Eyewitness: Misrata's shell-shock victims who are literally paralysed by fear

The siege of the Libyan city of Misrata has left many of its residents suffering deep psychological trauma, doctors and residents told The Scotsman yesterday.

Even as the fighting moves to the outskirts of the city, for many residents efforts to resume daily life are thwarted by the memories of what they have seen.

For three months, the battle raged in and around civilian homes as artillery shells, rockets, and cluster bombs were fired into the city by Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi's troops, leaving no safe haven.

One physiotherapy and psychotherapy clinic in Misrata is treating two cases of patients who have actually been paralysed with fear.

Eleven-year-old Lotfi Jaaebi was asleep in his bedroom when a mortar round exploded on his home. Physically he was unharmed and brain scans at the clinic revealed no damage, but he was unable to move. "Doctors diagnosed it as trauma," said his father. "He is learning to walk again."

The recovery process is slower for Aisha Suleiman, 26, who was also paralysed. Just two months before Aisha was in the middle of a healthy pregnancy. Only now is she slowly recovering some movement.

Aisha and Lotfi's cases are extreme, but doctors say there are dozens, particularly women, suffering psychological damage. In Libya's conservative society, many are too frightened of stigma to come forward.

"We have only heard about 10 per cent of what really happened," said Dr Amal Salah who works with women patients in the clinic.