korean-made rockets, 30, 40-years-old. these are rocket launchers seized from gadhafi troops, now rebel hands. they are running low on rockets. but they have a supply. we saw them loading up today. the fight continues. no word on casualties today on the frontlines near us here in misrata. from what we are understanding it is still rough out there. rick: and the conflict drags on. rick leventhal, thanks very much. deadly violence spiralling out of control in syria as well. look at those crowds. reports of hundreds of people fleeing across the border to nearby lebanon. as there is a government crackdown. reporter: the conflict in syria continues and so do the number of dead. you might not be able to delta reading the syrian state
stop it. we begin in libya where nato air strikes are targeting gadhafi forces overnight in the libyan city of sirte. reuters is reporting nine deaths in the nato bombing and also developing overnight, the u.s. joint chiefs chairman admiral mike mullen says coalition air strikes have damaged 30 to 40% of gadhafi s main ground forces. despite that, mullen says that the battle in libya appears to be headed for a stalemate. meantime senator john mccain in the rebel stronghold of benghazi this morning. mccain arrived there overnight to meet leaders of the libyan opposition. the arizona senator has been a strong supporter of using military force to remove moammar gadhafi from power. libyan rebels are getting help from the u.s. in the form of armed predator drones. the unmand planes have been used in afghanistan and pakistan. defense chief robert gates was asked about the president approving their use against gadhafi troops in libya. here s what he said.
strikes in highly populated areas, they may kill more civilians. that is not the case. where gadhafi troops are, nobody dares to come near. if they come near, they will be killed. nobody comes near gadhafi troops. who would go near gadhafi troops, those murderous, mad troops of the tyrant? nobody goes near them. that s not an excuse. that is not an excuse. who is going near gadhafi troops? you hear reports of killing people and raping women. these are just excuses, excuses, excuses. nato should come clean and tell us what is going on, honestly. before the massacre wa that was averted in benghazi will happen in misrata in a matter of days. in a matter of days.
at the moment, neither side seems to have definitive control of the city. this is a city with 150,000 residents and many have fled in the last few days because they have been concerned about what is going on today, a fierce battle for control of the town. it s an important strategic town for the rebels because it s the last stop before you hit the capital. nato, after a week of singing criticism for lack of air strikes according to the rebels on the ground, they picked up their strikes in western libya. it has been surrounded by gadhafi troops for weeks, and now nato says they are taking on his tanks. but here, we have heard planes, but not have seen strikes, and it s difficult because gadhafi loyalists have been using pickup trucks that tend in with the rebels. and is it verifybly a
eman al obeidy, last seen saturday screaming she had been gang raped by gadhafi troops. what the libyan government is saying about where she is now and what her family is saying. and you ll hear from reporter jonathan miller. he s on the left in that video in the blue shirt trying to help her before she was driven away. he got punched in the face. later, a 360 exclusive with the four new york times journalists who were held captive by gadhafi s troops for nearly a week. the only woman told the tale about being punched and repeatedly groped and told me about one moment when one of the troops started stroking her hair. i sort of tried to put my head down and he picked it up and kept caressing me in this weird sort of tender way. and he was saying this phrase over and over and i said to anthony, i said, what is he saying? and anthony said, he s telling you that you re going to die