Air Strikes Break Gadhafi’s Siege on Misrata

Rebels have regained control of the key western town after 12 hours of U.S.-led air assaults.

There is relief in Misrata today as the town appears to have been saved from what could have been a massacre. Forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi spent the last nine days terrorizing the city, bombarding it with random shelling and picking off civilians with sniper fire. Nearly 100 people were killed and 1,100 injured. U.S-led bombing runs that began Wednesday night finally broke the siege Thursday, destroying many of Gadhafi’s armoured vehicles and forcing the Libyan military into retreat. Meanwhile, in the eastern part of the country, air strikes have not been able to dislodge Gadhafi forces surrounding the city of Ajdabiya, where intense fighting has continued for three days.