Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- The number of people trying to flee Libya fell as heavily-armed government forces intensified their presence on the Tunisian border and on roads leading up to it, the United Nations refugee agency said Friday.
"We are concerned that the presence of the forces and the large drop in evacuees could mean that people are being prevented from leaving," said Sybella Wilkes, a spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commission for Refugees.
Clashes in the oil-rich North African nation have spurred throngs of people to flee the country, and there is no sign that the hostilities will ease up.
Forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi clashed with opposition fighters Friday in the eastern city of Ras Lanuf, opposition sources in the area told CNN.
Roughly 15,000 people had been crossing the border every day but Thursday, that number plunged to 2,000. In all, 200,000 people have fled the escalating violence in Libya, according to the International Organization of Migration, which has been working with the U.N. refugee agency on mass evacuations.
Some of those crossing the border told CNN that their mobile phones and cameras had been confiscated by government forces in Tripoli. Many appeared frightened.
A majority of those fleeing are Egyptians who had been working in Libya. But the foreign workers also include citizens of other nations including Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, Sudan, Ghana and Mali.
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Closer to the Egyptian border, about 8,000 foreigners awaited evacuation in the eastern city of Benghazi. They included Eritreans, Ethiopians and Somalis, according to the refugee agency.
"They appear to have gathered spontaneously and are camping together for security as they await," refugee agency spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said in a statement.
She said most of those people will be evacuated in the next two days.
Another 110,000 people inside Libya have been affected by the crisis, the International Committee of the Red Cross said Friday. It sounded an appeal for $26 million to help both those inside the country and the thousands who have poured into Tunisia.
The agency said it will use the money for food, water, medical care, sanitation and hygiene items.
Meanwhile, a doctor on the northwestern town of Misrata said it was attacked by forces loyal to the long-term ruler. The assailants fired at doctors and ambulances, the doctor said.
"We are are holding our city, we are trying to protect our city," the doctor told CNN's "AC360" early Friday.
"We are doing our job in the hospital and trying to treat everybody. This morning, they shot at our ambulances. One of them exploded ... they shot at our doctors."
At least 40 people were killed in the city and 300 suffered gunshot wounds to the head and chest, the doctor said.
While CNN has staff in some cities, the network cannot independently confirm reports for many areas in Libya. CNN has gathered information through telephone interviews with witnesses.
Musa Ibrahim, a spokesman for Gadhafi's regime, has denied reports of attacks on peaceful protesters and military installations.
As the attacks have escalated in the past few days, U.S. military aircraft and French charter jets scrambled to evacuate tens of thousands from the north African nation.
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In Washington, President Barack Obama said he has approved the use of U.S. military aircraft to help Egyptians who have fled the unrest to return home. He said he authorized the U.S. Agency for International Development to charter additional planes.
Most of the evacuees ended up in neighboring Egypt and Tunisia.
"Tens of thousands of people from many different countries are fleeing Libya, and we commend the governments of Tunisia and Egypt for their response, even as they go through their own political transitions," Obama said.
Gadhafi's use of aerial attacks have prompted the West to step up discussions about imposing a no-fly zone over the country.
U.S. military and diplomatic officials have said enacting a no-fly zone would be complicated and risky, and international support is not strong.
"If it's ordered, we can do it," Defense Secretary Robert Gates said, but imposing a no-fly zone "begins with an attack on Libya to destroy the air defenses."
The United States is exploring a "full range" of options, Obama said Thursday.
Analysts said the Iraq war has prompted nations to be more cautious.
"We went into Iraq with a very dubious understanding of the situation on the ground," Christopher Hill, a former U.S. ambassador to Iraq, told "AC 360." "So I think there is some concern about whether refugee reports are entirely accurate in a sort of macro sense."
"I think what the president is trying to do, is to try to build diplomatic support and see where we can go with this. And I think it would be highly problematic if he just jumped into something."
The Arab League has rejected foreign intervention, saying Libya is facing "an internal affair that is decided by the people and their governments."
But the league cannot ignore the suffering of civilians and would consider the imposition of a no-fly zone in coordination with the African Union if fighting were to continue, said Hisham Yousef, chief of staff of the Arab League.
The protests have left more than 1,000 people dead and many more injured, according to the United Nations. Libya's ambassador to the United States has estimated that the death toll was about 2,000.
The International Criminal Court Thursday said Gadhafi and some of his sons and advisers are under investigation for alleged crimes against humanity.
Venezuela's president has said Gadhafi is receptive to the idea of an international commission coming to the country when the two heads of state spoke this week.
"I consulted with him. I asked him if he was willing to accept a commission of countries," Hugo Chavez said on state-run VTV Thursday night.
Source : http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/03/04/libya.conflict/index.html?iref=NS1
