Reports noted that NATO widened its campaign to weaken Muammar Gaddafi's regime with air strikes on desert command centres and sea patrols to intercept ships, amid signs of growing public anger over fuel shortages in government-held territory. Earlier, in the coastal town of Zawiya, crowds apparently outraged by declining fuel supplies attacked a minibus carrying journalists on a state-supervised trip to Tunisian border.1 At the same time, NATO came under increasing criticism that it is overstepping the UN Security Council's mandate, which provides for the protection of civilians but not for wider attacks.

The Deputy Commander of the NATO mission in Libya, Rear Admiral Russell Harding said that in its bid to increase pressure with the purpose of weakening the Libyan regime of Muammar Al Qathafi, NATO fighter jets attacked and sank eight warships belonging to the Libyan forces loyal to the Libyan leader. At the same time, NATO continued its air strikes against the Libyan government troops with a coordinated strike against Al Qathafi's forces in the ports of Tripoli, Al Khums and Sirte, NATO said in a statement.2

In another development, European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has pledged support for Libya's rebels. She is the highest-ranking foreign diplomat to visit the Libyan rebels’ stronghold Benghazi since the start of the revolt against Muammar Al Qathafi. Ashton also opened an EU diplomatic mission in Benghazi. Further, Ashton met Mustafa Abdel Jalil, the chairman of the opposition National Transitional Council (NTC), who said that her visit "showed the increased support of the European Union in supporting us to have a democratic and free state".3 During the meeting with the National Transitional Council, Ashton discussed support for health, education, civil society, border management and security reform.

In other developments, the African Union announced that members of the African Union will meet next week at an extraordinary two-day summit meeting in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa to discuss the Libyan conflict. The AU said that the proposed meeting would be devoted to the consideration of peace and security in Africa in light of the challenges and crises facing the continent," the AU said in a statement announcing the meeting.4

• 1. “NATO widens Libya pressure amid questions on goal”, The Jordan Times, May 22, 2011, available at http://jordantimes.com/?news=37699
• 2. “NATO Strikes Destroy Eight Libyan Warships”, The Tripoli Post, May 20, 2011, available at http://www.tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=1&i=6028
• 3. “High EU Official Opens Mission in Benghazi and Expresses Support for NTC”, The Tripoli Post, May 23, 2011, available at http://www.tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=1&i=6044
• 4. “African Union to Hold Two-Day Special Summit on Libya”, The Tripoli Post, May 21, 2011, available at http://www.tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=1&i=6036