REUTERS: Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi faced the biggest challenge of his rule on Saturday amid reports that dozens of people have been killed as an offer by Bahrain's king of national dialogue to end the crisis there was rebuffed by the opposition.Violence has spread from Tunisia and Egypt to Bahrain, Libya, Yemen and Djibouti, presenting the United States with the dilemma of maintaining stability in the oil-rich region while upholding the right to demonstrate for democratic change.
Protests in Libya's second city of Benghazi on Friday against Gaddafi's four decades in power were unprecedented with Amnesty International saying 46 people had been killed in a three-day crackdown.
Funerals of dead protesters could act as further flashpoints for demonstrators emboldened by uprisings in neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt that toppled long-ruling presidents.
"Special forces who have a very strong allegiance to Gaddafi are still fighting desperately to gain to control, to gain ground and the people are fighting them street by street," said a resident of Benghazi identified as Mohammed by the BBC. >>> Cynthia Johnston and Frederik Richter, Manama | Saturday, February 19, 2011
