U.S.: Libya forces attack civilians in third largest city of Misrata

The on-scene commander of the international coalition for Libya is confirming that civilians are under attack by government forces in Misrata, the North Africa nation's third largest city.

United States Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear told Pentagon reporters Tuesday that the coalition is considering all options in light of the attacks, but he did not elaborate.

	Libyan people stand on top a U.S. F-15 fighter jet after it crashed in the village of Bu Mariem, in eastern Libya on March 22, 2011.
	Photo by: AP

Misrata is one of the cities that U.S. President Barack Obama has demanded from Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi retreat his forces from.

Earlier, Western warplanes attacked a military aircraft belonging to Muammar Gadhafi's armed forces that was flying towards the rebel-held city of Benghazi, Al Jazeera reported, quoting its correspondent.

Gadhafi forces attacked two west Libyan towns, killing dozens while rebels were pinned down in the east and NATO tried to resolve a heated row over who should lead the Western air campaign.

The United States Defense Secretary said that the U.S. still intends to pass command of Libyan military operations to allies within the next few days.

Divisions in Europe have fueled speculation that Washington will be forced to retain leadership of air patrols to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya, even once an initial U.S.-led bombardment against air defenses is complete.

"I don't want to get out in front of the diplomacy that's been going on but I still think that a transfer within a few days is likely," U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters during a visit to Russia.

In the first apparent air force casualty of the campaign, a U.S. F-15E crashed in Libya overnight and its two crew members were rescued, the U.S. military said. The crash was likely caused by mechanical failure and not hostile fire, it said.

Explosions and anti-aircraft rounds rattled Tripoli for a third time overnight, and Libyan state television said several sites in the capital had come under attacks by what it called the "crusader enemy".

Al Jazeera news network said Gadhafi forces were trying to seize the western rebel-held town of Zintan near the Tunisian border in an attack using heavy weapons. Residents had already fled the town center to seek shelter in mountain caves.

Security analysts say it is unclear what will happen if the Libyan leader digs in, especially since Western powers have made clear they would be unwilling to see Libya partitioned between a rebel-held east and Gadhafi-controlled west.

Rebels in east Libya were positioned just outside Ajdabiyah on Tuesday, making no further advance on the strategic town despite a third night of Western air strikes on the north African oil-producing state.

When asked why rebel units had not advanced towards their objective, which is the eventual taking of Tripoli, Ahmed al-Aroufi, a rebel fighter at the frontline, told Reuters: "Gadhafi has tanks and trucks with missiles."

Commenting on the air campaign to protect civilians in this uprising against Gadhafi's 41-year rule, Aroufi said: "We don't depend on anyone but God, not France or America. We started this revolution without them through the sweat of our own brow, and that is how we will finish it."

Washington, wary of being drawn into another war after long campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, has ruled out specific action to overthrow Gadhafi, though France said on Monday it hoped the Libyan government would collapse from within.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said the intention was to transfer command to NATO, but France said Arab countries did not want the U.S.-led alliance in charge of the operation.

NATO officials resumed talks in Brussels on Tuesday after failing to reach agreement at fractious talks on Monday.

Some allies were now questioning whether a no-fly zone was necessary, given the damage already done by air strikes to Gadhafi's military capabilities, a NATO diplomat said, adding: "Yesterday's meeting became a little bit emotional."

Underlining the differences in the anti-Gadhafi coalition, Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said if agreement was not reached on a NATO command, Italy would resume control of the seven airbases it has made available to allied air forces.

A NATO role would require political support from all the 28 states. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, whose country is a NATO member, said on Tuesday that the United Nations should be the umbrella for a solely humanitarian operation in Libya.

In a speech in parliament, Erdogan said: "Turkey will never ever be a side pointing weapons at the Libyan people."

U.S. President Barack Obama spoke with Erdogan and they affirmed their full support for the UN resolution "and agreed that this will require a broad-based international effort, including Arab states," the White House said on Tuesday.