Oorlog in Libië #92: Waar de rebellen westwaards oprukken

quote:

Guardian
Analysis: Rebel leaders cautious as airstrikes reshape battle against Gaddafi
Libyan revolution's leaders privately acknowledge turnaround is no reason to believe they can pull off military victory

The barrelling advance of Libya's rebel army over the weekend was even more rapid than its panicked retreat in the face of Muammar Gaddafi's guns a fortnight earlier.

But the revolution's leaders privately acknowledge that the turnaround in the fortunes of its ill-disciplined and poorly trained forces, which took back all the lost ground in a matter of hours without a fight, is no reason to believe they can pull off a military victory.

The conflict has been reshaped by the western air strikes against Gaddafi's tanks and guns.

But as the rebels move closer to the town of Sirte, the revolutionary council is attempting to bring on board disparate tribal and local leaders and encourage a popular uprising to pave the way for a rebel takeover.

Sirte is Gaddafi's birthplace, and he is likely to heavily defend the town. Part of the problem for the revolutionaries is that they say they lack the weapons to fight, although they have seized a number of tanks, armoured vehicles and guns abandoned during the hurried retreat of Gaddafi's army.

Even if the rebels have the men trained to use them which is open to question it will be hard to turn such weapons on Sirte when the UN resolution authorising air strikes specifically says those strikes are designed to protect civilians.

In those circumstances, it would be the rebels who threatened unarmed Libyans. Nato and the coalition would be hard put justifying air strikes to help the insurgents take a town which has not revolted against Gaddafi, particularly if the revolutionaries are endangering its population.

The revolutionary council hopes to alter that equation by inducing the people of Sirte to rise up against Gaddafi, in part by persuading local leaders in a town still thought to be broadly loyal to its son to recognise the tide of history and switch sides.

If the revolutionaries can pull it off, Gaddafi would face the option of putting down the uprising by force and so create a justification for air strikes or ceding control.

But if he were to lose Sirte, it would be likely to have a profound and possibly fatal political impact across the areas of Libya he still controls.

quote:

NicRobertsonCNN

Six loud explosions in #Tripoli short while ago, followed by sustained blasts of anti aircraft fire. #Libya
1 minute ago via web

They are reporting that they are seeing ppl fleeing towards #Tripoli from #Sirte. #Libya
2 minutes ago via web

Reports from intl journalists heading to #Sirte from #Tripoli in a govt convey which following the so-called green march" (MORE)
3 minutes ago via web

quote:

Op zondag 27 maart 2011 20:45 schreef doeterniettoezegiktoch het volgende:
NicRobertsonCNN
Six loud explosions in #Tripoli short while ago, followed by sustained blasts of anti aircraft fire. #Libya
1 minute ago via web

quote:

dovenews
BREAKING!!! sound of 6 explosions in Tripoli
less than 20 seconds ago via web

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20:28 Al Jazeera Arabic Air strikes have hit the town of Sirt, Gaddafis hometown. Al Jazeera report that 2 explosions were heard in Sirt. 6 explosions have been reported in Tripoli.

quote:

libyansrevolt Now getting reports that #Khamis brigade I tweeted about last week could have been target #libya #feb17
3 minutes ago via web

libyansrevolt Source on the ground: 6 massive consecutive explosions confirmed in #Tripoli - possible in #Gaddafi compound location unclear #libya #feb17
4 minutes ago via web

quote:

By Hadeel Al-Shalchi Associated Press
Posted: 03/27/2011 12:43:21 PM PDT
Updated: 03/27/2011 12:43:21 PM PDT

TRIPOLI, Libya -- Libyan state television reports that international airstrikes are targeting Moammar Gadhafi's hometown and stronghold of Sirte for the first time. Foreign journalists in the city reported loud explosions and warplanes flying overheard.

Sirte is strategically located about halfway between the rebel-held east and the Gadhafi-controlled west along a key coastal highway. Rebels were advancing rapidly west on the highway Sunday toward Sirte after international airstrikes eased their way.

An Associated Press reporter in the capital said international forces were also heavily bombarding the city that is Gadhafi's main support base. There were at least nine loud explosions in Tripoli after nightfall and anti-aircraft fire was heard.