By the CNN Wire Staff
April 19, 2011 -- Updated 0918 GMT (1718 HKT)
Medics overwhelmed by Misrata misery
Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- The European Union is prepared to launch a military operation for humanitarian assistance in Libya if requested by the United Nations, a spokesman said Tuesday.
Michael Mann, chief spokesman for European Union High Representative Catherine Ashton, said it is unclear how many troops would be deployed, though he said it would be "definitely less than 1,000." He said the EU did not have specifics on the mission because it would not materialize without a request from the United Nations.
The Council of the European Union agreed to the operation -- called EUFOR Libya -- earlier this month. If requested, EUFOR Libya would "contribute to the safe movement and evacuation of displaced persons" and support humanitarian agencies in their activities, the Council said in a statement.
But amid international talks for humanitarian aid, residents in the war-torn city of Misrata report mounting devastation.
At least 24 people have been killed in the city of Misrata alone this week, an opposition spokesman told CNN Monday. He said another 113 were injured.
The spokesman, who wanted to be identified only as "Mohammed" for safety reasons, said forces loyal to Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi have shelled the besieged city incessantly this week.
"They are shelling mortar shells, cluster bombs and splinter mortar shells," Mohammed said. "The splinter mortar shells explode and throw lethal shrapnel, which has caused most of the tragedies."
Much of Misrata is now without electricity. Mohammed said people have been using cell phones for light during surgery.
The city is surrounded by Gadhafi's forces on three sides. The critical port area is the city's only lifeline for humanitarian aid and is the only way to escape.
Britain will help 5,000 people trapped in Misrata "escape the besieged city and will provide vital medical assistance to those who remain in towns across western Libya," the UK Mission to the United Nations announced Monday. The evacuations "will get foreign workers who have managed to reach Misrata's port safely out of the town," the mission said in a statement.
Mohammed said Misrata residents are "disappointed and let down" by NATO, which is carrying out a U.N. Security Council resolution that authorizes the use of force to protect civilians.
"Gadhafi's forces are not threatened by NATO anymore. The NATO planes are circulating as the destruction continues," Mohammed said.
But NATO said it has made progress in its mission, which includes targeting Gadhafi's military resources with airstrikes.
"Since the beginning of the NATO operation (March 31) a total of 2,771 sorties and 1,110 strike sorties have been conducted," NATO said in a statement issued Monday.
The NATO operation has also destroyed seven ammunition bunkers in the Tripoli area and four air defense radars in the Misrata area this week, the alliance said.
NATO has said Gadhafi's forces have started hiding resources in civilian areas, making airstrikes much more difficult to carry out without harming civilians.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon said Monday that he disagreed with critics who question whether NATO is succeeding in its mission.
"We have already stopped any of (Gadhafi's) planes from flying, and without what we have done so far, you can be sure that Gadhafi would be using airplanes to strike civilians," he said.
CNN's Reza Sayah, Yousuf Basil, Laura Perez Maestro, Ben Wedeman, Frederik Pleitgen, Andreena Narayan, Saad Abedine, Bharati Naik and Laurie Ure contributed to this report.
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