Mideast Uprisings

Gaddafi Attacks Civilians

As battle rages in Misrata.

Allied forces have almost entirely neutralized Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s air force, but battles on the ground continue to rage, with the latest fighting centering on Misrata, the nation’s third-largest city. In fighting there, Gaddafi’s forces have been attacking civilians, a U.S. admiral said. In the rebel stronghold, pro-Gaddafi snipers and artillery killed at least 40 people and wounded 189 more, said a rebel spokesman. While allied disagreements about how to proceed continue, the U.S. is pressing for a quick handover of control in the face of tepid public support and criticism at home and abroad. Although the Arab League has waffled on its stance on the no-fly zone, Qatar will have planes in the air by this weekend, Admiral Samuel Locklear said—although the UAE says it’s pulling its cooperation after disputes with the West over its intervention in Bahrain.