LIBYA:LIBYAN REBELS regained the initiative over Muammar Gadafy's forces yesterday, pushing further west with the help of western air strikes and recapturing towns abandoned by retreating government soldiers.
Opposition forces were in control of all the main oil terminals in the eastern half of Libya last night. They had retaken Ajdabiya, Brega and Ben Jawwad, the westernmost point the rebels had reached in early March before they were pushed back by Col Gadafy’s better-equipped forces to their stronghold of Benghazi.
Nato will take on full command of all military operations in Libya to implement all aspects of the UN resolution. Nato ambassadors met in Brussels yesterday to discuss plans for the alliance to take political control of all military operations from the coalition led by France, the United States and Britain.
Nato has already taken command of enforcing the no-fly zone, but objections from France have stalled moves to give it control of the more sensitive mission of ground strikes to protect civilians.
The air strikes by allied warplanes have helped the rebels to reverse three weeks of losses, indicating that the intervention had shifted the dynamic in their favour. They were reported last night to be moving towards Sirte, Col Gadafy’s home town and one of his strongholds. Witnesses in Sirte said last night that they had heard two explosions in the area. It was not clear if these were in the city or on its outskirts.
At least six explosions were were also heard in the capital, Tripoli, possibly signalling renewed air strikes by western coalition forces.
On Saturday, French warplanes destroyed five Libyan military planes and two helicopters at Misurata air base. A spokesman for the French armed forces said all seven Libyan aircraft were destroyed while on the ground at the base, near the insurgent-held town, as they were preparing to carry out attacks in the area. Heavy fighting was reported in Misurata yesterday.
Senior political figures from participating states are due in London tomorrow to discuss the next stages in the intervention, and are expected to approve a compromise that gives a steering group of coalition members – including Arab states that are not in Nato – a political supervisory role over military operations.
US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said in a television interview she expected a “positive” decision for Nato to take over the mission. “Just as the arms embargo and the no-fly zone has been transitioned to Nato command and control, the civilian protection mission will as well,” she said.
In a separate interview, US defence secretary Robert Gates said Washington had largely fulfilled its aims in Libya by “taking out” Col Gadafy’s armour and would begin reducing its military involvement “beginning this week or within the next week or so”. Both Mrs Clinton and Mr Gates raised the possibility that Col Gadafy’s regime could splinter and said the London conference would discuss political strategies to end his 42-year rule.
French president Nicholas Sarkozy has said France wants Nato’s command and control “machinery” used to co-ordinate the air campaign, but for political control to rest in the hands of the members of the coalition. With Nato in command, Turkey – which has objected to ground strikes and has strongly criticised France’s role in Libya – would be in a position to exert strong influence over the strategy.
Turkish officials have said Ankara wants to be part of the steering group charged with political decision-making.
Speaking in Brussels yesterday, Turkey’s minister for EU affairs, Egemen Bagis, said discussion on Nato’s role was ongoing and that “Turkey is entitled to express her views and help shape policies.”
