The Arab League asked the UN Security Council today to impose a no-fly zone over Libya to protect civilians from air attack by forces of Muammar Gaddafi's embattled government, giving crucial backing to a key demand of the rebel forces battling to oust the Libyan leader.

MUAMMAR GADDAFI’S forces battled rebels on several fronts in a worsening of Libya’s crisis and unrest erupted in the capital when gunmen fired to break up crowds shouting “Gaddafi is the enemy of God.”