12:05 PM
Ajdabiya, Libya Aided by coalition airstrikes, Libyan opposition forces claimed victory Saturday over Moammar Gadhafi's forces in a strategically located eastern city but the battle in the west raged as loyalist tanks resumed the shelling of Misrata.
Gadhafi's forces retreated Saturday after days of fierce fighting in Ajdabiya, Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim told reporters. He said the coalition's attacks were direct and the Libyan military decided to withdraw.
Opposition fighters chanted gratitude for the coalition's support after they wrested control of the city considered a gateway to Libya's vast oil fields and a stopping point on route to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi. They were confident that with protective air power, they would be able to hold onto the city.
Ajdabiya is now "100 percent" in opposition hands, said Shamsuldin Abed Mawlah, spokesman for Libya's opposition interim council. He said many were retreating westward.
By Saturday evening, advancing opposition fighters had reached the outskirts of the city of Brega, to the west of Ajdabiya, said opposition spokesman Col. Ahmed Omar Bani.
The Ajdabiya victory is viewed as a significant move forward for the Libyan opposition, which intends to take the fight all the way to the capital. It also served as evidence of the impact of coalition airstrikes as NATO prepares to take command of the Libya mission this weekend.
Overnight, international fighter jets again bombed Libyan tanks that have been entrenched at the city's northern and western gates for days, said another opposition spokesman, Jalal al-Gallal.
At the northern entrance, damaged tanks lay strewn across the rolling desert. The buildings around the city entrances were riddled with bullet holes. Rebel troops combed the city's streets Saturday, hunting for any remaining Gadhafi loyalists as some displaced residents trickled back to their homes.
A different story unfolded in the besieged city of Misrata, just two hours east of Tripoli, where some of the most intense fighting has taken place since protests erupted in Libya last month.
Coalition airstrikes targeted Gadhafi's military on the outskirts of Misrata but tanks resumed shelling Saturday, a doctor at the main hospital told CNN. Opposition fighters, armed only with light weapons, were trying to repel the attack and casualties were mounting, he said.
At least 20 people were wounded in Misrata, victims of snipers taking aim in the heart of the city, said the doctor, who was not identified for safety reasons. Friday, seven people were killed and another 70 were wounded.
Al-Gallal said the next big battle will be for control of Misrata.
"He (Gadhafi) is scared about Misrata," al-Gallal said. "It's too close to Tripoli. He's going to do everything he can to hold on to it."
After the fall of Ajdabiya, the fighting is sure to shift westward through cities and towns that are more loyal to Gadhafi. Al-Gallal said the opposition expects heavy resistance in town like Sirte, Gadhafi's birthplace where he has strong support.
Coalition planes flew 164 sorties Friday and coalition leaders reported damage to Gadhafi's ground forces. But they warned, Gadhafi still retains the power to reinforce units.
U.S. President Barack Obama defended America's leadership in the international coalition in his weekly radio address Saturday.
"Make no mistake," Obama said, "because we acted quickly, a humanitarian catastrophe has been avoided and the lives of countless civilians-innocent men, women and children-have been saved."
"The United States should not -- and cannot -- intervene every time there's a crisis somewhere in the world," Obama said.
"But I firmly believe that when innocent people are being brutalized; when someone like Gadhafi threatens a bloodbath that could destabilize an entire region; and when the international community is prepared to come together to save many thousands of lives-then it's in our national interest to act. And it's our responsibility. This is one of those times."
Obama is scheduled to deliver a televised address on Libya Monday evening.
The airstrikes provided cover for rebels to advance toward Ajdabiya and several of Gahdafi's tanks were taken out.
Coalition leaders maintained that their mission was enforcing a no-fly zone and protecting civilians.
"When we see regime forces attacking civilians, we will do everything we can to stop those attacks," said Gen. Carter Ham, commander of the U.S. Africa Command.
But Libyan government spokesman Ibrahim Mussa slammed the coalition attacks.
"This is immoral, illegal and it was not authorized by the (United Nations) Security Council," he told reporters in Tripoli.
Libyan state television reported March 15 that "Ajdabiya has been cleansed from mercenaries and terrorists connected to al Qaeda," and later said Gadhafi's forces were in control of the city.
Opposition leaders disputed that claim, saying government forces had only taken control of some of the city's entrances.
Ajdabiya is one of several Libyan cities and towns where coalition jets have pounded Gadhafi military targets in its goal to protect civilians.
Libyan state television reported Saturday that "airstrikes from the enemy" had hit military positions in Tarhunah, about 40 miles (66 kilometers) from the country's capital.
A coalition official, who was not identified because he is not authorized to speak to the media, told CNN Saturday that airstrikes had also struck military targets in Tripoli.
Friday, the government escorted international reporters to Tripoli suburbs to see collateral damage firsthand.
Gadhafi has been keen to put out the word on collateral damage from the coalition's airstrikes. Libyan health ministry official Khaled Omar told reporters Friday that 114 people had been killed during the coalition's campaign, but he did not specify whether they were civilians.
At a farm outside Tripoli, missile fragments lay scattered about a palm orchard and shrapnel had peppered walls of still-standing farm buildings. But reporters found no evidence of civilian deaths.
Rebels control key city in eastern Libya, fighting rages in west
Ajdabiya, Libya Aided by coalition airstrikes, Libyan opposition forces claimed victory Saturday over Moammar Gadhafi's forces in a strategically located eastern city but the battle in the west raged as loyalist tanks resumed the shelling of Misrata.
Gadhafi's forces retreated Saturday after days of fierce fighting in Ajdabiya, Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim told reporters. He said the coalition's attacks were direct and the Libyan military decided to withdraw.
Opposition fighters chanted gratitude for the coalition's support after they wrested control of the city considered a gateway to Libya's vast oil fields and a stopping point on route to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi. They were confident that with protective air power, they would be able to hold onto the city.
Ajdabiya is now "100 percent" in opposition hands, said Shamsuldin Abed Mawlah, spokesman for Libya's opposition interim council. He said many were retreating westward.
By Saturday evening, advancing opposition fighters had reached the outskirts of the city of Brega, to the west of Ajdabiya, said opposition spokesman Col. Ahmed Omar Bani.
The Ajdabiya victory is viewed as a significant move forward for the Libyan opposition, which intends to take the fight all the way to the capital. It also served as evidence of the impact of coalition airstrikes as NATO prepares to take command of the Libya mission this weekend.
Overnight, international fighter jets again bombed Libyan tanks that have been entrenched at the city's northern and western gates for days, said another opposition spokesman, Jalal al-Gallal.
At the northern entrance, damaged tanks lay strewn across the rolling desert. The buildings around the city entrances were riddled with bullet holes. Rebel troops combed the city's streets Saturday, hunting for any remaining Gadhafi loyalists as some displaced residents trickled back to their homes.
A different story unfolded in the besieged city of Misrata, just two hours east of Tripoli, where some of the most intense fighting has taken place since protests erupted in Libya last month.
Coalition airstrikes targeted Gadhafi's military on the outskirts of Misrata but tanks resumed shelling Saturday, a doctor at the main hospital told CNN. Opposition fighters, armed only with light weapons, were trying to repel the attack and casualties were mounting, he said.
At least 20 people were wounded in Misrata, victims of snipers taking aim in the heart of the city, said the doctor, who was not identified for safety reasons. Friday, seven people were killed and another 70 were wounded.
Al-Gallal said the next big battle will be for control of Misrata.
"He (Gadhafi) is scared about Misrata," al-Gallal said. "It's too close to Tripoli. He's going to do everything he can to hold on to it."
After the fall of Ajdabiya, the fighting is sure to shift westward through cities and towns that are more loyal to Gadhafi. Al-Gallal said the opposition expects heavy resistance in town like Sirte, Gadhafi's birthplace where he has strong support.
Coalition planes flew 164 sorties Friday and coalition leaders reported damage to Gadhafi's ground forces. But they warned, Gadhafi still retains the power to reinforce units.
U.S. President Barack Obama defended America's leadership in the international coalition in his weekly radio address Saturday.
"Make no mistake," Obama said, "because we acted quickly, a humanitarian catastrophe has been avoided and the lives of countless civilians-innocent men, women and children-have been saved."
"The United States should not -- and cannot -- intervene every time there's a crisis somewhere in the world," Obama said.
"But I firmly believe that when innocent people are being brutalized; when someone like Gadhafi threatens a bloodbath that could destabilize an entire region; and when the international community is prepared to come together to save many thousands of lives-then it's in our national interest to act. And it's our responsibility. This is one of those times."
Obama is scheduled to deliver a televised address on Libya Monday evening.
The airstrikes provided cover for rebels to advance toward Ajdabiya and several of Gahdafi's tanks were taken out.
Coalition leaders maintained that their mission was enforcing a no-fly zone and protecting civilians.
"When we see regime forces attacking civilians, we will do everything we can to stop those attacks," said Gen. Carter Ham, commander of the U.S. Africa Command.
But Libyan government spokesman Ibrahim Mussa slammed the coalition attacks.
"This is immoral, illegal and it was not authorized by the (United Nations) Security Council," he told reporters in Tripoli.
Libyan state television reported March 15 that "Ajdabiya has been cleansed from mercenaries and terrorists connected to al Qaeda," and later said Gadhafi's forces were in control of the city.
Opposition leaders disputed that claim, saying government forces had only taken control of some of the city's entrances.
Ajdabiya is one of several Libyan cities and towns where coalition jets have pounded Gadhafi military targets in its goal to protect civilians.
Libyan state television reported Saturday that "airstrikes from the enemy" had hit military positions in Tarhunah, about 40 miles (66 kilometers) from the country's capital.
A coalition official, who was not identified because he is not authorized to speak to the media, told CNN Saturday that airstrikes had also struck military targets in Tripoli.
Friday, the government escorted international reporters to Tripoli suburbs to see collateral damage firsthand.
Gadhafi has been keen to put out the word on collateral damage from the coalition's airstrikes. Libyan health ministry official Khaled Omar told reporters Friday that 114 people had been killed during the coalition's campaign, but he did not specify whether they were civilians.
At a farm outside Tripoli, missile fragments lay scattered about a palm orchard and shrapnel had peppered walls of still-standing farm buildings. But reporters found no evidence of civilian deaths.
In Tripoli, CNN reporters are restricted to government-organized tours; Libyan authorities forbid independent movement by international journalists.
News Source:cnn
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 comments: