Libyan rebels get organised - Features. A hundred yards inside the bombed-out western gate to Ajdabiya, Husain Ahmed Bukatwa stands around a smoldering fire smoking a cigarette and waiting for a tea kettle to boil. His blue keffiyeh matches his beret, on which he's pinned a revolutionary button bearing the image of the adopted opposition flag and Omar Mukhtar, the hero of Libya’s anti-colonial resistance.
Before the uprising against Muammar Gaddafi, Bukatwa studied computer science at Omar Mukhtar University in Derna, around 450 kilometres to the east. Now he chats with his plain clothes rebel comrades next to a gun-mounted pick-up truck, hoisting a Belgian-made FN light automatic rifle that’s half his height. Bukatwa is 18 years old. After a week of the most basic military training, he's now on the front line. In recent days, the rebels' tactics and organisation have improved, and they have begun to resemble something like a trained militia, if not an army.
"The view is so different now. Fading chaos 'Command and control' Libyan transition council claims to find Gaddafi’s nuclear weapons. By Stephen C. WebsterMonday, October 31, 2011 9:33 EDT (Update: The rebels found radioactive materials left over from Gaddafi’s uranium enrichment program, according to later reports, which does not meet the technical standard of a “nuclear weapon.” ) In the years leading up to the fall of Col.
Muammar Gaddafi, it was not clear to the U.S. or its allies just how far along the Libyan nuclear program had progressed. Turns out, Gaddafi may have succeeded where other dictators failed: he had nuclear weapons, the Libyan transitional council said Monday. Gaddafi was thought to have given up his nuclear weapons program in 2004, in an effort to strengthen ties to the west. Those weapons have since been discovered, rebels said, along with several undeclared chemical weapons production facilities which are slated to be dismantled. While the report of nuclear weapons had not been verified, they said that International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors would be on site within the week to examine them.
Map: The Battle for Tripoli, LIBYA. Map: Gadhafi's Tripoli compound. Before and after: Bab el-Azizia Gadhafi's compound. Exposed: MI6 spies paved rebel path to Tripoli battlefront. The news behind the news. The key role played by Britain in equipping and advising Libya’s rebel fighters for their final push on Tripoli was becoming clear last night as Col Muammar Gaddafi’s remaining forces staged a last stand around his bunker. On Saturday morning five precision-guided Paveway IV bombs were dropped on the Baroni Centre, a secret intelligence base headed by Gaddafi’s brother-in-law Abdullah Senussi. The aircraft then struck at least one main battle tank belonging to Gaddafi’s troops, and in the afternoon another RAF patrol destroyed an artillery piece on the western edge of Tripoli and a nearby command and control facility.
On the ground, the rebels had spent weeks smuggling weapons, communications equipment and battle-hardened fighters into Tripoli, setting up secret arms dumps around the capital and waiting for a pre-arranged signal to trigger the uprising. Mr Shammam said: “The start of the uprising was pre-arranged. Mr Shammam said: “The plan was very successful. » Intelligence Outfit: Foreign Special Forces Behind Tripoli Showdown Alex Jones. British, French, Jordanian, Qatari military crack forces are behind compound siege Steve WatsonInfowars.com Aug 23, 2011 An intelligence-gathering outlet that has proven accurate in the past has reported today that far from being merely a rebel uprising, the showdown in Tripoli over the last 48 hours is being “spearheaded” by British, French, Jordanian and Qatari Special Operations forces.
Israeli open source intelligence gathering outfit DEBKAfile reports: “This is the first time Western and Arab ground troops have fought on the same battlefield in any of the Arab revolts of the last nine months and the first time Arab soldiers have taken part in a NATO operation.” As we reported yesterday, the operation, nicknamed “Mermaid Dawn”, is being directed by US and NATO forces. NATO is now planning a “humanitarian” occupation of Libya with thousands of British and American soldiers, risking the possibility that troops could be sent into yet another quagmire to rival Afghanistan and Iraq. Red Cross sends medical aid to Sirte - Africa. Aid workers from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have delivered medical supplies to Sirte amid growing fears of a worsening humanitarian situation in the besieged hometown of Muammar Gaddafi, the ousted Libyan leader.
People streamed out of Sirte by the hundreds on Friday as Mustafa Abdel Jalil, chairman of the ruling National Transitional Council (NTC), said that NTC forces had called a two-day truce to allow civilians to leave. But heavy rocket and mortar fire continued from both sides on Saturday, even as NTC commanders outside the town said they were trying to let civilians out. NTC fighters in Sirte told the Reuters news agency that NATO planes had dropped flyers urging civilians to flee the fighting. The prolonged battle for Sirte, which is encircled by anti-Gaddafi fighters and under regular NATO air strikes, has trapped people inside. The town of about 100,000 has endured several fierce assaults over two weeks.
Heavy clashes 'Mission largely complete' Aid poised to flow as fog of war lifts in Tripoli. Mass killing and humanitarian disaster in NATO siege of Sirte. Refugees from the Libyan coastal city of Sirte report that thousands have died as a result of relentless NATO bombardment and shelling by the the Western-backed “rebels.” The two-week-old NATO siege of Sirte has left the city without adequate food, drinkable water, medicine and other basic necessities of life, creating hellish condition for its population of 100,000. While the Benghazi-based National Transitional Council (NTC) has repeatedly issued announcements that the so-called rebels had advanced toward the city center under NATO air cover, they have again and again been forced to retreat under heavy fire from forces loyal to Col. Muammar Gaddafi, as well as what have been described as citizen volunteers.
In their frustration, the anti-Gaddafi militias have pounded the coastal city with artillery and mortar rounds, tank shells and Grad rockets, wreaking horrific destruction. “As refugees gathered, the Misrata fighters checked their names against lists of suspected Gaddafi loyalists. Rebels’ Assault on Tripoli Began With Careful Work Inside. Khiria : "ATTENTION!! #Tripoli is in. Libya conflict: New fighting in town of Bani Walid. 12 September 2011Last updated at 21:14 Richard Galpin says the assault on Bani Walid is temporarily "on hold" Seven anti-Gaddafi fighters have been killed and 10 wounded in a fierce battle for the town of Bani Walid. The fighters say they were betrayed by local people who claimed to be on their side and led them into an ambush.
Nato is targeting the town, held by forces loyal to the fugitive leader, but the attackers lack the forces to capture it, a BBC correspondent says. Meanwhile 15 guards were killed when pro-Gaddafi forces attacked an oil refinery near the town of Ras Lanuf. An injured oil worker said a convoy of vehicles launched the surprise attack on the refinery - controlled by the anti-Gaddafi National Transitional Council (NTC) - after approaching from the direction of the fugitive leader's hometown of Sirte. The refinery was not thought to be operational at the time. 'Leading the struggle' The attacks come a day after Col Gaddafi's son Saadi was given refuge in neighbouring Niger.
Rebels Invade Qaddafi Compound. Where is Gadhafi? Hamilton Spectator TRIPOLI, Libya - Libyan rebels stormed Moammar Gadhafi’s main military compound in Tripoli Tuesday after fierce fighting with forces loyal to his regime that rocked the capital as the longtime leader refused to surrender despite the stunning advances by opposition forces. Follow Live Coverage feed. Fighters poured into the area by the hundreds, carting off boxes of ammunition and firing weapons in the air in celebration. Several young men placed a head seized from a statue of Gadhafi under their feet and kicked it. One happily lifted it above his head while his comrades danced and yelled joyfully around him.
There was heavy fighting before the rebels broke through the green gates of the compound and shooting broke out from other parts of the large, sprawling complex. Despite the euphoria, Gadhafi’s whereabouts remained unknown. “They have fought their way to the gates of Gadhafi’s compound, that is a historic achievement,” Hague told Britain’s Sky News. “We are here. William Hague hails a 'historic day for Libyans' Fouad Ajami: A Thrilling Spectacle in Tripoli. Libya's Col Gaddafi killed. Libya fighters push into Gaddafi bastion - Africa. Hundreds of fighters aligned with Libya's National Transitional Council met fierce resistance as they pushed into the center of Sirte with the support of heavy artillery and NATO warplanes.
Al Jazeera correspondents said NTC fighters on began the assault early on Saturday and had soon overrun positions that forces loyal to deposed dictator Muammar Gaddafi had held for months. Their progress was stalled, however, when Gaddafi's forces battled back with mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and rooftop snipers. Witnesses described frequent explosions, NATO bombing runs and intense gunbattles in Sirte and its outlying areas.
"They have snipers above the mosques, above the buildings. Ambulances have been carrying casualties from the fighting, with one medic estimating that at least one NTC fighter had been killed and 25 wounded. Civilians targeted NATO, whose warplanes hit a number of targets in Sirte in the last 24 hours, including an ammunitiondepot and an anti-aircraft gun. Battle rages. Libya: War and rape - People & Power. Is rape being used as a weapon in Libya? Muammar Gaddafi, his son Saif and his intelligence chief, Abdullah Senussi, were indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) this week charged with crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the Libyan uprising.
The ICC said there were "reasonable grounds" to believe that the three men were responsible for the murder and persecution of civilians. The charges are based on an investigation by the court's chief prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, launched in February at the behest of the UN Security Council. So far the indictment relates only to the first weeks of the conflict, but it is likely to expand to cover subsequent events. If so, then the court may also be asked to rule on allegations that Gaddafi's regime has used rape as a weapon against its opponents. These claims first surfaced in March when a Libyan woman, Eman al-Obeidi, burst into a Tripoli hotel and told journalists she had been raped by security forces.
Italy hosts Libya coalition talks - Africa. Ministers from the NATO-backed coalition in Libya are meeting in Rome to seek ways of financing rebels in the north African country. The meeting of Libya Contact Group will bring together foreign ministers from countries including France, Britain, the United States, Italy and Qatar as well as representatives of the Arab League and the African Union. As the conflict in Libya has ground into stalemate, the rebel Transitional National Council (TNC), which controls the region around Benghazi in the east and has been recognised by both France and Italy, has appealed for loans of up to $3bn. Opposition fighters are desperate to buy food and medicine and shore up their administration. But efforts to unblock state assets frozen in overseas accounts, or to allow the rebels to get past UN sanctions that prevent their selling oil on international markets, have been held up. "It's not easy. 'Hungry for weapons' "So far we have five killed and ambulances are rushing to the scene.
" Coalition to create fund for Libya rebels - Africa. The NATO-backed coalition in Libya has said it will create a fund for rebels fighting the government of Muammar Gaddafi. The Transitional National Council (TNC), based in Benghazi, has appealed for loans of up to $3bn, saying they need around half of that for food, medicine and other basic supplies. Italy, host of Thursday's meeting in Rome of the Contact Group on Libya, said the temporary special fund would aim to channel cash to the opposition administration in its eastern Libyan stronghold. Franco Frattini, Italy's foreign minister, said $250m were already available, while his French counterpart said the fund could be up and running within weeks.
But efforts to unblock Libyan state assets frozen in overseas accounts, or to allow the rebels to get past UN sanctions that prevent their selling oil on international markets, have been held up. 'Loan rather than gift' Clinton said the US government would try and free up some of the $30bn it has frozen in Libyan assets to help the TNC. NATO chief urges wider Libya participation - Africa. NATO's secretary-general has said he will use a two-day meeting of NATO alliance defence ministers to push for broader participation in Libya by other members of the organisation. Anders Fogh Rasmussen asked for more countries from the 28-nation alliance to share the costs and risks involved in the campaign at a meeting at NATO's Brussels headquarters on Wednesday. "Obviously some of those allies and partners carrying the heavy burden start to ask whether it would be possible to broaden the participation a bit," he said earlier this week.
"That is also the essence of our alliance: that allies that actually have the necessary assets at their disposal, also contribute those assets, based on the principle of solidarity. " NATO is not publicly releasing figures on how many nations are involved in the strikes on Libya, but it is thought to be about 17. One of the alliance's most powerful members, Germany, is refusing to take part in the mission and that looked unlikely to change on Wednesday. Gaddafi vows to fight to end amid NATO raids - Africa. Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, has vowed to fight to the end in a speech broadcast live on state television, amid one of the fiercest NATO air strikes on Tripoli.
"We only have one choice: we will stay in our land dead or alive," he said in the audio address on Tuesday, calling on his supporters to flock to his Bab al-Aziziya compound in the capital. "We will not kneel! We will not surrender. " "We are stronger than your missiles, stronger than your planes and the voice of the Libyan people is louder than explosions," he said. Gaddafi said he was ready to unleash between 250,000 to 500,000 armed Libyans to swarm across the country to cleanse it from "armed gangs", a reference to the rebels controlling parts of the North African country. "Whether we are martyred, killed or commit suicide, we care about our duty towards history," Gaddafi said, demanding to know why the bombardment was continuing.
NATO intensifies raids Ambulances and blaring sirens could be heard racing through the city. Libyan official in Greece for talks - Europe. Abdel Ati al-Obeidi, Libya's acting foreign minister, has told the Greek prime minister in Athens that embattled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is seeking an end to fighting in the country. "It seems that the Libyan authorities are seeking a solution," Dimitris Droutsas, the Greek foreign minister, said. He added that Obeidi planned to travel on to Malta and Turkey. Obeidi crossed into neighbouring Tunisia and travelled from Djerba airport to the Greek capital on Sunday and met George Papandreou, the Greek prime minister, later in the day. "They [Libyan government] requested to send an envoy with a message for prime minister George Papandreou and that is why he is in Athens," a senior Greek government official said.
In a statement, the Greek foreign ministry said it was committed to seeking a "political, diplomatic solution" to the crisis in Libya, where government forces are battling rebels seeking to end Gaddafi's decades-old rule. Libya-Greece ties Libyan defections. Democracy Now! Amid Repression in Libyan Capital, Murmurs of Dissent. Ship brings rare glimpse of Libya's bloodiest front. John McCain travels to Libya to meet with rebel forces. Libya Rebels: 'No Place For An Islamic State In Libya' Twitter coverage. Gaddafi army penetrates rebel areas - Africa.