THE AUSTRALIAN: MUAMMAR Gaddafi has declared Libyans were "laughing at the little rockets" being fired by the multinational coalition as at least 40 people, including children, were killed yesterday when his forces shelled the city of Misratah.
"We are laughing at your rockets," a defiant Gaddafi said from the balcony of his compound in the capital, Tripoli. "They are like fireworks, little rockets. We will be victorious in the end."
He said the US-led air attacks were carried out "by a bunch of fascists who will end up in the dustbin of history".
The Gaddafi speech - the first since the Western bombing of Libyan military targets began - came as US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron said "substantial progress" had been made in imposing a no-fly zone.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said "people close to him" might be trying to find an exit strategy for Gaddafi.
Mrs Clinton said there were suggestions one of Gaddafi's sons may have been killed, but these reports were not substantiated.
As international forces engaged in their fourth consecutive night of bombing Libya, explosions and anti-aircraft fire were heard in Tripoli.
The worst fighting was in the coastal town of Misratah, where Gaddafi forces, including snipers, surrounded the rebels with tanks and shelled for much of the day. More than 40 civilians and rebel fighters were reported killed and 130 injured.
A doctor there said tanks had opened fire on a peaceful demonstration on Monday, Libyan time.
He told Associated Press: "The number of dead are too many for our hospital to handle." » | John Lyons, Middle East correspondent | The Australian | Thursday, March 24, 2011
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