under heavy bombardment, the last major city between government forces and the rebel stronghold of benghazi. arwa damon is there and joins us now. i understand for journalists for the the new york times, four are missing. what can you tell us about the latest on the ground? reporter: hi, errol. we ve been trying to reach out to people in ajdabiya to see what the update on the situation was that it s coming under intense bombardment. fighting is continuing as far as we are aware of with colonel gadhafi s forces trying to bombard their way in. eyewitnesses were telling us about sniper positions set up inside ajdabiya instead. people naturally growing
eyewitnesses telling us air strikes began at around 9:30, 10:00 in the morning, that there had been and has been a sustained and heavy artillery bombardment. one person saying that pro-gadhafi forces had set up sniper positions and yet another talking about the increase in civilian casualties saying that an entire family had been killed. a few hours later we were in front of the courthouse in benghazi walking alongside a group of women marching carrying a sign. the message on it very simple. how many libyans are going to have to die until the united nations can take action and that, piers, is what people want to know. they fail to understand how it is that the international community can see the images of what is happening in libya and not feel a more urgent sense to try to bring about an end to this bloodshed. and, arwa, turning quickly to bahrain. there were reports saudi forces have been engaging tonight, what do you know about that?
had been and has been a sustained and heavy artillery bombardment. one person saying that pro-gadhafi forces had set up sniper positions and yet another talking about the increase in civilian casualties saying that an entire family had been killed. a few hours later we were in front of the courthouse in benghazi walking alongside a group of women marching carrying a sign. the message on it very simple. how many libyans are going to have to die until the united nations can take action and that, piers, is what people want to know. they fail to understand how it is that the international community can see the images of what is happening in libya and not feel a more urgent sense to try to bring about an end to this bloodshed. and, arwa, turning quickly to bahrain. there were reports saudi forces have been engaging tonight, what do you know about that? reporter: there have been reports that saudi forces have been involved.
10:00 in the morning, that there had been and has been a sustained and heavy artillery bombardment. one person saying that pro-gadhafi forces had set up sniper positions and yet another talking about the increase in civilian casualties saying that an entire family had been killed. a few hours later we were in front of the courthouse in benghazi walking alongside a group of women marching carrying a sign. the message on it very simple. how many libyans are going to have to die until the united nations can take action and that, piers, is what people want to know. they fail to understand how it is that the international community can see the images of what is happening in libya and not feel a more urgent sense to try to bring about an end to this bloodshed. and, arwa, turning quickly to bahrain. there were reports saudi forces have been engaging tonight, what do you know about that? reporter: there have been
the first time the u.s. has gone that far in voicing support for just a no-fly zone but perhaps even further action. as it is debated pro-gadhafi forces are on the attack launching fierce attacks. arwa, what is the latest? reporter: well, eliot, as far as we can tell, the battle is still the battle for the city of ajdabiya, around 100 miles west of the opposition stronghold of benghazi. we tried to get in there earlier. we were stopped told quite simply the fighting was too fierce. eyewitnesses told us air strikes began at around 9:30 in the morning followed by a heavy and sustained bombardment by artillery. another witness telling us that pro-gadhafi forces had set up sniper positions and yet another talking to us about the rise in civilian casualty saying an entire family had been killed in these ongoing strikes.