NATO Alliance Destroys 17 Al Qathafi Tanks; AU Delegation in Libya to Mediate

NATO forces managed to destroy 17 Libyan tanks as the rebel city of Misurata came under sustained attack from forces loyal the Libyan leader, Muammar Al Qathafi, according to reports.

At the same time as the hostility between the pro-government forfces and the rebels has been going on, an African Union mediation team made up of five African leaders, headed by Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, have renewed its appeal for “an immediate end to all hostilities” and proposed a transition period to adopt reforms.

The AU delegation, that also includes the leaders of Mali, Uganda, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo, has decided to go along with a roadmap adopted in March which calls for an end to hostilities, “diligent conveying of humanitarian aid” and “dialogue between the Libyan parties”, it said in a statement.

A statement from the presidency said : “The committee has been granted permission by NATO to enter Libya and to meet in Tripoli with … (Libyan leader Muammar) Al Qathafi. The AU delegation will also meet with the Interim Transitional National Council in Benghazi on 10 and 11 April.”

It said that the committee, due to meet the Libyan leader. Muammar Al Qathafi in Tripoli and leaders of the rebellion in Benghazi later on Sunday, had decided to go along with a roadmap adopted in March, which calls for an end to hostilities, “diligent conveying of humanitarian aid” and “dialogue between the Libyan parties”.

It also intends to propose “inclusive management” of a transition period aimed at adopting and setting up of “the political reforms needed to eliminate the causes of the present crisis.”

Meanwhile, Sky News reported sources saying that NATO aircraft hit 15 tanks near Misurata where the pro-government forces are attacking rebels, and two south of Brega in the east of the country.

NATO’s commander of Libyan operations, General Charles Bouchard has been reported saying that the alliance had destroyed “a significant percentage” of Al Qathafi’s armoured forces in the past 24 hours as well as ammunition stockpiles east of the country’s capital, Tripoli.

He also accused the Al Qathafi forces of using civilians as human shields to deter NATO forces from attacking them, adding to similar charges made by other Western commanders.

Lt Gen Bouchard said in a statement “We have observed horrific examples of regime forces deliberately placing their weapons systems close to civilians, their homes and even their places of worship.”

“Troops have also been observed hiding behind women and children. This type of behaviour violates the principles of international law and will not be tolerated,” he said.

NATO, which has faced accusations by rebels over the last week that it was not doing enough to tip the balance of power in their favour.

For the first time since they began enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya, mandated by the United Nations, NATO said that on Saturday the alliance intercepted an MIG 23 fighter aircraft near Benghazi flown by a rebel pilot. He was advised to land. “We don’t know the identity of the pilot but given that he took off from Benghazi, we would presume it was an opposition pilot,” Bouchard said.

On the other hand, Libyan authorities have been saying that they have shot down rebel-flown rotary aircraft, with Libya’s deputy foreign minister Khalid Kaim claiming that the government forces shot down two rebel helicopters in the Brega region in the east, that were violating the no-fly zone over Libya.

Mustafa Abdulrahman, a rebel spokesman, said Saturday’s fighting centred on a road to Misurata port, while NATO carried out several attacks on forces loyal to the Libyan leader. He also praised what he called a positive change from NATO after rebels had complained for days that NATO has been too slow to respond to government attacks.

The rebel spokseman said that the Al Qathafi troops launched a heavy assault on Misurata, attacking three different parts of the city before rebel fighters beat them back. The pro-government forces’ attacks killed at least 30 rebel fighters, he said.

Misurata, 200 kilometres east of Tripoli, is the last rebel bastion in western Libya and loyalists appear determined to seize the city and crucially its port, which analysts say the regimer needs if in order to survive a long conflict.

Despite the heavy losses, the rebels were buoyed by the apparent intensification of NATO air strikes on government forces who have laid siege to the city for more than six weeks.

After weeks of encirclement, shelling and sniper fire, residents in Misurata say essential food stuffs are running low, the water supply is sporadic and hospitals are overflowing. Up to 80% of the city has no electricity, rebels estimate.

A Red Cross-chartered vessel carrying enough medical supplies to treat 300 patients with weapons wounds docked in Misurata on Saturday, helping the agency to extend its activities to western Libya.