Libyan Rebels Urge No-Fly Zone to Stop Death Toll

Libyan Rebels Urge No-Fly Zone to Stop Death Toll

Libya's rebel leadership has made an impassioned plea for the international community to impose a no-fly zone to ground Muammar Gaddafi's warplanes and halt the daily death toll.

Take up arms

From his Tripoli stronghold in the west, Gaddafi said that the Libyan people would take up arms if a no-fly zone was enforced as this would prove that Western powers want "to take control of Libya and to steal their oil”.

Rebels on the frontline between the rebel-controlled east and Gaddafi's forces in the west are increasingly frustrated at the failure of Washington and the West to act.

Rebels constantly fire off machine guns at attacking warplanes.

"They had a no-fly zone in Iraq. Why is Gaddafi their darling and Saddam Hussein was not?" volunteer Naji Saleh said.

Foreign capitals

The rebel leadership in the eastern city of Benghazi said their representatives were in touch with foreign capitals about the imposition of a no-fly zone.

"We are concentrating our diplomatic efforts and working hard, but as always, foreign powers are reluctant. One day we think they will take action," said Iman Bugaigis, a media officer with the Rebel.

Too cautious

The administration of President Barack Obama has been criticised for being too cautious about a no-fly zone, but Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said any such zone must have international backing and not be a U.S.-led effort.

Bugaigis said Gaddafi had his military priorities.

"To me it seems it is vital for Gaddafi to gain (the western town of) Zawiyah, whatever the price, as he will not allow Tripoli to be surrounded and cut off from the borders of both east and west," Bugaigis told newsmen.

On the front line in the east, fighters have chanted: "Where is Obama! We want a no-fly zone!"

The head of the rebel Libyan National Council, ex-Justice Minister Mustafa  Jalil, has also made clear that the body does not want foreign troops on Libyan soil as there are enough local forces to liberate Libya.

"Our people have the numbers and the determination to liberate all of Libya, but we will ask for air strikes to help us do this in the shortest possible time," he said.

"Diplomatic team"

Rebel sensitivity about foreign forces was highlighted by their arrest and detention of a British "diplomatic team", that included members of the elite SAS army regiment, who landed by helicopter near Benghazi.

The team was swiftly released after the British government explained there had been a misunderstanding over the mission which was in fact a fact-finding trip, but their detention sent a strong message that foreign ground forces were not welcome.

So far, rebels have been careful to accuse foreign mercenaries of fighting for Gaddafi, and are keen to highlight national unity and support for their cause, counting on this rallying call to turn Libyans against Gaddafi.

The Libyan leader has blamed drug-addled teenagers brainwashed by al Qaeda for an uprising designed to hand the nation's oil wealth back to colonial powers.

Reuters/NAN/Margaret/Ekata