Libyan Colonel Muammar Gaddafi continues to unleash a wave of violence as he struggles to wipe out a growing uprising against his rule. Reports continue to emerge of scores of human rights abuses by pro-Gaddafi forces. A number of people were reportedly killed today when Libyan forces attacked a mosque in the town of Az Zawiyah. The overall death toll remains unknown, but Italy’s Foreign Minister reports more than 1,000 people may have died so far. According to eyewitness accounts, Tripoli’s airport has been overrun with Libyans desperately trying to flee their country. Most of eastern Libya is now under opposition control. In western Libya, anti-government protesters have taken control of Misurata, Libya’s third-largest city about 130 miles from the capital city of Tripoli. In the eastern town of Tobruk, residents celebrated after taking control.

Protester: “These people just want their freedom. These people just want to live a normal life. We just want water. We just want electricity. We just want to live a normal life. We want to go to school. We want to have normal lives, as everyone else is living in the whole world. My brothers are being killed in other cities. My sisters are being killed. Massacres are happening. People are dying. People are dying. Just please help us. We’re not even asking for animal rights; we’re asking for human rights here. Please help us. Please help us.”