A/HRC/17/44 ambulance arrived to rescue them, raising a white flag and negotiating the possibility to approach the wounded persons through a microphone”.133 165. On 17 May, ICRC stated that “the Libyan Red Crescent reports that in the past four days, three of its ambulances have been hit in three separate incidents, resulting in the death of a nurse and injuries to a patient and three volunteers”.134 The responsible party in these three incidents can not be ascertained by the Commission without further investigation. 166. Reports from eastern Libya also mention ambulances being shot at. One witness told the Commission of seeing an ambulance being targeted at Ajdabiya, with another witness (a fighter with NTC) reporting on the shooting of the ambulance carrying him and wounded fighters. A former fighter with NTC in Yafran also stated that Government forces hit ambulances. 167. Attacks on hospitals have been repeatedly reported to the Commission. A fighter with the opposition forces from Yafran told the Commission that a mortar round had hit Yafran hospital in March 2011, leading to the destruction of main parts of the medical facility. A witness from Al Hikma Clinic in Misrata told the Commission that it had been targeted twice by Government forces but was still functioning. A doctor from Misrata told media that the Misrata hospital had been targeted by Government tanks. 135 In another media account on 6 March, it was reported that in Az-Zawiyah pro-Qadhafi forces attacked the forecourt of the hospital where injured were being treated. On 23 March, Reuters reported that Qadhafi forces bombarded the main hospital in Misrata as doctors were trying to move the wounded away from the hospital: “The snipers are shooting at the hospital and its two entrances are under heavy attack. No one can get in or out”, a Misrata resident, told Reuters by telephone. Amnesty International, in its report on the siege of Misrata, noted that on 16 April, the surroundings of a clinic were shelled at least three times according to eyewitnesses, who were themselves wounded.136 The Commission also received information from several witnesses concerning the destruction of hospital supplies including medications. 168. Similar to reports received during the demonstration period outlined in chapter III, section A, the Commission also received information concerning the abduction of patients from hospitals. On 16 March, the Fondation Alkarama stated in a press release that “injured rebel forces and innocent civilians are being kidnapped from hospitals, risking torture, even death. As a consequence, the wounded are refusing to seek medical assistance for fear of being kidnapped or killed.”137 In Zintan, a doctor mentioned that the wounded treated at his hospital were not registered as there was a fear that the Government would regain control and detain the injured. 133 134 135 136 137 See also ICRC statement issued fifteen days before, on 3 March 2011, according to which “two Libyan Red Crescent ambulances were shot at today [3 March] in Misrata, West of Benghazi, resulting in two volunteers being injured and one of the ambulances being completely burnt”. ICRC, Operational Update No. 05/11, “Libya: Red Crescent volunteers and medical personnel in danger”, 17 May 2011. Available from www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/update/2011/libyaupdate-2011-05-17.htm. Hamid Ould Ahmed, “Rebels say 16 dead in Misrata, hospital attacked”, Reuters, 23 March 2011. Available from www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/23/us-libya-misrata-strikesidUSTRE72M8BY20110323. Amnesty International, Libya: Misratah – under siege and under fire, p. 14. Fondation Alkarama, “Libya: Injured abducted from hospitals by pro-Gaddafi forces”, 16 March 2011. Available from http://en.alkarama.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=697:libya-injured-abductedfrom-hospitals-by-pro-gaddafi-forces&catid=27:communiqu&Itemid=138. 47