturday, the Brussels-based western military alliance announced.

NATO combat jets attacked at least 22 military targets, among them military installations and warehouses, armored vehicles, missiles and rocket launchers as well as radar systems.

On Saturday, NATO flew a total of 36 sorties over Libya.

Libyan rebels claimed to have seized control of some parts of Tripoli on Sunday and besieged the compound of Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi.

Iran criticized both NATO for pursuing scorched earth policy in Libya and the UN Security Council for unleashing bloodshed since last March by adopting a resolution to enforce no-fly zone to protect civilians from Gaddafi's air strikes.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that the United Nations Security Council was expected to make arrangements to hold democratic election in Libya rather than authorize bombardment and causing bloodshed.

NATO carried more than 18,000 sorties of air raids on Libya killing several thousand innocent people after the Security Council resolution called for no-fly zone.

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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30529435