Pope urges diplomacy in Libya

Pope Benedict XVI blessed the faithful to his arrival in squares Sunday St. Peter to celebrate Easter mass. (Gregorio Borgia/Associated Press)

Pope Benedict XVI urged the end to the fighting in Libya and asked for diplomacy.

Benedict said in a message of political Easter Sunday in North Africa and the Middle East must be based on respect for all.

He also said those "suffering a conflict have access to humanitarian aid."

Beno?t earlier prayed aloud that Easter would help believers bear witness to their faith with "words and life." Consolidated flagging faith in much of the Western world were the main objectives of the Vatican, both in the framework of Benedict and his predecessor, John Paul II.

Beno?t will return to the square in exactly one week to direct that a host should be the participation rate of at least Easter double when he beatifies John Paul II, that the Pontiff born in Poland, of long-standing service on the last step before possible canonization official.

In a Saturday evening mass, Benedict XVI said humanity is not a product random evolution, that it was created in the "divine reason."

He said that it was wrong to think that some point "in some small corner of the Cosmos, it has evolved at random of certain species to be capable of reasoning and try to find rationality in cre.ation, or bring living rationality."

Church teaching holds that Roman Catholicism and the theory of evolution are not necessarily disagree: A Christian can, for example, accept the theory of evolution to help explain the evolution of the situation, but is taught to believe that Godnot chance, is the cause of the world. The Vatican, however, cautioned against creationism, or too literal interpretation of the Bibilical creation account.

The voice of Benedict XVI, who was hoarse and he is several times during the three-hour service, which ended after midnight. It was the second late night in a row for the 84-year-old Pontiff, following his participation in the way that the Friday of the procession cross at the Colosseum, which commemorates the death of Jesus.

Accessibility links

View the original article here

U.S. drones sends to Libya as the battle rages for Misurata - Reuters

 

Medics wheel, a Libyan man who, April, 2011.The United States on Thursday launched was wounded at Misurata from Greek ferry "Ionian spirit" on his arrival in the port of Benghazi 21 armed drones against Muammar Gaddafi's troops, who held Libyan city of Misurata despite Western threats to step up military action against it struck the rebels. "Ionian spirit" on Thursday carried evacuated escape Misratah to Benghazi.

Credit: Reuters/AMR Abdallah DalshBy Michael Georgy

MISRATA, Libya | Fri Apr 22, 2011 3: 46 of the EDT

MISRATA, Libya (Reuters) - fighting a month-old air war since armed drones against Muammar Gaddafi's troops, the rebels close on the streets of Misurata, despite Western threats to United States.

Rebels welcomed the deployment of U.S. unmanned aircraft and said she hoped that the move would protect civilians.

Doctors in the hospital in Misurata, the rebels last great bastion in the West of the country, said that nine insurgents were killed in fighting on Thursday.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates told a Washington press conference President Barack Obama had authorized the use of Predator drones and they were already in operation.

General James Cartwright, Vice President of the US Joint Chiefs of staff said the first two predators turn back because of bad weather had to but have been sent to Libya on Thursday.

The United States planned, Cartwright said two patrols of armed robbers of Libya at a certain time to maintain.

The drones have a potent weapon in Pakistan and in other areas where US troops proved no forces on the ground. You can almost without being noticed out of the ground to stay and meet targets with missiles and no risk to crew.

"There is no doubt that civilians to protect, which helps, and we welcome this step by the US Government," said rebel spokesman Abdel Hafiz Ghoga in the Al Jazeera television.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Gaddafi's forces were carrying out "vicious attacks" on Misratah and used cluster bombs against civilians.

PRO-GADDAFI SCHARFSCHüTZEN

Hundreds of people are believed to during the siege in Misratah are died. In the hospital, ambulance drove wounded fighters in implementation. Doctors said that four of the nine rebels have killed a fierce battle of the Tripoli Street thoroughfare died.

Rebel Salman al-M. said was a group under fire when she tried a pro-Gaddafi snipers occupied building to enter.

"We have suddenly found she had surrounded us on all sides and they opened fire." "It seems, many government soldiers were tried in the buildings around the where we have in to get."

Rebel fighters of voiced frustration with an international military operation, the it as to carefully see.

"NATO was inefficient in Misurata." NATO could not completely change things on the ground, "rebel spokesman Abdelsalam said."

Food and medical supplies were scarce, and there were long queues for gasoline. Electricity was cut, so that inhabitants depended on generators. Rescue in the port area was expecting thousands of stranded foreign migrant workers.

"MISSION CREEP"

France said that you up to a dozen officers rebels to improve organization and communication help dispatch would send up to 10 military advisers plans to Libya and the United Kingdom. Is considering sending a small military training team Italy.

Tripoli denounced such moves and warned some commentators about the "Mission creep," according to representations made by Western politicians, that she would not put "Boots on the ground" in Libya.

Russia, said that sending consultants exceeded to protect the mandate of Security Council on civilians.

"We are not happy about the recent events in Libya, which the international community in a conflict on the ground." Can have this unpredictable consequences, "Sergei Lavrov said Russian Foreign Minister."

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon calls Libyan authorities to stop fighting, namely on a visit to Moscow, which was the priority of the United Nations to secure a ceasefire.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has led UN-backed NATO intervention, pledged stronger military action in his first meeting with the leader of the opposition Libyan national Council, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, on Wednesday.

The French Defense Ministry said Thursday it had the number of its air operations over the past week to 41 by an average 30 since the beginning of the operation increased.

Libya rebels pushed Thursday to the sit to peace talks but said it was arming and training civilians to confront any possible ground attacked by NATO troops.

"Many cities have organized in squads against each possible NATO invasion," said Government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim, adding that authorities passed rifles and pistols.

In Tripoli, Ibrahim told reporters the Government welcomes ships foreign workers come to Misurata pick up. However, it would not accept international humanitarian "with military cover."

(Writing by Andrew Dobbie;) (Editing by Peter Graff)

View the original article here

War in Libya could drag on, military analysts say

The posting of liaison officers - probably fewer than 40 by you, and as a military instructor is also carefully not reported - a sign, they said that only a combination of military pressure from the sky, economic pressure on the Government and a better organized and coordinated rebel group will finally convince Col. Muammar el-Gaddafi, that he no option but to stop you.

"Some Libya thought of could be fast,", a senior said Ambassador to NATO. "But no military commander thinks so."

Sending consultants to Libya is the latest in a series of characters effort for the NATO campaign, which set out with a seriously began American-led attack, but has seemed to fizzle out as command was transferred to NATO on 31 March. After that an offensive was rebel smashed by Qadhafi forces, which the rebels reeling towards the eastern town of Ajdabiya sent.

New tactics of Qadhafi troops - mix with civilians, camouflage arms and drive pickup trucks instead of military vehicles - pilot, it was hard for NATO to objectives are. At the same time the rebels have hammered loyalist artillery and tanks held city of Misurata, with cluster bombs, allegedly, by large parts of the world, so that civilians to protect prohibited a mockery of the NATO central mission.

But as the new Qadhafi seem tactics, divisions within the Alliance's strategy of damage, Robin Niblett, Director of Chatham House, said the Royal Institute Affairs in London of international. Only six of the 28 countries participate in the air raids and France and the United Kingdom are about half of them during Denmark, Norway, Belgium and Canada do the rest.

Prominent Nations such as Italy and Spain are back, and other aircraft only for the support of the no-fly zone have sent or are helping to enforce the arms embargo. The Obama administration, which has ruled out deploying American troops in Libya, announced Wednesday that it approximately $25 million in military surplus supplies, even though not weapons, to the Libyan opposition forces would authorize.

"You want to Qadhafi of a collective will, send that there is no way that he is a firm and unified opposition, facing" Mr Niblett said. "And he is a European-led NATO, which is not enough contiguous see."

"If I were him, I consider European differences and heart of them, take in the opposition so weak," said Mr Niblett.

Colonel Qadhafi "feel there is a gap between means and ends," he added. "He can by divisions among allies and feeling that he part of a political solution can be, because he can feel at the end, there are not enough cohesion strategy follow up to the end, look at" which is his downfall.

Colonel Qadhafi and his sons to leave convincing, he said: "we need both the political and military track, and we have bits of the military and a broken political situation, and we give the best shot of the strategy."

In a sense, the problems in the NATO changes can be traced since the end of the cold war. With the end of the threat of the Soviet Union and the expansion to global missions outside Europe, NATO of less has an Alliance as a coalition of like-minded Nations, analysts say.

"If NATO went from area it an Alliance, stopped," said Francois Heisbourg, an expert in the Foundation for strategic research in Paris defense. "In the area it is partnership unlimited liability." But now with a global scope, everything needs to be negotiated, and it is all à la carte. "This is the post cold war world."

Tomas Valasek, a defense expert at the London Centre for European reform, to NATO one political party, "a coalition of countries with largely the same interests, but with different views." It was inevitable after the cold war, he said that NATO countries would focus on various threats: terrorism and Afghanistan for some, such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and the Netherlands; Russia, for the Central Europeans. He said "I know why they remain in NATO"As for the rest,"also."

NATO never said what it was, Mr Valasek. "NATO of more a transactional site in the future be so as in Libya, the Willigen will mostly coalitions, with the support of NATO."

The reject NATO official criticism, that Alliance has done a good job in a short time and that the air campaign is working well.

"There is no question of the collective will of NATO" to the UN resolution on Libya perform, Oana Lungescu, spokeswoman for the Alliance said. She said that in the three weeks since NATO took command of the operation, "we are steadily Qadhafi's ability degrading, to carry out and maintain attacks on his own people and gradually the regime forces pressing."

But almost all are agreed, "that there no military solution to the crisis as such", said Ms Lungescu.

"This mission is the pressure for a credible political solution," she said.

A senior NATO Ambassador asked for patience. "At the end of the balance changes, it has," he said. "Qadhafi gets no more weapons, no more tanks, no more ammunition, and he gets weaker and the others get stronger over the course of time." "And at some point someone decides in Qadhafi, have a political way out."

Colonel Qadhafi Foreign Minister, Moussa Koussa, defected to the United Kingdom three weeks ago - where he half-heartedly as an encouragement to others to the Libyan leader change pages treated was - there was no significant defector since.

The current political debate, which said senior NATO Ambassador, is not whether the war will end Libya in negotiations, but the nature and context of the discussions. Some countries would like to start negotiations with Colonel Gaddafi, before he makes with the clear goal of leaves, he has to leave. But others, especially the rebels, saying that negotiations can only after the Colonel and his sons are sure of the country.

For now, Mr Valasek said, the problem is that Colonel Qadhafi and NATO supported opposition time on their side think. "It may take this is as leads us military force longer everyone to see." "But if we want a shared Libya we need to sit down and negotiate."

Steven Lee Myers contributed reporting from Washington.

View the original article here

2 famous photojournalists killed in Libya

Tim Hetherington attends a special screening of Restrepo in the Centre of the media to Paley, on 10 February in New York. (Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images)

Two acclaimed photojournalists were killed Wednesday while covering the fighting in Misrata in Libya.

Director appointed to the Oscar and photojournalist Tim Hetherington die during a mortar attack, in the centre of Misrata a rebel-held city in the West of the Libya which was besieged by forces loyal to leader Muammar Gaddafi for weeks.

An another photojournalist Chris Hondros, Getty photo agency, was seriously wounded in the same attack and later succumbed to his injuries, according to the Director of Photography Getty, Pancho Bernasconi.

Two other photojournalists suffered less serious injuries.

In 2011, Hetherington has been appointed for an Oscar for co-director of Airborne Combat film Restrepo, the history of the 2nd company of the platoon of battle in the 173rd team on its deployment to Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008. The title refers to the outpost of platoon, which was named after a popular soldier, Juan Restrepo, who was killed at the beginning of the battle.

Hetherington was also winner of the World Press Photo of the honour of the year 2007.

A tweet under the name of TimHetherington dated 19 April read: "in the besieged Libyan city Misrata." Blind bombardment by the forces of [Gadhafi]. No sign of NATO. ?

Chris Hondros, Getty photo agency died of his injuries after an attack in the mortar to Misrata in Libya. (ChrisHondros.com)

"Tim was in Libya to continue its ongoing multimedia project to highlight humanitarian issues in time of war and conflict," family of the Hetherington said in a statement. "It will be never regretted."

Hondros is an award-winning war photographer covering many conflicts in Africa and the Middle East for magazines and newspapers around the world. Prize of the American, including World Press Photo top honors and Robert Capa Gold Medal, one of the higher prices in the photography of the war. He was also nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.

The four journalists are the latest victims of a situation more desperate in Misrata. Aid groups that the city is facing a serious humanitarian crisis as food and medicine be missed.

The rebel Libyan soldier runs until a fire stairwell during an effort to dislodge the pro-Government troops firing on them during the door-to-door fighting on the streets of Tripoli in Misrata downtown Wednesday. This photo was taken by Chris Hondros, who was seriously injured in a short time after the image is sent and died later. (Chris Hondros/Getty Images)

NATO aircraft overflew Misrata Wednesday, but have not carried out air strikes, Associated Press reported.

Rebels control the area of the port of Misrata, while Gaddafi forces are deployed along the streets of Tripoli, a downtown thoroughfare. This street was the site of the mortar attack that struck the journalists.

Misrata was besieged for almost two months, but Gaddafi forces have intensified their assault on the city in the last days. Civilian casualties are indicated to be "serious", according to the UN Human Rights Commissioner.

Earlier Wednesday, Italy and France announced that they will join Britain by sending military advisers to help organize the poorly trained opposition forces. France has also pledged to intensify airstrikes on the forces of Gaddafi.

The Associated Back press folders of accessibility links

View the original article here

'Restrepo' Director and photographer killed in Libya

Chris Hondros of the Getty Images photo agency died within a few hours of the devastating brain injury. According a third author, Guy Martin, wound, suffered a heavy basin to André Liohn, a colleague, who was the triage center where the photographer of rebels crashed were after they were taken.

Mr. Hondros suffered an extensive loss of brain tissue and has been revived twice. He spent several hours in a coma and died after 10 am, said Mr Liohn.

Mr Martin, a British citizen, was vascular surgery on Wednesday night, according to the same account. As the night progressed, Mr Liohn said that Mr Martin bleeding had been stopped and that his prospects had improved.

The fourth author, Michael Christopher Brown, suffered shrapnel wounds to his left shoulder, but his life was not in danger. He was resting Wednesday night.

Misurata, Libya's third-largest city, has cut off was by land from the rest of the country by armed forces loyal to Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi. It was the scene of intense, close combat for weeks to fight. Hundreds of Libyans killed have been confirmed.

Two other journalists of the Committee to protect journalists were killed last month in the Libyan conflict according to: Mohammed al-Nabbous, the founder of the online Libya Alhurra TV, who was shot dead, reports streaming was audio as the fighting in Benghazi, the rebel capital. and Ali Hassan al-Jaber, a cameraman with Al Jazeera, when his crew was in the vicinity of Benghazi in an ambush, was shot.

The photographers killed and wounded Wednesday reached the city by the sea of the Benghazi. The early reports said that she had worked in the vicinity of the front lines when they were hit by a rocket propelled grenade. Mr Liohn said that they were the rebels Tripoli Street, one of the most important battlefields of the city covers. It was not immediately clear how Mr Martin and Mr Brown could be evacuated.

The Ionian spirit, a ship chartered by the International Organization for migration, migrant workers, was in the port of Misurata that just have completed a third relief trip Benghazi evacuate.

Human rights watch, a New York know organization whose staff, photographers, contacted the ship and found that he was ready to evacuate the two wounded photographers back to Benghazi. But Mr Martin was not as fit for travel, especially on a journey, the 20 or more hours could take.

Late in the night were measures Mr Hetherington is, remains in the ship for the trip to Benghazi, to transfer air home.

The prospects for moving from Mr. Hondros remains were not sure how he died later in the night. Human rights Watch said that it asked to accept the Ionian mind Commander Mr Hondros remains.

The death of Mr Hetherington resounded in many quarters, including among the journalists, aid workers, soldiers and victims of war, which he friends was in a career. A British citizen who lived in New York, he had conflicts with sensitivity in Liberia, Afghanistan, Darfur, and in the Libya last week, covered.

"This a devastating loss for many of us personally," said Kenneth Roth, the Executive Director of human rights watch. "But it's a devastating loss for the human rights community." His work has the visibility of many of the world thrown forgotten conflicts. "The legacy of his extraordinary photographs can serve, inspire future generations."

His family has in a short statement: "Tim continued its ongoing multimedia project in Libya to humanitarian issues during the time of the war and the conflict highlight." "He will be missed forever."

As ended the vigil for Mr Hondros his friends expressed, pain, grief and respect for him and his body of work, over a career of two decades. Tyler Hicks, a photographer for the New York Times, worked together with Mr Hondros in several wars, acknowledged in an E-mail.

He wrote "Chris victims brought in his own life to bring created the hardships of war in the eyes of the public and the dedication of the award-winning photographs, shaped that way, people viewed the world,". "He was a close friend for almost 20 years." The tragedy of his death had brought so many memories to the surface, and I am grateful, among the many people who had the good fortune, it know. "He will be missing us."

Mr Martin Panos Pictures, a photo agency in London, had sent his work, said Josh Lustig, editor, but no clients had been formally lined up.

"We all pray are that he pulls through," said Mr Lustig

The Libyan conflict proved deeply perilous for journalists, local and foreign. In addition to the four have been killed, the Committee has counted 49 arrests on the protection of journalists. Among them are Clare Morgana Gillis, an American freelancer for TheAtlantic.com and United States today; James Wright Foley, an American writer for global services; Manuel Varela de Seijas Brabo, a Spanish photographer. and Anton Lazarus Hammerl, a South African photographer. At least six local journalists missing amid speculation they are in the care of the security forces.

An international journalist and two media workers support are also unclear. Mr Hetherington, 41, was between assignments in Vanity Fair when he was killed. York travelled tried to Libya on his own work on a multimedia project while he and his editors in new he had to find out what would be his next series of photos for the magazine.

Graydon Carter, Vanity Fair Editor, said the sudden death of the staff stunned had left. "A further two or three days and he probably the assignment would have had," said Mr.. Carter. "We are just devastated." "He lived but."

"It is what gave him life," he said, "and it is what it took him."

Mr Hetherington contacted his editors, most recently on Tuesday by E-mail. "Am currently in Misratah - would have interesting products by SJ," he wrote. SJ in accordance with his friend and fellow Vanity Fair contributor Sebastian Junger. The two had the Afghan war for the magazine chronicled and a company of American soldiers from May 2007 to July 2008 in the Korangal Valley, one partners on "Restrepo" particularly dangerous part in northeastern of Afghanistan were followed.

Mr Hetherington had rarely booked on Twitter this year, but on Tuesday, he sent them from his iPhone: "in the beleaguered Libyan city of Misurata." Indiscriminate bombing by Qadhafi forces. "No sign of NATO."

Mr Martin was working on his own when he was wounded, and he was the agency communication with prior to the attack, said they knew little about his well-being. Mr Martin pictures had sent to Panos pictures on Wednesday, said Mr Lustig, editor.

"He is a young and ambitious photographers with plenty of talent," said Mr Lustig. "He pushes ever to get the best images from the most difficult circumstances." We are all praying that he pulls through.

Jeremy W. Peters contributed reporting from New York.

View the original article here

Award-winning war photographer killed in attack in Libya - Los Angeles Times

Tim Hetherington, is left in a building by a rebel helped in Misurata, Libya, hours before he was killed. Chris Hondros, right on mission in Misurata of this week. (AFP/Getty Images;) Associated press) reporting of Misurata, Libya - Tim Hetherington, an award-winning news photographer and Co-Director of the Oscar-nominated documentary "Restrepo" and Chris Hondros, a veteran war photographer for Getty Images, were killed Wednesday in an explosion in the Libyan city of Misurata, doctors and colleagues reported.

At least two other photo journalist injured in the explosion, which was believed to go through a round mortar be been caused. Held city in the western Libya leader Moammar Kadafi has attacked several weeks by forces loyal to the Libyan the rebels.

The wounded journalists were Michael Brown of the Corbis Agency, and Guy Martin by Panos Pictures. Hondros, 41, whose working published edition of the Los Angeles Times, on the front page of Wednesday's was after suffering a wound and died some hours later fell into the Misurata's Hikma hospital in coma.

Doctors at the hospital said that seven fighters rebelling and a Ukrainian doctor Wednesday in bombings were killed.

The most Misurata is in rebel hands, although it is surrounded by Kadafi of the forces that have superior firepower. The journalists had in the vicinity of the front lines working with a local militia officer in an area of snipers and other fighters loyal to Kadafi challenged. The journalists were revealed to more territory secure again on foot when they were hit by the fire.

Photos: Images by Hetherington and Hondros

"We were trying, in a safe place." It was too quiet. It said dangerous "Guillermo Cervera, a freelance photo-journalist, which a few metres away from the explosion at the time.""I heard the whoosh of an explosion, and all were on the ground."

Rebels moved in vehicles, and hospital, took the photographer hikmah Cervera said. Mohammed Zawwam, a local journalist, said Hetherington Misurata of people help to and to do a video project on the conflict had said.

"He was just a good guy, an amazing guy, me", Zawwam said.

Hetherington in Liverpool, England, born, studied literature at the University of Oxford, according to his website biography. His documentary, "Restrepo" of a train by soldiers in Afghanistan, won the grand jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival last year.

The New York Hondros extends conflicts around the world, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Kashmir, Liberia and the West Bank since the late 1990s. In 2004 he was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in the spot news photography for his work in Liberia and in 2006 he won the gold medal by Robert Capa.

Ned.Parker@LATimes.com

View the original article here

Libya warns against UK military Advisor - Aljazeera.net

Libya's deputy foreign minister has spoken out against a?British plan to send a team of military?officers to the North African country?to advise?the rebels.

Khaled?Kaim said Britain's attempt to help?the opposition forces would be futile.

"This is not in the interest of the UK," Kaim told The Associated Press news agency on Tuesday.

"This is an impossible mission. To organise who? They (the rebels) are different groups. There is no leader. They are not well-organised, and I am sure it will be a failure," Kaim said.

His comments came after the British foreign minister, William Hague,?announced that military advisers would join a group of British diplomats already co-operating with the Libyan National Transitional Council, based in the opposition stronghold of Benghazi.

"They will advise the National Transitional Council on how to improve their military organisational structures, communications and logistics, including how best to distribute humanitarian aid and deliver medical assistance," he said.

However, the foreign office said the team would not train or arm forces fighting troops loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader.

Hague insisted that the deployment would be "fully within the terms" of the United Nations Security Council resolution on Libya that authorised the set up of a no-fly zone over the country.

'Taking sides'

Hague's announcement sparked some criticism among supporters of British prime minister David Cameron's coalition government.

Several lawmakers from Cameron's Conservative Party called for the recall of parliament, now in recess, to debate the move. They argued that circumstances have changed since parliament approved British participation in the Libya no-fly zone last month.

Keep up with all the latest developments here

Peter Bone, one Conservative lawmaker, voiced concern that Britain seemed to be "taking sides in a civil war".

But Omar Ashour, director of Middle East studies at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies at the University of Exeter said the deployment of British advisers to Libya is a necessary step.

"[There are] training problems, logistical problems. Many of the forces in the [opposition] are merely civilians who have never taken up arms before. So there will need to be some training," Ashour told Al Jazeera.

"It's necessary right now especially because many Libyans - from Misurata and Benghazi - have been calling for direct boots on the ground."

EU armed escorts

The European Union, meanwhile, said it is ready, in principle, to provide armed escorts to secure UN aid convoys in Libya,?though UN officials said they do not?need such guards for the time being.

The proposal drew a warning from?Libya's deputy foreign?minister that sending armed escorts would be tantamount to a military operation.

The UN resolution bans the use of foreign troops in Libya.

Russia - a veto-wielding member of the Security Council - already has complained that the NATO action in bombing Libya's military has overstepped its mandate, and therefore is unlikely to approve any further extension of the alliance's operations.

"The UN Security Council never aimed to topple the Libyan regime," Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said in Belgrade on Tuesday. "All those who are currently using the UN resolution for that aim are violating the UN mandate."

The NATO-led international operation to enforce the no-fly zone and protect civilians has been criticised by Libyan pro-democracy forces?in recent weeks for failing to do enough to protect them from attack by pro-Gaddafi fighters.

Mustafa Abdul-Jalil,?an opposition?leader touring Europe in search of more logistical support, said the Libyan opposition is not looking to other nations to remove Gaddafi.

"We are not looking or inviting anybody to kill him, and we don't have such a possibility, but we hope he and his regime can leave Libya as soon as possible," Abdul-Jalil said in Italy.

Stalemate

The military struggle for control of Libya has ground to a stalemate, with?pro-democracy fighters?backed by air strikes apparently capable of holding their ground in the east of the country, while Gaddafi continues to control Tripoli and the west, apart from the city of Misurata.

But Gaddafi's son, Saif al-Islam, told state television on Tuesday that he was confident the rebellion would fail.
"I am very optimistic and we will win," Saif said on Allibya television. "The situation changes every day in our favour."

Meanwhile Libya's opposition leaders said that at least 10,000 people had died since the start of the conflict in February.

Mike Hanna, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Benghazi, said: "Given the intensity of the conflict, it doesn't come as a surprise.

"We have focused on areas like Misurata, where the humanitarian crisis is well documented; however it is happening throughout Libya, the full extent of the crisis is not known and there is no real idea of [casualty] figures."

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies  Email  Print  Share  Send Feedback Topics in this articlePeopleWilliam HagueMuammar GaddafiCountryLibyaBritainUnited KingdomOrganisationLibyan National Transitional Council Featured on Al Jazeera Nigeria: Ripe for a WikiLeaks revolution? Leaked cables helped expose high-level corruption, but will those revelations impact upcoming elections?  China's interests in Gaddafi Huge oil and financial deals play major part in Beijing's support for Libya's despot and halt to foreign intervention.  It's Arab and it's personal The Arab revolution puts regional and international powers on notice as it pushes for the removal of autocrats.  Recognising Palestine? The efforts of the Palestinian Authority to push for statehood are nothing more than an elaborate farce, writer says.

Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules?& Guidelines?and?Terms and Conditions.

.dsq-toolbar-logo { display:none !important;} .dsq-item-trackback { display:none !important;} #dsq-num-posts { color: #FB9D04 !important;} #dsq-realtime-status { color: #FB9D04 !important;} .dsq-request-user-logout { color: #FB9D04 !important; font-weight: bold; } .dsq-comment-header-meta-wrapper { color: Navy !important;} .powered-by { display:none !important;} #dsq-content-stub { display:none !important; } Top News Accordion " style="background-color:<%=HeaderColor()%>;"> Top News  Yemen protest camp 'fired at'   Libya warns against UK military advisers  Syria to lift decades-old emergency law  Chinese rights lawyers released  Japan mulls 'caution zones' around Fukushima News Europe  Ukraine raises $788m for Chernobyl dome  UK soldiers to advise Libyan opposition  Mediterranean fish threatened with extinction Portugal faces tough bailout talks United held at Newcastle What's Hot What's Hot Viewed Emailed 7 Days Libya warns against UK military advisers The scam behind the rise in oil, food prices UN calls for restraint in Yemen Syria to lift decades-old emergency law Libyan rebels get organised American radical China's interests in Gaddafi Japan mulls 'caution zones' around Fukushima Suspects in Italian's murder die in Gaza raid WikiLeaks suspect moving to Kansas base China's interests in Gaddafi The scam behind the rise in oil, food prices BP anniversary: Toxicity, suffering and death Israel bias Cantor-productive in Washington Rethinking Germany: From nuclear to NATO China's bad growth bet Pop goes Islam Peru election: No country 'left' behind Egypt antiquities chief faces jail time Israeli prison raid footage released China's interests in Gaddafi American radical China's interests in Gaddafi Libyan rebels resist Ajdabiya assault Libyan rebels resist Ajdabiya assault It's Arab and it's personal Recognising Palestine? Libya group agrees 'trust fund' for rebels Israeli prison raid footage released Libya rebels repel offensives on Misurata Opinion The scam behind the rise in oil, food pricesDanny SchechterLibya's postponed democracyLarbi SadikiChina's bad growth betNouriel RoubiniDonald Trump: Potential president?Cliff SchecterGoldstone: Perceptions and realitiesDaoud KuttabThe geopolitical message from LibyaBrahma ChellaneyPolicing content on social media sitesJillian C. YorkIsrael bias Cantor-productive in WashingtonMJ RosenbergWickets and warinessShashi TharoorThe sun will rise again in JapanYuriko KoikePeru election: No country 'left' behindGreg GrandinSyria's teenaged prisoners of conscienceMichele ZackheimGoogle: A universal library?Peter SingerRethinking Germany: From nuclear to NATORichard FalkObama and Libya: Not 'why', but 'how'Andrew J. BacevichSaif Gaddafi and meDani RodrikIt's Arab and it's personalMarwan BisharaUS public supports Palestine statehoodMJ Rosenberg Free our journalist

Enter Zip CodeGo
join our mailing listEmail Address Close News Africa Americas Asia-Pacific Central/S.Asia Europe Middle East Sport In Depth Opinion Features Spotlight Briefings Blogs Your Views Programmes Riz Khan Witness Inside Story Listening Post People & Power Fault Lines Fabulous Picture Show Frost Over The World 101 East One on One Rageh Omaar Report Counting The Cost Talk to Al Jazeera Empire Inside Iraq Watch Live On Demand Podcasts Mobile Broadcast Schedule More About Us Search Weather Creative Commons Work for us Transparency Unit Community Rules Terms & Conditions try{ window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({ appId : '116663708370869', status : true, // check login status cookie : true, // enable cookies to allow the server to access the session xfbml : true // parse XFBML }); }; (function() { var e = document.createElement('script'); e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/all.js#xfbml=1'; e.async = true; document.getElementById('fb-root').appendChild(e); }());}catch(err) {}

View the original article here