Lankan Ranger
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2009
- Messages
- 12,550
- Reaction score
- 0
Libyan Air force jet shot down
Rebels claimed to have downed a military aircraft as they fought a government bids to take back Libya's third city, Misrata, and the strategic oil refinery town of Zawieh.
Libyan forces have been launched fresh offensives again Zawieh, 30 miles from Tripoli, and Misrata, 125 miles to the east. Rebels said some 2,000 troops loyal to the regime had surrounded Zawieh, but that they had succeeded in holding on to the town centres.
"An aircraft was shot down this morning while it was firing on the local radio station," a witness, who was identified only as Mohamed, said by telephone from Misrata.
"Fighting to control the military airbase started last night and is still going on," he added.
"We will do our best to fight them off. They will attack soon," said a former police major who switched sides and joined the rebellion. "If we are fighting for freedom, we are ready to die for it."
Muammar Gaddafi, Libya's ruler, has been trying for days to push back a revolt that has ended his control over eastern Libya and is rapidly loosening his hold in his western strongholds as well.
Residents even in parts of the capital Tripoli have thrown up barricades against government forces.
Western foreign ministers, meanwhile, are meeting in Geneva to coordinate further action against Libya. Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, Sergei Lavrov, Russia's Foreign Minister and Catherine Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief, were holding bilateral talks to discuss measures that could include the imposition of a no-fly zone.
Foreign governments are increasing the pressure on Gaddafi to leave in the hope of ending fighting that has claimed at least 1,000 lives and restoring order to a country that accounts for 2 per cent of the world's oil production.
Gaddafi himself has been defiant, but a spokesman struck a new, conciliatory tone at a briefing today. Mussa Ibrahim conceded that government forces had fired on civilians, but said this was because they were not properly trained. "So they shot and killed some civilians," he said. "We never denied that hundreds of people have been killed."
"We also believe it is time for change," he said. "But this movement has been hijacked by the West ... and by Islamic militants."
Regional experts expect rebels eventually to take the capital and kill or capture Gaddafi, but add that he has the firepower to foment chaos or civil war a prospect he and his sons have warned of.
Libya: rebels claim to have shot down jet - Telegraph
Rebels claimed to have downed a military aircraft as they fought a government bids to take back Libya's third city, Misrata, and the strategic oil refinery town of Zawieh.
Libyan forces have been launched fresh offensives again Zawieh, 30 miles from Tripoli, and Misrata, 125 miles to the east. Rebels said some 2,000 troops loyal to the regime had surrounded Zawieh, but that they had succeeded in holding on to the town centres.
"An aircraft was shot down this morning while it was firing on the local radio station," a witness, who was identified only as Mohamed, said by telephone from Misrata.
"Fighting to control the military airbase started last night and is still going on," he added.
"We will do our best to fight them off. They will attack soon," said a former police major who switched sides and joined the rebellion. "If we are fighting for freedom, we are ready to die for it."
Muammar Gaddafi, Libya's ruler, has been trying for days to push back a revolt that has ended his control over eastern Libya and is rapidly loosening his hold in his western strongholds as well.
Residents even in parts of the capital Tripoli have thrown up barricades against government forces.
Western foreign ministers, meanwhile, are meeting in Geneva to coordinate further action against Libya. Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, Sergei Lavrov, Russia's Foreign Minister and Catherine Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief, were holding bilateral talks to discuss measures that could include the imposition of a no-fly zone.
Foreign governments are increasing the pressure on Gaddafi to leave in the hope of ending fighting that has claimed at least 1,000 lives and restoring order to a country that accounts for 2 per cent of the world's oil production.
Gaddafi himself has been defiant, but a spokesman struck a new, conciliatory tone at a briefing today. Mussa Ibrahim conceded that government forces had fired on civilians, but said this was because they were not properly trained. "So they shot and killed some civilians," he said. "We never denied that hundreds of people have been killed."
"We also believe it is time for change," he said. "But this movement has been hijacked by the West ... and by Islamic militants."
Regional experts expect rebels eventually to take the capital and kill or capture Gaddafi, but add that he has the firepower to foment chaos or civil war a prospect he and his sons have warned of.
Libya: rebels claim to have shot down jet - Telegraph
What weapons they used to shoot down it?
