Introduction
The heavy and sustained use of explosive weapons in populated areas of Libya continues to cause severe suffering to civilians. Widespread concern has been voiced over the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, exemplified by the international media attention focused on the use of cluster munitions in the Libyan city of Misrata, as reported by Human Rights Watch and the New York Times on 15 April. Misrata has been under siege over the last eight weeks and the use of cluster munitions, prohibited by the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, is the latest development in a broader pattern of explosive weapon use by government and rebel forces. The increasing use of Grad rocket systems, which cover wide areas with deadly explosive force, is also causing indiscriminate harm and is another alarming example of the bombardment of populated areas occurring in Libya.