Tag Archives: NATO

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Libyan celebrate achieving freedom after Gaddafi’s death

Libyans are all overwhelmed with the spirit of celebration. The new rulers finally made an official declaration on behalf of Libya at Tahrir Square that the nation has got full independence.

After more than 8 months’ long bloody struggle against autocratic ruler Muammar Gaddafi, the National Transition Council [TNC] finally succeeded in snatching power from dictator’s hands and declared liberation after killing him. The death of Gaddafi ended his 42-year-long era of autocratic and exploitative rule over Libya.

International community, NATO-led coalition forces backed the rebellions with its full support and attacked pro-Gaddafi government military forces with air-strikes and other means.

However, the death of Col. Gaddafi after being captured has put the NTC under a pressure to probe.

A post-mortem of his dead body showed that dictator was shot in head.Gaddafi’s son Mutassim was also killed during fierce fights between Gaddafi-loyalists and rebellion forces. Mutassim’s body has also been put on public display along with Gaddafi’s in a cold storage in Misrata city.

The violent rebel and Gaddafi’s strong efforts to suppress the protest led to thousands of deaths. The conflicts started in February which gradually became a large-scale civil war.

By August, the protesters had captured Libyan capital city—Tripoli, however Gaddafi’s supporters continued reiterating their pledge to suppress the protests as the ruler refused to surrender depite international pressure.

Thousands of people in Libya celebrated with flags over the death of Gaddafi and end of a long era of exploitation.

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US sends troops to Pakistan border

The United States sent its troops to Afghan area near border to Pakistan. According to a report by local media of Pakistan the troops consist heavy artillery and helicopter gunships.

The US military has taken a new position in an area which is adjacent to –insurgent-infested part of North Waziristan. The border also touches Ghulum Khan. The US troops shifted here on last Saturday and Sunday night.

The report also quoted Pakistani authorities and tribal leaders who revealed that US troops have taken position on hilltops from where they can observe the insurgents.

Another sources revealed that the US military also began a door-to-door search in KHost Province of Afghanistan to catch insurgents.

NATO warplanes were also seen across the border, revealed villagers of Ghulam Khan where US forces have also been deployed by now.

US forces’ sudden change in their position has culminated tension in the border area as US military also imposed curfew and banned traffic on main roads that connect border areas— Ghulam Khan of Pakistan and Khost province of Afghanistan.

Government authorities also confirmed this report, said the source. However, there was no confirmation of any such reports by the United States and NATO forces. No media sources from any other country has supported the same.

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Libyan military claims Gaddafi’s hometown Sirte under control

The transitional government’s security personals in Libya say they have captured Gaddafi’s hometown now as they have advanced near Sirte. The military forces could delayed marching directly in the town in order to avoid civilian casualties and fierce fighting.

With gaining control over Sirte, Libya’s new rulers will establish control over the entire country. It’s been two months since the rebellions waged their war against the autocratic ruler Muammar Gaddafi and seized capital Tripoli from his control.

According to new government’s commander of the Shohada Al-Manatair brigade, Mahmoud Bayu, there have been much advancement toward Sirte. He added that the military forces had already entered Ouagadougou conference centre despite fighting being continued.

National Transitional Council (NTC) forces have also taken hospitals under their control and also arrested many pro-Gaddafi fighters who were attacking from the hospital with rocket-propelled grenades. Another commander of new government, Salah Mustafa stated that they are evacuating sick and injured people while probing about those who have claimed themselves as doctors.

Around 15 pro-Gaddafi supporters were evacuated from the hospital premises.

The commander further revealed that the NTC forces had already reached the main center of the city and they were waiting for 75,000 civilians to leave the city.

Amber Miller
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Libya flays NATO, asks to stop military attack

It is now 100 days since NATO started its military bombardment of Tripoli and Col Moamar Gadhafi is still in power. if not for NATO the second largest city in the country Benghazi was almost annihilated by the ruthless Gadhafi.

However the United Nations Security Council has learnt a lesson from what happened in Kosovo and was not prepared to give the Col chance to deal with the citizens of the country the way he has wanted. The UN quickly passed resolution 1973 which among other things paved the way for the creation of no flying zone inside the country. It authorized the use of all necessary measures to protect the lives of the civilians from the hand of the Gadhafi army.

The UN was passionately moved by the ugly image that was then coming out of Benghazi. If not for the quick intervention the world would have been hearing another story in Benghazi where the blood sucking leader who has been in power for than forty years was not ready to listen to the voice of change.

Encouraging by the bloody mercenaries he had recruited he posted an image that seem to be larger than life. The NATO came to the rescue of the Libyan people with air assault. This was about three months ago. NATO has continued its operation in the country for 100 days, Col Moamar Gadhafi is still in power, not only that the rebels who are supposed to be boosted by NATO operation is finding it difficult to sustain itself in Misrata.

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Gadhafi soldiers push to retake Misrata

Despite the series of air bombardment by NATO forces loyal to the embattled Libyan leader Moamar Gadhafi had launched an attack aimed at taking the Misrata which was under the control of the rebel soldiers. The attack was launched on Wednesday.

It was reported that thousands of soldiers loyal to Gadhafi infiltrated the rebel positions with cars and flags bearing the rebel colour. The attack had claimed the lives of more than 13 rebel soldiers. Eye witness reported that this battle was the bloodiest since the city of Misrata was besieged by soldiers. The hospitals in the city are reported over flowing with wounded people.

However it appears that the rebels are holding strongly to their ground. This attack is just coming barely a day after NATO had launched one of the deadliest attacks against Gadhafi in Tripoli. The government spokesperson said that over 60 missiles landed in the Tripoli claiming life of about 31 people. NATO said that it is doing everything to avoid civilian casualties in the air attacks. Gadhafi had vowed that he will fight to the last person saying that he will not leave the country. NATO and rebels had insisted that the only condition for ceasefire is that Gadhafi will leave power.

 

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China meets with rebels in Libya

The government of china has made its first confirmed contact with the Libyan rebels. This is one of the latest diplomatic setbacks encountered by Moamar Gadhafi. France said that it is persuading people that are close to the Libyan leader to convince him to leave power.

Chinese diplomats and Libyan rebels met in Qatar as a result of defections to the rebel sides by notable figures in the Libyan governments. As the war in Libya intensifies the rebels and NATO had made the departure of Gadhafi as a condition for ceasefire in the country. Gadhafi has said in clear terms that he will not leave the country. He told the South African president who came on AU delegation that he will not leave Libya. NATO had this week extended its operations which were supposed to end by June 27th for another 90 days sending a warning to Gadhafi that they are not prepared to leave Libya until they have accomplished their aims in the country.

Reacting to the situation in Libya the French foreign minister Juppe said that Col Gadhafi is more isolated adding that more of his loyalists are defecting. The Chinese foreign ministry has said that the Chinese ambassador to Qatar had discussed with the Libyan rebels on ways to bring about the development of Libya.

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Canada supports NATO attacks against Libyan government

The ambassadors of NATO countries which is fighting the Moamar Gadhafi government is Libya have agreed to extend their operations in Libya for another 90 days. The secretary general of NATO Anders Rough Rasmussen said this on Wednesday. He said that they are sending a clear signal to Gadhafi that NATO will continue to stay in the country to protect the citizens of Libya.

NATO took charge of the battle in March to protect Libyans who were caught up in the battle. The initial duration of the campaign for the 90 days was expected to elapse on June 27th. Rasmussen said that they want to send a message to the Libyan people that the alliance is solidly behind them.

It would be recalled that the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said that it would require the approval of the parliament for the extension of their operations in Libya.

He said that the government will consult with the opposition to ensure that there is unanimity of decision as regarding the force extension in Libya. He said that the liberal will move a motion in the parliament and it has to sail through before the government will send troops for NATO operations.

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Afghan president urges NATO to avoid interruption

Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan has addressed a press conference where he admonished NATO forces in his country not to allow it to be seen as an occupying force by the people they wanted to protect.

He said on Tuesday that if the rate of civilian casualties in NATO attack continues the people of Afghanistan will no longer see the force as an ally but as an occupying force even as he warned that he would take an unspecified action if the civilian casualties are to continue.

He said that they would no longer allow NATO to raid homes in pursuant of insurgents adding that the patients of the people on such tactics had expired. He said that if that happen they will see NATO no longer as an ally but as an occupying force.

The outburst of Mr. Karzai is to distance himself from the western troops who had been in the country for almost a decade fighting Taliban. He wanted to be seen in new light in the country as the champion of the people of Afghanistan. There is widening resentment of the continued stay of NATO in the country and the repeated civilian casualties in the campaigns are not helping things either.

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NATO Intensifies Campaign as Gaddafi Opts for Peace

Libyan government spokesperson said that NATO planes had carried out night attacks in the capital Tripoli and suburbs. It said that the targets of the attack were military and civilian targets. It said that the attack had resulted to the deaths of many people including civilians adding that many people were wounded as a result of the attack.

Meanwhile the South African president Mr. Jacob Zuma who came to Libya as a delegation of African Union has said that he had a meaningful deliberation with the Libyan leader. He said that Col Gadhafi is ready to implement a peace plan in the country.

President Zuma told the press in Tripoli at the end of the visit that Gadhafi has promised to abide by the AU roadmap for peace. He said that the starting point of the peace plan is the immediate ceasefire on hostilities by all sides involved in the conflict including the ending of NATO bombings.

Reacting to the AU mission to Libya the rebels in Benghazi said that they would not accept the AU roadmap for peace because it is silent on Gadhafi stepping down from power which is the core issue in the crises that are ravaging the country. A similar peace plan by AU was ignored by Gadhafi in April. It is doubtful whether the peace plan by AU would yield positive result and it appears that it is the only option that is left for Gadhafi who is steadily losing steam in the country.

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Karzai wants to limit NATO air attacks

Following the heavy civilian casualties that followed the last air strike by the coalition forces in Afghanistan, president Hamid Karzai wanted to limit the NATO air strikes. The president who was visibly angered by the NATO strike that led to the death of children and women said that future NATO attacks should no longer be on houses. He said that this would be the last time the coalition attack will lead to the death of defenseless children and women of Afghanistan.

NATO had regretted the attack that led to the death of women and children and said that it had never embarked on such an attack without the approval of relevant authorities in Afghanistan and said that they would review the procedures of future attacks following the statement that was credited to the president. The statement said that in the coming weeks the coalition will confer with the president to ensure that his orders are not violated.

The present stance of the president could spark off conflict between the Afghan government and the international communities under whose mandate the NATO were deployed to Afghanistan. However what is unclear is whether the UN troops that are deployed to Afghanistan can take orders from the Afghan president.