Even as the Libyan rebels battle for control of the remaining Gadhafi-loyalist strongholds, the U.S. and NATO allies are engaged in swift and serious programs aimed at destroying the regimes' weapons before they get into the hands of arms dealers or terrorists.
Stealthy Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Tripoli since the government of Moammar Gadhafi was overthrown, revealed today the deep concern the Obama administration has for loose arms, including shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missiles and chemical weapons.
"We will stay focused on security: I am pleased to announce that we are going to put even more money into helping Libya secure and destroy dangerous stockpiles of weapons," Clinton said.
"And the Administration, working with Congress, is going to provide $40 million to support this effort. We will also work with Libya to destroy chemical weapons stocks, she added.
Moammar Gadhafi had about 20,000 shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missiles before NATO warplanes and missiles starting taking them out, according to U.S. intelligence estimates. The U.S. wants to corral the shoulder-launched missiles that were not destroyed in the revolution or captured by the anti-Gadhafi forces.
Eventually, the U.S. and NATO will want the TNC to account for weapons on both sides of the revolution.
The U.S. already has invested about $6 million, putting arms-disposal experts on the ground in Libya to track and round up conventional weapons, and funding to two European mine-clearing operations.
The U.S. will oversee the decommissioning and safe storage of weapons in "a months-long effort," Assistant Secretary of State for political-military affairs Andrew Shapiro announced late last month.
"We’re going to continue until the new government of Libya is able to manage the stockpiles on their own," Shapiro said.
On the political front, Clinton, who met with Transitional National Council Chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil, provisional Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril and provisional Finance and Oil Minister Ali Tarhouni, called for clean elections within eight months.
"There are many people who say they support elections, but only if they get elected. They want one election, one time, and then if they are elected no more elections," Clinton told reporters, during a visit that had remained a secret until she arrived in Tripoli.
"So these are all the kinds of challenges that Libyans will face in putting together their democracy. But people must renounce violence, they must give up arms, they must be committed to a democracy that respects the rights of all," Clinton emphasized.
Showing posts with label Tripoli. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tripoli. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Amid Fighting, Western Nations Move to Open Embassies in Tripoli
The U.S., Britain, France and Canada are all moving forward with plans to re-open embassies in the Libyan capital of Tripoli as the Transitional National Council moves from its provisional home in Benghazi.
As the armies of the TNC and NATO mop up resistance in the holdout cities still loyal to the hiding Moammar Gadhafi, Western allies are assessing the damage and security at their existing embassies.
"Having fully assessed the situation on the ground, Canada is prepared to re-establish its diplomatic presence and its ongoing embassy in a temporary location in Tripoli," he said. The permanent embassy building needs refurbishing following the fighting in Tripoli, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said today.
Canada's ambassador to Libya, Sandra McCardell, and a small staff performed the assessment of conditions in at their mission in Tripoli. Canada also announced it would release $2 billion in frozen Gadhafi assets to the TNC.
In a bizarre twist led by the right-wing media, the some in the mainstream U.S. press has tried to make a case that four military personnel who are part of an American diplomatic team in Tripoli represent "boots on the ground" in an effort to embarrass President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Instead, the Obama-bashers are demonstrating their partisanship and ignorance, since an embassy is considered the sovereign ground of the nation that owns it, and almost every embassy has a small security force on hand to protect the facility.
It almost goes without saying that the four military personnel will not be fighting the Gadhafi forces, given their responsibility to protect the U.S. diplomats. The Obama administration promised no U.SD./ troops would be on the ground as part of the NATO operations.
"When the President made his commitment no boots on the ground, that obviously had to do with entering into the fray between the Gaddafi forces and the Libyan freedom fighters and that's not what these guys are engaged in," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland, adding an American embassy should be up and running in a matter of weeks.
The French and British were the first Western nations to return to Tripoli, with their diplomatic officials on the ground at the end of August.
In another sign that parts of Libya is slowly moving towards normalcy, Turkish Airlines has resumed service to Benghazi, and Jordan's airline, Royal Jordanian, will re-start its flight to Benghazi Thursday.
The hunt for Gadhafi, meanwhile, continues amid fighting in a few hot spots around the country. Gadhafi's son Saadi, who fled to Niger over the weekend, is being held under house arrest at a government site.
"Our understanding is, like the others, he's being detained in a state guest house and that it is appropriate that Niger and the TNC work through this together," Nuland said. "It's essentially a house arrest in this government facility, is our understanding."
Gadhafi loyalists are putting up a good fight in Bani Walid, 90 miles southeast of Tripoli. TNC fighters have not been able to take the Gadhafi stronhold, despite a two-front attack on that city of 50,000 people.
NATO warplanes softened up targets in at least two other Gadhafi strongholds overnight ahead of anticipated attacks by revolutionary forces. NATO pounded a radar, surface-to-air missile systems and vehicles near Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte. The alliance also said it pounded tanks and two armored trucks in Sabha.
(Editor's note: Moving forward the armies formerly known as "rebel forces" will be described in this blog as the provisional, revolutionary or TNC army.)
As the armies of the TNC and NATO mop up resistance in the holdout cities still loyal to the hiding Moammar Gadhafi, Western allies are assessing the damage and security at their existing embassies.
"Having fully assessed the situation on the ground, Canada is prepared to re-establish its diplomatic presence and its ongoing embassy in a temporary location in Tripoli," he said. The permanent embassy building needs refurbishing following the fighting in Tripoli, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said today.
Canada's ambassador to Libya, Sandra McCardell, and a small staff performed the assessment of conditions in at their mission in Tripoli. Canada also announced it would release $2 billion in frozen Gadhafi assets to the TNC.
In a bizarre twist led by the right-wing media, the some in the mainstream U.S. press has tried to make a case that four military personnel who are part of an American diplomatic team in Tripoli represent "boots on the ground" in an effort to embarrass President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Instead, the Obama-bashers are demonstrating their partisanship and ignorance, since an embassy is considered the sovereign ground of the nation that owns it, and almost every embassy has a small security force on hand to protect the facility.
It almost goes without saying that the four military personnel will not be fighting the Gadhafi forces, given their responsibility to protect the U.S. diplomats. The Obama administration promised no U.SD./ troops would be on the ground as part of the NATO operations.
"When the President made his commitment no boots on the ground, that obviously had to do with entering into the fray between the Gaddafi forces and the Libyan freedom fighters and that's not what these guys are engaged in," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland, adding an American embassy should be up and running in a matter of weeks.
The French and British were the first Western nations to return to Tripoli, with their diplomatic officials on the ground at the end of August.
In another sign that parts of Libya is slowly moving towards normalcy, Turkish Airlines has resumed service to Benghazi, and Jordan's airline, Royal Jordanian, will re-start its flight to Benghazi Thursday.
The hunt for Gadhafi, meanwhile, continues amid fighting in a few hot spots around the country. Gadhafi's son Saadi, who fled to Niger over the weekend, is being held under house arrest at a government site.
"Our understanding is, like the others, he's being detained in a state guest house and that it is appropriate that Niger and the TNC work through this together," Nuland said. "It's essentially a house arrest in this government facility, is our understanding."
Gadhafi loyalists are putting up a good fight in Bani Walid, 90 miles southeast of Tripoli. TNC fighters have not been able to take the Gadhafi stronhold, despite a two-front attack on that city of 50,000 people.
NATO warplanes softened up targets in at least two other Gadhafi strongholds overnight ahead of anticipated attacks by revolutionary forces. NATO pounded a radar, surface-to-air missile systems and vehicles near Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte. The alliance also said it pounded tanks and two armored trucks in Sabha.
(Editor's note: Moving forward the armies formerly known as "rebel forces" will be described in this blog as the provisional, revolutionary or TNC army.)
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Rebels Give Gadhafi Forces Saturday Deadline; NATO Planes Still Flying
The rebel government is giving Gadhafi loyalists in the dictator's hometown Sirte and other pockets of resistance around the country until Saturday to lay down their weapons, or else they will be taken by force.
Indications are that rebel fighters are already concentrating on the outskirts of Sirte, about 225 miles east of Tripoli, where many Libyans believe Moammar Gadhafi is hiding.
Rebels "have a good idea" where Gadhafi is, according to Ali Abdul Salaam Tarhouni, a Transitional National Council spokesman.
"We don’t have any doubt that we will catch him," Tarhouni said, stopping short of naming Sirte or elsewhere.
Sabha in southwestern Libya, another of the last remaining loyalist strongholds, is another city where some rebels suspect Gadhafi may be hiding.
Sky News quoted a trusted inside source who said he saw Moammar Gadhafi Friday at the Tripoli compound belonging to his son, Khamis, but he and others fled that location later that day.
The TNC issued its ultimatum today, warning Gadhafi forces they have until the end of the three-day Eid al-Fitr holiday to surrender or fight. Eid comes at the conclusion of the Ramadan month of fasting for the Islamic faith.
TNC Chairman Mustafa Abdul Jalil said he hoped negotiations with Gadhafi loyalists would succeed and "avoid more bloodshed and to avoid more destruction and damage."
"It might have to be decided militarily," Jabril admitted. "I hope this will not be the case."
The NATO-Arab coalition signaled NATO airpower will be nearby, flying reconnaissance and combat missions.
NATO spokesman Col. Roland Lavoie confirmed NATO "will remain critically important until the Libyan civilian population is no longer under threat from the former regime."
"As recently as yesterday, our aircraft struck several surface-to-air threats and multiple military vehicles in the area of Sirte, which is considered the last bastion of the Gadhafi regime," Lavoie said today.
The TNC is also calling for neighboring Algeria to hand over members of Gadhafi’s family who fled there this week, including his wife, daughter, two sons and grandchildren. The rebel leaders want to the Gadhafi family to face potential charges in Libya.
The rebels claim 50,000 people have been killed in the Libyan revolution, CNN reported.
Indications are that rebel fighters are already concentrating on the outskirts of Sirte, about 225 miles east of Tripoli, where many Libyans believe Moammar Gadhafi is hiding.
Rebels "have a good idea" where Gadhafi is, according to Ali Abdul Salaam Tarhouni, a Transitional National Council spokesman.
"We don’t have any doubt that we will catch him," Tarhouni said, stopping short of naming Sirte or elsewhere.
Sabha in southwestern Libya, another of the last remaining loyalist strongholds, is another city where some rebels suspect Gadhafi may be hiding.
Sky News quoted a trusted inside source who said he saw Moammar Gadhafi Friday at the Tripoli compound belonging to his son, Khamis, but he and others fled that location later that day.
The TNC issued its ultimatum today, warning Gadhafi forces they have until the end of the three-day Eid al-Fitr holiday to surrender or fight. Eid comes at the conclusion of the Ramadan month of fasting for the Islamic faith.
TNC Chairman Mustafa Abdul Jalil said he hoped negotiations with Gadhafi loyalists would succeed and "avoid more bloodshed and to avoid more destruction and damage."
"It might have to be decided militarily," Jabril admitted. "I hope this will not be the case."
The NATO-Arab coalition signaled NATO airpower will be nearby, flying reconnaissance and combat missions.
NATO spokesman Col. Roland Lavoie confirmed NATO "will remain critically important until the Libyan civilian population is no longer under threat from the former regime."
"As recently as yesterday, our aircraft struck several surface-to-air threats and multiple military vehicles in the area of Sirte, which is considered the last bastion of the Gadhafi regime," Lavoie said today.
The TNC is also calling for neighboring Algeria to hand over members of Gadhafi’s family who fled there this week, including his wife, daughter, two sons and grandchildren. The rebel leaders want to the Gadhafi family to face potential charges in Libya.
The rebels claim 50,000 people have been killed in the Libyan revolution, CNN reported.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
All the Journalists at Rixos Hotel Are Safe and Free
The armed Gadhafi goons who held captive the three dozen journalists in the Rixos Hotel in Tripoli released their hostages today after they finally woke up today to the reality that they were virtually the last regime stronghold in Tripoli.
"It's a great thing to come out of a situation like this... in one piece. There were no injuries, nobody's been killed, and it's just a huge, huge relief that we came through it," said Matthew Chance, CNN's gutsy correspondent at the Rixos.
The multi-national press corps at what had been considered a posh hotel by Tripoli standards were living in the dark, facing occasional sniper fire and an unknown fate. They were short of food and water, existing in a virtual sweatbox without air conditioning in a desert country.
It was a "terrible, horrible situation at the Rixos hotel for the past week or so" and the journalists "have been sleeping in the corridors, wondering if we were going to make it," Chance said on CNN.
The guards were described as angry, young, AK-47-wielding "crazy gunmen" who blamed the international media for the revolution in Libya, at times intimidating and threatening the journalists.
"They're die-hards, there really believed that Gadhafi was coming back, that he was beating the rebels," Chance said.
"As Tripoli fell to the rebels it became more and more obvious that there was nothing really outside oif the hotel that was in Gadhafi's control. The reality slowly dawned on these people until today, just a couple of hours ago," Chance said.
"They essentially just capitulated to the 36 journalists inside the Rixos Hotel. They handed over their weapons. Those weapons were sort of put out of use. They said 'We're going to let you go,'" Chance explained.
Arrangements were made with the International Committee of the Red Cross, who provided cars that pulled the media people out of the Rixos. The 36 journalists hugged, kissed, congratulated each other and shook hands after they were finally free.
The journalists noted that as they drove away that rebel forces were not far away from the hotel, crediting the opposition fighters for not storming the Rixos and potentially engaging in a firefight that may have led to a very different outcome.
"It's a great thing to come out of a situation like this... in one piece. There were no injuries, nobody's been killed, and it's just a huge, huge relief that we came through it," said Matthew Chance, CNN's gutsy correspondent at the Rixos.
The multi-national press corps at what had been considered a posh hotel by Tripoli standards were living in the dark, facing occasional sniper fire and an unknown fate. They were short of food and water, existing in a virtual sweatbox without air conditioning in a desert country.
It was a "terrible, horrible situation at the Rixos hotel for the past week or so" and the journalists "have been sleeping in the corridors, wondering if we were going to make it," Chance said on CNN.
The guards were described as angry, young, AK-47-wielding "crazy gunmen" who blamed the international media for the revolution in Libya, at times intimidating and threatening the journalists.
"They're die-hards, there really believed that Gadhafi was coming back, that he was beating the rebels," Chance said.
"As Tripoli fell to the rebels it became more and more obvious that there was nothing really outside oif the hotel that was in Gadhafi's control. The reality slowly dawned on these people until today, just a couple of hours ago," Chance said.
"They essentially just capitulated to the 36 journalists inside the Rixos Hotel. They handed over their weapons. Those weapons were sort of put out of use. They said 'We're going to let you go,'" Chance explained.
Arrangements were made with the International Committee of the Red Cross, who provided cars that pulled the media people out of the Rixos. The 36 journalists hugged, kissed, congratulated each other and shook hands after they were finally free.
The journalists noted that as they drove away that rebel forces were not far away from the hotel, crediting the opposition fighters for not storming the Rixos and potentially engaging in a firefight that may have led to a very different outcome.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Fierce Urban Warfare Erupts in Tripoli
Updated 3:45 p.m. edt
Libyan rebels breached Moammar Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound today, rifling through his personal property and moving room-to-room, but did not immediately find the despot-in-hiding.
One rebel was seen wearing one of Gadhafi's beany caps as Arab-owned tv was among the first to enter the formerly fortified compound.
A military source said an "elite" group of rebel fighters trained by Western and Qatari special forces the past few months were expected to lead the way into Gadhafi's underground bunker and catacomb-like tunnel system.
"They were trained for this type of operation," the source said.
---[
There are brutal gun battles all over Tripoli today as rebels try to sweep up pockets of fighters loyal to Moammar Gadhafi who refuse to give up.
Smoke has been seen billowing from Moammar Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound and a ferocious firefight is underway at Tripoli's main airport, according to multiple media reports. NATO warplanes also have been heard in the skies over the city.
It remains unknown where Gadhafi is holed up.
There are now checkpoints around the city where rebels are aggressively searching cars of people leaving the city. It is part of an attempt to crackdown on former Gadhafi forces who have stripped off their uniforms in favor of civilian clothing, CNN reported.
Libyan rebels breached Moammar Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound today, rifling through his personal property and moving room-to-room, but did not immediately find the despot-in-hiding.
One rebel was seen wearing one of Gadhafi's beany caps as Arab-owned tv was among the first to enter the formerly fortified compound.
A military source said an "elite" group of rebel fighters trained by Western and Qatari special forces the past few months were expected to lead the way into Gadhafi's underground bunker and catacomb-like tunnel system.
"They were trained for this type of operation," the source said.
---[
There are brutal gun battles all over Tripoli today as rebels try to sweep up pockets of fighters loyal to Moammar Gadhafi who refuse to give up.
Smoke has been seen billowing from Moammar Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound and a ferocious firefight is underway at Tripoli's main airport, according to multiple media reports. NATO warplanes also have been heard in the skies over the city.
It remains unknown where Gadhafi is holed up.
There are now checkpoints around the city where rebels are aggressively searching cars of people leaving the city. It is part of an attempt to crackdown on former Gadhafi forces who have stripped off their uniforms in favor of civilian clothing, CNN reported.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Saif is Safe? Gadhafi's Son is Apparently Not in Rebel Custody
Is it the fog of war, or just a wicked whopper by the loose-tongued Libyan rebels?
Just hours after Mohammed Gadhafi, the eldest son of Moammar Gadhafi, reportedly escaped his rebel-imposed house arrest, his brother Saif al-Islam Gadhafi defiantly showed up at the Rixos Hotel in Tripoli to dispute rebel claims that he too had been captured and was being held at an undisclosed location.
"I am here to refute all the allegations," said Saif Gadhafi, according to a translation provided by Sultan Al Qassemi via @SultanAlQassemi. "My father is fine and he is in Tripoli."
Saif Gadhafi even shrugged off the charges he faces from the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
"Screw the ICC," Saif Gadhafi said.
The images of a clearly free Saif Gadhafi were carried in the past hour by CNN, whose gallant reporter Matthew Chance spoke to the cocky heir-apparent son of the dictator-in-hiding.
"Saif Gadhafi told me that he had been travelling around Tripoli in an armored convoy the whole time," Chance Tweeted via @mchancecnn. "Major PR coup for Gadhafi – if the rebels lied about this – what can we believe?"
The rebels also claim to have captured, Saadi Gaddafi, the Libyan leader's third son, but who knows until he is actually produced for the Western media.
Throughout the Arab Spring it routinely has been state television and Arab-owned media Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya that routinely have provided premature or just outright misinformation, but this time even the Western press bought into the rebel claims.
Meanwhile, Chance and other journalists at the Rixos are essentially under a house arrest themselves by armed guards loyal to the Gadhafi regime.
"All electricity down, running low on food and water. Sitting at #Rixos in the dark as bullets fly outside," Chance Tweeted. "It's no fun being stuck in one of Gadhafi's few remaining strongholds. Rixos gunmen now refusing to let us leave."
Just hours after Mohammed Gadhafi, the eldest son of Moammar Gadhafi, reportedly escaped his rebel-imposed house arrest, his brother Saif al-Islam Gadhafi defiantly showed up at the Rixos Hotel in Tripoli to dispute rebel claims that he too had been captured and was being held at an undisclosed location.
"I am here to refute all the allegations," said Saif Gadhafi, according to a translation provided by Sultan Al Qassemi via @SultanAlQassemi. "My father is fine and he is in Tripoli."
Saif Gadhafi even shrugged off the charges he faces from the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
"Screw the ICC," Saif Gadhafi said.
The images of a clearly free Saif Gadhafi were carried in the past hour by CNN, whose gallant reporter Matthew Chance spoke to the cocky heir-apparent son of the dictator-in-hiding.
"Saif Gadhafi told me that he had been travelling around Tripoli in an armored convoy the whole time," Chance Tweeted via @mchancecnn. "Major PR coup for Gadhafi – if the rebels lied about this – what can we believe?"
The rebels also claim to have captured, Saadi Gaddafi, the Libyan leader's third son, but who knows until he is actually produced for the Western media.
Throughout the Arab Spring it routinely has been state television and Arab-owned media Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya that routinely have provided premature or just outright misinformation, but this time even the Western press bought into the rebel claims.
Meanwhile, Chance and other journalists at the Rixos are essentially under a house arrest themselves by armed guards loyal to the Gadhafi regime.
"All electricity down, running low on food and water. Sitting at #Rixos in the dark as bullets fly outside," Chance Tweeted. "It's no fun being stuck in one of Gadhafi's few remaining strongholds. Rixos gunmen now refusing to let us leave."
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Rebels Take Central Tripoli Amid Scant Defenses From Gadhafi Forces
Updated 10:30 p.m. edt with statement from President Obama
The Libyan rebels liberated a square in downtown Tripoli today with little resistance from Moammar Gadhafi's forces who finally may be abandoning the bloody back and forth revolution of the Arab Spring after six months of fighting.
At least two of Gadhafi's son's, including the loose-tongued Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, have been taken into custody by representatives of the rebel Transitional National Council. They may be turned over to international authorities at The Hague for prosecution.
After half a year of fierce fighting it is almost shocking how Gadhafi forces have disappeared, or are simply refusing to take up arms, just a day after the Tyrant of Tripoli promised rebel invaders street-to-street fighting to the death.
The citizens of Tripoli rising up to join the rebellion overnight should not be underestimated as a key to the speedy fall of the city.
NATO called for a peaceful and immediate transition of power in Libya.
President Obama issued a statement on Martha's Vineyard after he consulted by teleconference with his war council, made up of his top military, civilian and intelligence advisors.
"Tonight, the momentum against the Qadhafi regime has reached a tipping point. Tripoli is slipping from the grasp of a tyrant. The Qadhafi regime is showing signs of collapsing. The people of Libya are showing that the universal pursuit of dignity and freedom is far stronger than the iron fist of a dictator," Obama said.
"Meanwhile, the United States has recognized the Transitional National Council as the legitimate governing authority in Libya. At this pivotal and historic time, the TNC should continue to demonstrate the leadership that is necessary to steer the country through a transition by respecting the rights of the people of Libya, avoiding civilian casualties, protecting the institutions of the Libyan state, and pursuing a transition to democracy that is just and inclusive for all of the people of Libya," Obama added.
The regime claimed to have a 65,000-member force waiting for the rebels, but so far it has not been seen. NATO's eye-in-the sky: mainly U.S. spy satellites and drones, are believed to be keeping a watch for signs of that force.
Gunfire could be heard from small pockets around the city and there was no indication that the rebels had not captured Gadhafi's Bab el-Azizia compound by 9 p.m. Washington time.
It is night in Libya, so NATO and the rebels are waiting to see if daylight brings out the Gadhafi forces. The biggest fear now is of snipers under the cover of darkness.
The rebels moved slowly at first today, capturing key military installations and then finding scant resistance as they pressed on to central Tripoli and occupied what was formerly known as Green Square, renaming it Martyr's Square. It had been a favorite rallying spot for the Gadhafi regime.
There are very strong indications that elite forces from Western nations have lead, plotted and coordinated the rebel attacks. For months sources have said at the very least ex-American, British and French special forces have been among the trainers on the ground.
French-armed forces out of the Nafusa mountains led the invasion of Tripoli, backed by a daring dawn sea assault from fighters out of Misurata dubbed "Operation Mermaid Dawn." Overnight, NATO paved the way with strategic air strikes on military installations and command and communications facilities.
The rebels raised a French flag to apparently say thank you for the arms from Paris.
The Nafusa army includes at least two forces known as the Tripoli Brigades made up of men who fled the city to train and fight Gadhafi forces on a western front that virtually popped up overnight at the end of the spring.
The Nafusa fighters slowly, but steadily rolled towards Tripoli, while Gadhafi forces were focusing on the main rebel army out of the Transitional National Council capital Benghazi, and another force in Misurata,
Along the way the rebels captured tanks and other armor and coordinated with NATO warplanes, holding down friendly fire casualties to a relatively few, given the size and scope of the battlefield.
NATO's strategic strikes overnight, the Nafusa brigade's march on Tripoli and a daring dawn sea landing by Misurata fighters was a potent combination.
Freedom-seeking Libyans began their pro-democracy Arab Spring uprising on Feb. 17, hoping the Gadhafi regime would implode and the army would back their cause, as the armed forces did in the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt.
When Gadhafi ordered his forces to crack down on the peaceful Arab Spring protesters, they decided to fight back. The rebels took up arms, made some quick gains, but on March 19 an armored tank column under orders from Gadhafi was poised outside Benghazi, promising to exterminate the rebels in their stronghold once and for all.
And then that same day, French fighter jets and more than 110 U.S. and British cruise missiles lit it up against Gadhafi, virtually giving the Libyan rebels the most powerful air and sea force on the planet.
The mission, sanctioned by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, was initially under the command of Army Gen. Carter Ham, commander of the U.S. Africa Command
The U.S. Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps did the lion's share of the work, until March 27 when NATO took on the whole military operation in Libya under the command of Lt. Gen. Charlie Bouchard of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Turkey, the lone Muslim member of NATO, ultimately joined the mission.
The U.S. provided ships, drones, AWACS and other support after NATO took over, but American air strikes were still called in when necessary. Britain and France showed its commitment to the campaign when they upped the ante in late May and committed Apache and Gazelle attack helicopters to the campaign.
The Western and Arab coalition did not lose a single man or woman in combat, strongly suggesting the U.S. Africa Command, NATO and Arab coalition members pulled off the mission with random precision. France and Qatar also scored some points by breaking UN rules and arming the rebels.
The Libyan rebels liberated a square in downtown Tripoli today with little resistance from Moammar Gadhafi's forces who finally may be abandoning the bloody back and forth revolution of the Arab Spring after six months of fighting.
At least two of Gadhafi's son's, including the loose-tongued Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, have been taken into custody by representatives of the rebel Transitional National Council. They may be turned over to international authorities at The Hague for prosecution.
After half a year of fierce fighting it is almost shocking how Gadhafi forces have disappeared, or are simply refusing to take up arms, just a day after the Tyrant of Tripoli promised rebel invaders street-to-street fighting to the death.
The citizens of Tripoli rising up to join the rebellion overnight should not be underestimated as a key to the speedy fall of the city.
NATO called for a peaceful and immediate transition of power in Libya.
President Obama issued a statement on Martha's Vineyard after he consulted by teleconference with his war council, made up of his top military, civilian and intelligence advisors.
"Tonight, the momentum against the Qadhafi regime has reached a tipping point. Tripoli is slipping from the grasp of a tyrant. The Qadhafi regime is showing signs of collapsing. The people of Libya are showing that the universal pursuit of dignity and freedom is far stronger than the iron fist of a dictator," Obama said.
"Meanwhile, the United States has recognized the Transitional National Council as the legitimate governing authority in Libya. At this pivotal and historic time, the TNC should continue to demonstrate the leadership that is necessary to steer the country through a transition by respecting the rights of the people of Libya, avoiding civilian casualties, protecting the institutions of the Libyan state, and pursuing a transition to democracy that is just and inclusive for all of the people of Libya," Obama added.
The regime claimed to have a 65,000-member force waiting for the rebels, but so far it has not been seen. NATO's eye-in-the sky: mainly U.S. spy satellites and drones, are believed to be keeping a watch for signs of that force.
Gunfire could be heard from small pockets around the city and there was no indication that the rebels had not captured Gadhafi's Bab el-Azizia compound by 9 p.m. Washington time.
It is night in Libya, so NATO and the rebels are waiting to see if daylight brings out the Gadhafi forces. The biggest fear now is of snipers under the cover of darkness.
The rebels moved slowly at first today, capturing key military installations and then finding scant resistance as they pressed on to central Tripoli and occupied what was formerly known as Green Square, renaming it Martyr's Square. It had been a favorite rallying spot for the Gadhafi regime.
There are very strong indications that elite forces from Western nations have lead, plotted and coordinated the rebel attacks. For months sources have said at the very least ex-American, British and French special forces have been among the trainers on the ground.
French-armed forces out of the Nafusa mountains led the invasion of Tripoli, backed by a daring dawn sea assault from fighters out of Misurata dubbed "Operation Mermaid Dawn." Overnight, NATO paved the way with strategic air strikes on military installations and command and communications facilities.
The rebels raised a French flag to apparently say thank you for the arms from Paris.
The Nafusa army includes at least two forces known as the Tripoli Brigades made up of men who fled the city to train and fight Gadhafi forces on a western front that virtually popped up overnight at the end of the spring.
The Nafusa fighters slowly, but steadily rolled towards Tripoli, while Gadhafi forces were focusing on the main rebel army out of the Transitional National Council capital Benghazi, and another force in Misurata,
Along the way the rebels captured tanks and other armor and coordinated with NATO warplanes, holding down friendly fire casualties to a relatively few, given the size and scope of the battlefield.
NATO's strategic strikes overnight, the Nafusa brigade's march on Tripoli and a daring dawn sea landing by Misurata fighters was a potent combination.
Freedom-seeking Libyans began their pro-democracy Arab Spring uprising on Feb. 17, hoping the Gadhafi regime would implode and the army would back their cause, as the armed forces did in the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt.
When Gadhafi ordered his forces to crack down on the peaceful Arab Spring protesters, they decided to fight back. The rebels took up arms, made some quick gains, but on March 19 an armored tank column under orders from Gadhafi was poised outside Benghazi, promising to exterminate the rebels in their stronghold once and for all.
And then that same day, French fighter jets and more than 110 U.S. and British cruise missiles lit it up against Gadhafi, virtually giving the Libyan rebels the most powerful air and sea force on the planet.
The mission, sanctioned by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, was initially under the command of Army Gen. Carter Ham, commander of the U.S. Africa Command
The U.S. Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps did the lion's share of the work, until March 27 when NATO took on the whole military operation in Libya under the command of Lt. Gen. Charlie Bouchard of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Turkey, the lone Muslim member of NATO, ultimately joined the mission.
The U.S. provided ships, drones, AWACS and other support after NATO took over, but American air strikes were still called in when necessary. Britain and France showed its commitment to the campaign when they upped the ante in late May and committed Apache and Gazelle attack helicopters to the campaign.
The Western and Arab coalition did not lose a single man or woman in combat, strongly suggesting the U.S. Africa Command, NATO and Arab coalition members pulled off the mission with random precision. France and Qatar also scored some points by breaking UN rules and arming the rebels.
With NATO's Help, Rebels Take Key Base on Day 2 of Siege of Tripoli
Libyan rebels captured a strategic military base today outside Tripoli after NATO warplanes cleared the way with massive air strikes in what the insurgents said was a coordinated attack on Moammar Gadhafi's forces.
The base was a headquarters for the one-vaunted Khamis Brigade, located 18 miles to the west of downtown Tripoli. according to multiple media reports. The well-armed Khamis Brigade is named for Gadhafi's son, a general who may have been killed in earlier fighting, though the government disputes that claim by rebels.
A rebel celebration, witnessed by Western journalists, erupted after the installation was captured.
"This is the wealth of the Libyan people that he was using against us," Ahmed al-Ajdal, 27, a fighter from Tripoli, told the Associated Press as he loaded up a truck with ammunition. "Now we will use it against him and any other dictator who goes against the Libyan people."
The rebel breakthrough came this week when it captured the key crossroad city of Zawiyah, about 30 miles from downtown Tripoli.
The private military intelligence service STRATFOR made an interesting observation in an intelligence report it distributed this morning, suggesting the advancing rebels are being led by Western elite forces.
"It is unlikely that the rebel forces advancing from Zawiyah are fighting on their own. It will be important to watch for any signs of special operations forces from participating NATO countries quietly leading the offensive and preparing operations to locate and seize Gadhafi," the STRATFOR analysis said.
In a separate unconfirmed mission, the rebels claimed they pulled off a daring sea assault, landing fighters from Misurata near Tripoli to bolster the opposition forces preparing to enter Tripoli.
There were more reports of protests and small arms fire by Tripoli residents rising up against the 42-year rein of the Gadhafi regime. In addition to some high-profile Gadhafi advisers abandoning the regime this week, some of his forces are now indicating they are ready to quit the fight, as well.
Loyalist snipers, however, were believed to be targeting protesters in parts of Tripoli, signaling that many Gadhafi loyalists will fight on in what NATO fears could be bloody street-to-street fighting if the regime does not capitulate.
On his working vacation, President Obama was being kept abreast of the developments by his deputy national security adviser John Brennan.
"This morning, the President was briefed on the situation in Libya by John Brennan, including inputs from our team in Benghazi. The national security team will continue to provide updates to the President on this situation, as necessary," said White House deputy spokesman Josh Earnest.
"The United States continues to communicate closely with our allies, partners, and the TNC. We believe that Gadhafi's days are numbered, and that the Libyan people deserve a just, democratic and peaceful future," added Earnest, who like Brennan, is with Obama on Martha's Vineyard, off the Massachusetts coast.
The base was a headquarters for the one-vaunted Khamis Brigade, located 18 miles to the west of downtown Tripoli. according to multiple media reports. The well-armed Khamis Brigade is named for Gadhafi's son, a general who may have been killed in earlier fighting, though the government disputes that claim by rebels.
A rebel celebration, witnessed by Western journalists, erupted after the installation was captured.
"This is the wealth of the Libyan people that he was using against us," Ahmed al-Ajdal, 27, a fighter from Tripoli, told the Associated Press as he loaded up a truck with ammunition. "Now we will use it against him and any other dictator who goes against the Libyan people."
The rebel breakthrough came this week when it captured the key crossroad city of Zawiyah, about 30 miles from downtown Tripoli.
The private military intelligence service STRATFOR made an interesting observation in an intelligence report it distributed this morning, suggesting the advancing rebels are being led by Western elite forces.
"It is unlikely that the rebel forces advancing from Zawiyah are fighting on their own. It will be important to watch for any signs of special operations forces from participating NATO countries quietly leading the offensive and preparing operations to locate and seize Gadhafi," the STRATFOR analysis said.
In a separate unconfirmed mission, the rebels claimed they pulled off a daring sea assault, landing fighters from Misurata near Tripoli to bolster the opposition forces preparing to enter Tripoli.
There were more reports of protests and small arms fire by Tripoli residents rising up against the 42-year rein of the Gadhafi regime. In addition to some high-profile Gadhafi advisers abandoning the regime this week, some of his forces are now indicating they are ready to quit the fight, as well.
Loyalist snipers, however, were believed to be targeting protesters in parts of Tripoli, signaling that many Gadhafi loyalists will fight on in what NATO fears could be bloody street-to-street fighting if the regime does not capitulate.
On his working vacation, President Obama was being kept abreast of the developments by his deputy national security adviser John Brennan.
"This morning, the President was briefed on the situation in Libya by John Brennan, including inputs from our team in Benghazi. The national security team will continue to provide updates to the President on this situation, as necessary," said White House deputy spokesman Josh Earnest.
"The United States continues to communicate closely with our allies, partners, and the TNC. We believe that Gadhafi's days are numbered, and that the Libyan people deserve a just, democratic and peaceful future," added Earnest, who like Brennan, is with Obama on Martha's Vineyard, off the Massachusetts coast.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
The Battle for Tripoli Begins as Rebels Lay Siege on Gadhafi Stronghold
It's on!
Rebel forces are battling their way into Tripoli today to the cheers and support of Libyans welcoming the freedom fighters determined to capture the capital city and topple Moammar Gadhafi and his regime once and for all.
After six months of fighting that often has favored Gadhafi, rebel brigades closed in on the outskirts of Tripoli, sending notice to residents that the regime is the enemy, not the civilians. Gunfire is reportedly being heard all around the city, most of which is without power this evening.
There were reports that young people in the city are rising up to join the revolution born out of the Arab Spring pro-democracy freedom movement, according to rebel dispatches. Shots have been heard outside Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound.
President Obama is being kept abreast of the developments in the definitive battle to wrest control of Libya from Gadhafi. It is a crucial moment for the President, who inherited the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, but owned the Libyan revolution when he joined France and Britain in launching a daunting air assault against Gadhafi. Not a single American has been killed in the Libyan war.
Rebel victories this week in Zawiya to the west of Tripoli, Zlintan to the east and Gharyan to the south along with NATO warships to the north in the Mediterranean Sea have allowed the powerful alliance to surround Tripoli.
The regime claimed all-is-well in Tripoli in an absurd announcement on government tv that harkened back to the "everything is fine" whoppers told by Saddam Hussein's spokesman, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, better known as Baghdad Bob, as U.S. tanks and humvees rolled into the Iraqi capital May 1, 2003.
"All of Tripoli is safe and stable," Gadhafi spokesman Moussa Ibrahim told state tv.
Libyan rebel political leader, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, told a very different story, however.
"All evidence shows that the end is very near, with God's grace," the chairman of the Transitional National Council told reporters.
Rebel forces are battling their way into Tripoli today to the cheers and support of Libyans welcoming the freedom fighters determined to capture the capital city and topple Moammar Gadhafi and his regime once and for all.
After six months of fighting that often has favored Gadhafi, rebel brigades closed in on the outskirts of Tripoli, sending notice to residents that the regime is the enemy, not the civilians. Gunfire is reportedly being heard all around the city, most of which is without power this evening.
There were reports that young people in the city are rising up to join the revolution born out of the Arab Spring pro-democracy freedom movement, according to rebel dispatches. Shots have been heard outside Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound.
President Obama is being kept abreast of the developments in the definitive battle to wrest control of Libya from Gadhafi. It is a crucial moment for the President, who inherited the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, but owned the Libyan revolution when he joined France and Britain in launching a daunting air assault against Gadhafi. Not a single American has been killed in the Libyan war.
Rebel victories this week in Zawiya to the west of Tripoli, Zlintan to the east and Gharyan to the south along with NATO warships to the north in the Mediterranean Sea have allowed the powerful alliance to surround Tripoli.
The regime claimed all-is-well in Tripoli in an absurd announcement on government tv that harkened back to the "everything is fine" whoppers told by Saddam Hussein's spokesman, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, better known as Baghdad Bob, as U.S. tanks and humvees rolled into the Iraqi capital May 1, 2003.
"All of Tripoli is safe and stable," Gadhafi spokesman Moussa Ibrahim told state tv.
Libyan rebel political leader, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, told a very different story, however.
"All evidence shows that the end is very near, with God's grace," the chairman of the Transitional National Council told reporters.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
France: The End is Near for the Gadhafi Regime
Moammar Gadhafi may be on the brink of stepping down with his regime short of cash, fuel, food and munitions and facing rebels who are only being held back by NATO commanders opposed to a bloody street battle in Tripoli, according to French officials and rebel fighters.
"A political solution ... is beginning to take shape," French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said.
The broader Western and Arab alliance and the Libyan rebels have applied a concerted chokehold on the Gadhafi regime aimed at expediting the desperate dictator's demise and departure.
NATO warplanes have targeted fuel depots in eastern Libya in recent days, while the rebel army in the western Nafusa mountains has cut off one of the last remaining oil pipelines that had been controlled by Gadhafi forces.
Western powers and key Arab states have seized Gadhafi's money and NATO has degraded his weapons and munitions. Only a handful of African states remain allied to Gadhafi, but none are in a position to re-arm the Libyan dictator. South Africa may be willing to take Gadhafi, but there is the matter of his arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
"The Libyan regime sent its messengers all over, to Turkey, to New York, to Paris." said French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe. "We received emissaries who are saying, 'Gadhafi is prepared to leave. Let's discuss it.'"
The United States remained cautious, noting this is not the first time that Gadhafi has been believed to be ready to capitulate.
"We have a lot of folks claiming to be representatives of Gaddafi one way or the other reaching out to lots of other folks in the West," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said. "But the messages are contradictory."
Libyan rebel brigades out of Misurata to the east of Tripoli, as well as the French-armed opposition force in the Nafusa mountains, have complained that NATO refuses to let them march toward Tripoli.
The rebels claim NATO has told them the alliance is against urban warfare in Tripoli because innocent civilians will be hurt -- and that runs contrary to the reason why the U.S., France and Britain led the initial air campaign: To protect innocent Libyans.
In a new development that supports NATO's concerns, Human Rights Watch today is accusing some Libyan rebel forces of looting, arson and the abuse of civilians.
"In four towns captured by rebels in the Nafusa Mountains over the past month, rebel fighters and supporters have damaged property, burned some homes, looted from hospitals, homes, and shops, and beaten some individuals alleged to have supported government forces," Human Rights Watch said.
"A political solution ... is beginning to take shape," French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said.
The broader Western and Arab alliance and the Libyan rebels have applied a concerted chokehold on the Gadhafi regime aimed at expediting the desperate dictator's demise and departure.
NATO warplanes have targeted fuel depots in eastern Libya in recent days, while the rebel army in the western Nafusa mountains has cut off one of the last remaining oil pipelines that had been controlled by Gadhafi forces.
Western powers and key Arab states have seized Gadhafi's money and NATO has degraded his weapons and munitions. Only a handful of African states remain allied to Gadhafi, but none are in a position to re-arm the Libyan dictator. South Africa may be willing to take Gadhafi, but there is the matter of his arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
"The Libyan regime sent its messengers all over, to Turkey, to New York, to Paris." said French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe. "We received emissaries who are saying, 'Gadhafi is prepared to leave. Let's discuss it.'"
The United States remained cautious, noting this is not the first time that Gadhafi has been believed to be ready to capitulate.
"We have a lot of folks claiming to be representatives of Gaddafi one way or the other reaching out to lots of other folks in the West," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said. "But the messages are contradictory."
Libyan rebel brigades out of Misurata to the east of Tripoli, as well as the French-armed opposition force in the Nafusa mountains, have complained that NATO refuses to let them march toward Tripoli.
The rebels claim NATO has told them the alliance is against urban warfare in Tripoli because innocent civilians will be hurt -- and that runs contrary to the reason why the U.S., France and Britain led the initial air campaign: To protect innocent Libyans.
In a new development that supports NATO's concerns, Human Rights Watch today is accusing some Libyan rebel forces of looting, arson and the abuse of civilians.
"In four towns captured by rebels in the Nafusa Mountains over the past month, rebel fighters and supporters have damaged property, burned some homes, looted from hospitals, homes, and shops, and beaten some individuals alleged to have supported government forces," Human Rights Watch said.
Friday, July 8, 2011
With NATO's Help, Rebels Again Advance Toward Tripoli
The Libyan rebels are a step closer today to their dream of a pincer maneuver that would lay siege on Moammar Gadhafi's forces in Tripoli on two fronts -- a move that would also likely trigger an uprising by that city's sleeper underground.
NATO warplanes bombed Gadhafi's armored columns near the garrison city of Gharyan southwest of Tripoli, allowing the rebels' French-armed Nafusa Division to advance within 50 miles of the capital, Agence France Press reported.
To the east, at least two brigades from Misurata moved within eight miles of Zlitan, another heavily fortified Gadhafi stronghold.
"The rebels are waiting for NATO backup or for Gaddafi forces to run out of ammunition to make a move to take the city centre," a rebel sympathizer said in an email sent to Reuters.
The main rebel army's tactics have become much clearer in recent days. While they get a bad rap for getting hung up along the coastal oil patch towns around Brega to the east that force is in fact occupying Gadhafi loyalists that otherwise would be engaged in Misurata.
The eastern army got a boost overnight when NATO warplanes struck oil depots at Brega, cutting off needed fuel supplies for Gadhafi's lingering forces.
"By depriving Gadhafi of fuel we are depriving him of mobility," British Navy Rear Adm. Russ Harding told The Independent of London. "We have seen his forces drive deep down into the desert to pick up supplies, pick up ammunition."
NATO warplanes bombed Gadhafi's armored columns near the garrison city of Gharyan southwest of Tripoli, allowing the rebels' French-armed Nafusa Division to advance within 50 miles of the capital, Agence France Press reported.
To the east, at least two brigades from Misurata moved within eight miles of Zlitan, another heavily fortified Gadhafi stronghold.
"The rebels are waiting for NATO backup or for Gaddafi forces to run out of ammunition to make a move to take the city centre," a rebel sympathizer said in an email sent to Reuters.
The main rebel army's tactics have become much clearer in recent days. While they get a bad rap for getting hung up along the coastal oil patch towns around Brega to the east that force is in fact occupying Gadhafi loyalists that otherwise would be engaged in Misurata.
The eastern army got a boost overnight when NATO warplanes struck oil depots at Brega, cutting off needed fuel supplies for Gadhafi's lingering forces.
"By depriving Gadhafi of fuel we are depriving him of mobility," British Navy Rear Adm. Russ Harding told The Independent of London. "We have seen his forces drive deep down into the desert to pick up supplies, pick up ammunition."
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
NATO Unleashes Unrelenting Bombardment
NATO allies appear to be sensing an opportunity to bring Moammar Gadahfi to the brink of capitulation, sooner than later.
"We believe that Gadhafi and his forces are under tremendous strain," said Ben Rhodes, White House deputy national security advisor for strategic communications.
"I think you saw today there were additional targeting in Tripoli at command and control centers, all of which I think sends a message that the trend lines are against Qaddafi, that time is working against him," Rhodes said this afternoon from Britain, where President Obama will meet tomorrow with Prime Minister David Cameron to discuss the Libyan air campaign.
Alliance warplanes let loose overnight with an unforgiving guided-missile attack primarily in the Tripoli area the past two days that rattled the cage of the dictator-in-hiding and what is left of his fading family and inner-circle advisors.
“Gadhafi’s forces still represent a threat to civilians and we will continue to strike targets that carry out this violence,” Lt. Gen. Charles Bouchard, NATO commander of Operation Unified Protector said following today's mission.
Four RAF warplanes took the lead role in NATO's biggest bombing mission against Gaddafi's forces since the air campaign commenced two months ago. Two Tornado GR4's and two Typhoons spearheaded the nightime attack that involved a total of
Twenty NATO warplanes from six countries bombed on a compound believed to be used by Gadhafi's paramilitary and secret police, according to The Telegraph of London. It was described as the biggest air raid in two months.
"There is an enormous sense of professional pride that we were able to accomplish this mission and return safely," said the RAF wing commander, who flew out of airbase at Gioia del Colle in southern Italy. "This undoubtedly represents a significant setback for Gadhafi's forces."
A Gadhafi spokeswoman said three people were killed and more than 15r0 others wounded in the strikes, according to Reuters.
Meanwhile, working closely with the White House, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) plan to schedule vote on a non-binding resolution supporting the Libyan no-fly zone and embargo after the Memorial Day recess.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said this week in London "time is working against Gaddafi," giving her blessing to the rebels' Transitional National Council.
"Their military forces are improving and when Gadhafi inevitably leaves, a new Libya stands ready to move forward," she said.
"We believe that Gadhafi and his forces are under tremendous strain," said Ben Rhodes, White House deputy national security advisor for strategic communications.
"I think you saw today there were additional targeting in Tripoli at command and control centers, all of which I think sends a message that the trend lines are against Qaddafi, that time is working against him," Rhodes said this afternoon from Britain, where President Obama will meet tomorrow with Prime Minister David Cameron to discuss the Libyan air campaign.
Alliance warplanes let loose overnight with an unforgiving guided-missile attack primarily in the Tripoli area the past two days that rattled the cage of the dictator-in-hiding and what is left of his fading family and inner-circle advisors.
“Gadhafi’s forces still represent a threat to civilians and we will continue to strike targets that carry out this violence,” Lt. Gen. Charles Bouchard, NATO commander of Operation Unified Protector said following today's mission.
Four RAF warplanes took the lead role in NATO's biggest bombing mission against Gaddafi's forces since the air campaign commenced two months ago. Two Tornado GR4's and two Typhoons spearheaded the nightime attack that involved a total of
Twenty NATO warplanes from six countries bombed on a compound believed to be used by Gadhafi's paramilitary and secret police, according to The Telegraph of London. It was described as the biggest air raid in two months.
"There is an enormous sense of professional pride that we were able to accomplish this mission and return safely," said the RAF wing commander, who flew out of airbase at Gioia del Colle in southern Italy. "This undoubtedly represents a significant setback for Gadhafi's forces."
A Gadhafi spokeswoman said three people were killed and more than 15r0 others wounded in the strikes, according to Reuters.
Meanwhile, working closely with the White House, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) plan to schedule vote on a non-binding resolution supporting the Libyan no-fly zone and embargo after the Memorial Day recess.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said this week in London "time is working against Gaddafi," giving her blessing to the rebels' Transitional National Council.
"Their military forces are improving and when Gadhafi inevitably leaves, a new Libya stands ready to move forward," she said.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Rebels Show Signs of Life in Key Areas
The rebel army in Eastern Libya is executing well-coordinated movements with NATO for the first time as it prepares to launch another offensive, while their isolated comrades in Misurata may be on the verge of breaking the siege long held by forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi.
And in the capital of Tripoli a band of rebels hidden away say they are loyal to the rebel government formed in Benghazi and are waiting for an opportunity to strike against Gadhafi forces. They claim to have significant numbers.
The most fierce fighting appeared to be in the besieged port city of Misurata. After NATO warplanes laid down a barrage of fire on the outskirts of the city, rebels pushed west about 10 miles toward Dafniya, The Wall Street Journal reported.
After more than two days of battles, rebels forces from Misurata were joined by fighters from Zlitan, about 35 miles away, and together they pushed Gadhafi forces out of Misurata and triggered a retreat from the city's all-important airport. They hope to keep Gadhafi loyalists far enough away from the city so their Grad missiles will be ineffective.
And in the capital of Tripoli a band of rebels hidden away say they are loyal to the rebel government formed in Benghazi and are waiting for an opportunity to strike against Gadhafi forces. They claim to have significant numbers.
The most fierce fighting appeared to be in the besieged port city of Misurata. After NATO warplanes laid down a barrage of fire on the outskirts of the city, rebels pushed west about 10 miles toward Dafniya, The Wall Street Journal reported.
After more than two days of battles, rebels forces from Misurata were joined by fighters from Zlitan, about 35 miles away, and together they pushed Gadhafi forces out of Misurata and triggered a retreat from the city's all-important airport. They hope to keep Gadhafi loyalists far enough away from the city so their Grad missiles will be ineffective.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)