Gaddafi’s forces battle to take two key cities

Battles continued to rage in Libya yesterday as forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi pounded rebels with artillery and gunfire in at least two major cities.

Pro-government troops appeared to be keeping up the momentum in their fight against rebels trying to move on the capital Tripoli from territory they hold in eastern Libya, with oil pipelines attacked by artillery and planes.

Col Gaddafi’s successes have left Western powers struggling to come up with a plan to support the rebels without becoming ensnared in the complex and fast-moving conflict.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

US President Barack Obama’s most senior advisers were meeting to outline what steps were realistic.

They planned to examine the ramifications of a no-fly zone over Libya and other potential military options.

Britain and France are pushing for the United Nations to create a no-fly zone and while the US may be persuaded to sign on, such a move is unlikely to win the backing of veto-wielding Security Council members Russia and China, who regard such steps as infringements on national sovereignty.

The two warring factions in Libya attacked one another with artillery shells and rockets yesterday a few miles west of the oil port of Ras Lanuf, an indication that regime forces were much closer than previously known.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ras Lanuf is the westernmost point seized by rebels moving along the country’s main road on the Mediterranean coast.

Fighting also continued in the city of Zawiyah where the main square was shelled by government forces as tanks and snipers attempted to drive rebels out.

One insurgent told Reuters news agency that government forces had captured the square, but it was later reported the rebels had seized it back. “The tanks are everywhere,” he said. “There are many dead people and they can’t even bury them.”

Meanwhile, a high-ranking member of the Libyan military flew to Cairo with a message from Col Gaddafi. Maj Gen Abdul-Rahman bin Ali al-Saiid al-Zawi, the head of Libya’s logistics and supply authority, asked to meet Egypt’s military rulers.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

On Tuesday, Col Gaddafi appeared in a TV interview saying that Libyans would fight back if Western nations imposed a no-fly zone to prevent his regime from using its air force to bomb government opponents staging a rebellion.

He said the restrictions would prove the West’s real intention was to seize his country’s oil wealth. “Such a situation would be useful,” Col Gaddafi said. “The Libyan people would understand their real aims to take Libya under their control, to take their freedoms and to take their oil and all Libyan people will take up arms and fight.”

In separate remarks, he called on Libyans in the rebel-held east of the country to take back control from the opposition leaders who have seized the territory.

Gaddafi said there were no legitimate grounds for a foreign intervention in his country, insisting that Libya was only fighting al Qaida as in Afghanistan or Pakistan.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“If al Qaida seizes Libya, that will amount to a huge disaster,” Col Gaddafi said. “If they take this place over, the whole region, including Israel, will be dragged into chaos. Then bin Laden may seize all of north Africa that faces Europe.”

His comments came as David Cameron backed the UK’s handling of the Libya crisis and stepped in to defend his “excellent” Foreign Secretary William Hague from fresh criticism.

The Prime Minister said his administration had “led the way” on the world stage, including on efforts to pave the way for the imposition of a no-fly zone.

His attempts to deflect Labour claims of incompetence came as Britain announced it would devote £2m to three Red Cross medical teams to assist 3,000 Libyans affected by violent clashes.