Libyan UN representative believes Gaddafi is trying to procure aviation fuel in MaltaThe Deputy Permanent Representative of Libya to the United Nations, Ibrahim Dabashi, has told this newspaper that he has notified the Maltese Ambassador in New York that a Libyan national is trying to procure aviation fuel in Malta.
The government of Malta said it has already checked with Enemalta to see if there were any requests, but this resulted in the negative. A Foreign Ministry spokesman said that due to time differences and UN council sessions, it has not yet been able to reach the Maltese Ambassador in New York to confirm that an approach was indeed made.
Speaking over the phone to The Malta Independent, Mr Dabashi who has denounced the Gaddafi regime said that there is much in common between the Maltese and Libyan people and that there was a brotherly relationship between the people.
This is why we hope that Malta will not be used to allow fuel to be shipped to the regime to allow Gaddafi to bomb Libyan citizens from the air. The man trying to procure the fuel, he said, is a certain Jahya Ibrahim Jahya al Gaddafi. The local authorities also investigated claims that the man was staying at the Hilton Hotel in Malta, but this resulted in the negative.
Meanwhile, a small group of anti-Gaddafi protesters in Malta claimed the oil tanker Mubariz Ibrahimov was due to leave Malta to transport a consignment of fuel to Libya. A government spokesman said however that the tanker was not destined for Libya.
Ethnic cleansingMr Dabashi said that Gaddafi has also used the conflict to try to get rid of another thorn that has been in his side for many years the nomadic Berber people. Mr Dabashi told this newspaper that Gaddafi was gathering his forces and attempting not to weaken the Eastern front, while at the same time pressing forward with attacks on Berbers in remote mountain villages in the West. Amazigh and its inhabitants are already said to have been wiped out.
To do this, Gaddafis forces are using fragmentation rounds, which are prohibited in war, let alone in a civilian conflict. His forces are also reputedly using special rounds also prohibited which are designed to tumble in the air and cause maximum damage to living tissue breaking bones and ripping off limbs.
These rounds were allegedly used in Misurata, according to Mr Dabashi.
The battle for AdjabiyahThe UN representative admitted that Adjabiyah had seen ground changing hands many times over the past couple of days, confirming this newspapers analysis a couple of days back in which it was said that while Gaddafi has the edge in firepower, he is severely lacking in manpower. As soon as Gaddafi troops take land, the rebels melt away, regroup and then take the land back. It is understood that troops and weapons have been captured on a number of occasions using these tactics.
I am in contact with the Opposition in Benghazi. We are getting regular reports from Adjabiyah and we can say that the rebel fighters are putting up tremendous resistance. This is the first time that defected Army units are coming into contact with Gaddafi forces and the morale is very high, explained Mr Dabashi over the telephone.
It is understood that the rebels are fighting off Gaddafis tank units and aircraft with a mixture of ambush, AA batteries deployed to fire on troops and troop carriers, RPGs, a few tanks of their own, a couple of aircraft and an attack helicopter.
Gaddafi forces earlier tried to bomb Benina Airport in Benghazi, but only managed to crater a useless part of the facility. Mr Dabashi said there were reports that militants had managed to down one, possibly two, Gaddafi aircraft.
No-fly zone
While no decision has been reached yet on a no-fly zone, Mr Dabashi said that a resolution was being drafted and was due to be presented last night. The UK, France and US seem to be fronting the motion. But we need more than a no-flyzone. We need an exclusion zone. We need the UN to agree that Gaddafi can be attacked if he continues to approach certain areas, mainly cities. This is genocide and we need help to stop it, he said.
CeasefireMeanwhile, as the world very belatedly mulls a fresh approach for a no-fly zone which would involve striking Gaddafis aircraft on the ground, Maltas proposal for a ceasefire also seems to be gaining ground. The ceasefires main aim is to stop the violence, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said, adding that if it was violated, then the ante could be upped. While on Sunday, the number of supporters for the move was described as a handful, they have now been described as a fair few. However it seems that the only logical solution now is the enforcement of a no-fly zone as well as an exclusion zone. While the story yesterday was of fierce resistance it could be a whole different one this morning.