A Libyan citizen media outlet on the video-sharing site YouTube is publishing daily audio and video reports on the situation in Misrata.
Since 26 February, the Freedom Group channel, affiliated with Wefaq Libya, has been putting out insightful information and descriptions of the battles being waged in Libya's third-largest city. Wefaq Libya, which takes part in the production of daily reports, is a new Misrata-based youth movement with apparent connections in the UK.
The daily audio and video reports provide an overview of the fighting and humanitarian situation. At other times, some exclusive video footage is published in separate clips, often without commentary.
In February and early March, the group's videos resembled other clips uploaded by ordinary Libyans, showing unedited footage of the injured, brief interrogation of elements affiliated with Al-Qadhafi and demonstrations. By late March, the clips started to take the form of daily video or audio reports, prepared by one- or two-man crews.
The reports are usually two-to-four minutes long, with some audio dispatches or interviews up to ten minutes duration. The descriptions and accounts given in these videos appear to be accurate.
So clips show snipers on top of identifiable buildings, such as Al-Sha'b Hall, damage caused to Misrata's Tripoli Street and other public buildings, such as the city's Al-Fatih university, the airport and the power plant. Other videos show interviews with Red Crescent workers, doctors from Misrata and footage of the ordnance reportedly used by Al-Qadhafi's forces and NATO.
From late March, the reports began to include audio accounts by a man identified as Marwan al-Misrati over a still picture of Wefaq Libya's logo.
"Today four snipers positioned on Al-Sha'b Hall were killed," he said in one dispatch on 27 March.
The updates are often thorough, with detailed descriptions of the fighting; naming neighbourhoods, streets and buildings. The language is eloquent and flowing Arabic, suggesting some journalistic background.
"As for the revolutionaries in eastern Misrata, they are based on the heavy freight road after evicting Al-Qadhafi's forces," another dispatch said. The reports also talk about the humanitarian situation, particularly the supply of water and electricity.
The footage is often shaky, but the quality is higher than that of a smart-phone camera. The edited videos show the name and date of the clip in the corner. In some, showing snipers, red-circle and zoom-in effects are employed (below).
No pictures of those producing the reports are available, and it is not clear whether Marwan al-Misrati's source of information is the rebels or whether he is a rebel himself. In one video, the camera appears very close to the rebels as they are shelling enemy targets. In another, the cameraman appears to be carrying a gun himself.
No information on the location of the Freedom Group is available. However, it seems that it registered the YouTube channel which carries content for Wefaq Libya. The Freedom Group adopts the slogan: "Reporting from Misrata, Libya, so the world may know the truth." It can be followed either on YouTube or Twitter.
On its Facebook page, Wefaq Libya describes itself as "a Misrata-based youth group that was formed under the aegis of 17 February youth movement". Among the group's aims is cooperation with the Interim Transitional National Council (ITNC) to defend the rebellion. The group appears to have connections to the UK. Its Facebook page gives a telephone number with the UK country code.
Abdallah Alsalmi is Middle East Media Analyst at BBC Monitoring.
