The faltering government of the Libyan strongman Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi struck back at mounting protests against his 40-year rule, as security forces and militiamen backed by helicopters and warplanes besieged parts of the capital Monday, according to witnesses and news reports from Tripoli.
By Monday night, witnesses said, the streets of the capital, Tripoli, were thick with special forces loyal to Colonel Qaddafi as well as mercenaries. They shot freely as planes dropped what witnesses described as “small bombs” and helicopters fired on protesters, making further demonstrations against the government impossible for the moment.
Hundreds of Qaddafi supporters took over Green Square after truck loads of militiamen arrived and opened fire on protesters, scattering them from the square. Residents said they now feared even to emerge from their houses.
We’ve been having a special prayer focus on Libya at Lent & Beyond since last week.
You can read the entries here:
http://anglicanprayer.wordpress.com/?s=Libya
Prayers for the people of Libya.
It would also be good to pray for the Anglican Church in Zimbabwe:
see this and this
And slightly off-topic, for the people of Christchurch NZ as well, where an earthquake has killed at least 65 and massively damaged the Anglican Cathedral, and other historic buildings near it such as Christ College, and caused much other damage.
Yes, absolutely. Prayers for New Zealand, for the rescuers and emergency services, and for those affected by the earthquake and for the rescue of those still perhaps trapped and their relatives.