NATO Upgrades Libyan Rebel Contact Reliant on Cell Phones, Skype

Handheld radios from the U.S. and trainers from the U.K. may fill a sometimes lethal communications gap that had Libya’s rebels and their foreign allies relying on cell phones, Skype and an American military attaché evacuated to Germany.

The flaw of the patchwork approach became fatally evident within days after the North Atlantic Treaty Organization took command of the U.S.-led air war. The coalition confirmed on April 8 that its airstrikes the previous day had mistakenly hit tanks commandeered by rebels, who until then had only used pickup trucks. The Associated Press said at least five were killed and 20 injured.