Tripoli, small rebel Libya of NATO bombs rock move

TRIPOLI - a NATO bombing blitz, which the alliance insisted was intended not to Moamer Kadhafi, shaken Tripoli, rebels in besieged Misrata claimed to repel the forces of the Libyan strongman.

NATO said that, since the alliance took over military operations on March 31 to protect civilians from the pro-Gaddafi forces, jets conducted almost 6,000 sorties, including more than 2,300 strike missions.

Step bombs in all these missions, the figures show, as officials again insisted that the raids were not intended to kill Gaddafi, who ruled the nation of North Africa more than four decades.

"All NATO targets are military targets, which means that the objectives that we have an and it also arrived yesterday evening in Tripoli, are command and control bunkers" Brigadier General Claudio Gabellini has told reporters. "

"NATO does not target individuals," he said via video link from the headquarters of the operation at Naples in Italy.

But asked if Kadhafi was still alive, the Italian General of NATO, said: "we have no evidence." We do not know what Gaddafi did now. ?

Tuesday first jets had shouted down on the capital, Tripoli, in a bombardment intense lasts approximately three hours an AFP journalist said.

The explosions came after NATO Chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the clock is ticking for Kadhafi, who had "sooner than later realize that there is no future for him or his regime.".

Gaddafi has survived a bombing similar NATO on 1 may in Tripoli, who killed his second youngest son, Seif al-Arab and three of his grandchildren.

Inspired by the uprisings in other Arab countries, the rebels have fought since mid-February to oust al-Gaddafi, but they met fierce resistance in spite of gaining a foothold in the eastern city of Benghazi.

They have put in place a National Transitional Council (NTC) and Mahmud Jibril, a senior figure in the opposition of the Libya, was to meet with key legislators on Wednesday to discuss the conflict, senior U.S. Senator John Kerry told us.

Kerry, a democratic ally of the White House, who chairs the Committee of the Foreign Relations of the Senate, said that he will make a public appearance with Jibril to 3: 30 pm (1930 GMT).

"The Foreign Affairs Commission and the American people is willing to learn more about the movement of opposition in Libya and Mahmud Jibril is well positioned to answer our questions," Kerry said in a statement.

The United States has not yet recognize the NTC France, the Italy and the Qatar, with representatives in Washington saying that they wanted a "clearer picture" first on the body of the opposition.

The rebels meanwhile said they had led Gaddafi forces from the Western port of Misrata, which has been besieged loyalist for approximately two months, and were ready to make another push.

After heavy clashes, the rebels controlled a stretch of road on the West coast of Misrata, their last major stronghold, in the West which prompted thousands to flee.

A journalist from AFP said the rebels had forced Government troops about 15 kilometres (10 miles) from Misrata, Dafnia and were preparing to move on Zliten, the next town on the road to Tripoli.

Haj Mohammed, a commander rebel, said "every day, we manage to advance along the coastal road towards Zliten." Yesterday 15 kilometres (10 miles), today only two, but the advance is irresistible. ?

Rebels have been using containers is to protect fire loyalist, and bulldozers were pushing forward as the advance continued.

Ahmad Hassan, a spokesman for the rebel of Misrata, said insurgents had also "liberated" areas to the South and East of the city, killing several troops of Gaddafi and seizing a large quantity of weapons. Eighteen rebels and civilians were injured.

The rebel claims could not be verified immediately.

During this time, the UN refugee agency has appealed to ships in the Mediterranean to treat all the boats, leaving the Libya as being in need of assistance after reports a vessel loaded with up to 600 people had capsized last week.

The Office of the High Commissioner for refugees, United Nations said the number of fragile and overloaded boat carrying people fleeing

The Libya increased.

"We believe that any vessel of Libya should be considered prima facie as a boat which has need of assistance," the UNHCR spokesman, said Melissa Fleming.

"We believe that all of these boats carrying people trying to escape, of which many are weakened by the conflict, wait please not a distress call.

The Organization of the United Nations said Monday nearly 750,000 people have fled the Libya since the beginning of the conflict.

Car bomb strikes rebel Libya HQ in Benghazi (AFP)

BENGHAZI, Libya (AFP) - a car bomb exploded near the headquarters of rebels in the Libya in their eastern stronghold of Benghazi Tuesday night, injuring two people and fraying nerves in the city recently peaceful.

In the capital Tripoli three loud explosions were heard Wednesday at the start as jets flew above, days after the regime said Libyan strongman Moamer Kadhafi closely escaped a NATO air strike that killed one of his sons.

The explosion of Benghazi took place about 200 metres (yards) a seat of waterfront of insurgents fighting to overthrow Gaddafi.

"It was a car bomb, spokesman of the rebel army Omar Ahmed Bani told AFP, while Libyan as the scene journalist, Nasser Warfuli said that the vehicle was a white Chevrolet which blew just before the evening prayer."

"I was walking and everything exploded around me," Mohamed Tosi, one of the two injured men, said of his sick bed in Al-Jalaa hospital, where the second wounded, also the suffering of the shrapnel injuries, was treated and released.

The explosion caused scenes of chaos as hundreds of men, of gross guns or Kalashnikov, ground and soared to the top of the twisted metal from the wreck of the car for chanting slogans against Libyan strongman Moamer Kadhafi.

Several said they believed that the explosion, the first car bombing of Benghazi from the Libyan uprising began in February, was the work of the "cell Gaddafi."

Benghazi was about to be invaded by the forces of Gaddafi when Western combat aircraft began a bombing campaign on March 19 to enforce a no-fly zone mandated to protect civilians.

But since then, he saw no combat and the line between rebels and forces of Gaddafi is now 160 kilometers (100 miles) South.

During this time, rebel besieged city of Misrata was relatively calm Tuesday but braced for further attacks by the forces of Gaddafi as an ultimatum to surrender expired, a day after the bombing killed 14 people.

However, several kilometres away, fighting continues in Al-Ghiran and Zawiat al-Mahjoub nearly airport, rebels tried to capture forces of Gaddafi based there.

Medical sources in the town of third infantryman of the Libya said one person was killed and 22 injured late in the afternoon.

Mussa Ibrahim Government spokesman had Friday delivered an ultimatum for rebel fighters in Misrata cease fire, offer amnesty if they laid down their weapons.

But the rebels, who were under siege in the West of the city, by the faithful for about two months was quickly rejected.

With the airport in the hands of the Government, the rebels depend entirely on the supply by sea with port repeated bombed by troops of Gaddafi, a few ships are docking, which resulted in a growing shortage of food.

Benghazi, the rebels issued a call for a line of credit of emergency that could reach $ 3 billion to the United States and the two European countries to recognize them - the France and the Italy - ahead of a meeting in Rome of the International Contact Group on the Libya.

"The liquidity that we have the national will probably take us three weeks, more than four weeks," said Ali Tarhoni, who holds the portfolio of the economy and oil in the administration of rebels.

He said that the three billion would allow the administration to stay afloat for three to four months.

Rebel leaders no longer wants Qaddafi frozen assets to be unfrozen and given his administration, but to open lines of credit which is guaranteed by the countries where these assets are held, he said.

Gaddafi frozen assets anywhere in the world equivalent to $ 165 billion, said Tarhoni.

The Rome meeting is to find a political solution to the conflict in Libya, in an impasse in the fighting and a humanitarian crisis.

The discussions of the International Contact Group will also discuss whether to arm the uprising against Kadhafi and how to finance the rebels, including through oil sales in eastern Libya on world markets.

But Tarhoni said important exports are not on the cards if early.

"The priority is to protect the installations, not step to produce," he said.

Before the Rome talks, NATO member of single Muslim majority plus Turkey pressure on Kadhafi, the appeal for the first time for European Libyan to withdraw "without causing bloodshed, tears and destruction."

Reservoirs of Gaddafi probe rebel city as the son is buried (AFP)

MISRATA, Libya (AFP) - Forces loyal to Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi launched a new incursion armoured in the besieged rebel city Misrata as his son, killed in an air attack by NATO, was buried in Tripoli.

Corresponding AFP heard heavy shelling throughout the morning Monday as loyalist tanks in the western suburbs of the third largest city of the Libya.

At least four people were killed and 30 wounded in the fighting, said medical sources. The overnight clashes had killed another six and wounded dozens of others.

"Tanks are in Al-Ghiran and Zawiyat Al-Mahjoub and were interrupted by our men," said a rebel commander.

One or several NATO planes flew over the city for more than two hours, but not the air strikes were heard.

Residents have expressed frustration at the absence of a military response from the Western alliance to the shielding of Gaddafi.

"NATO has to help us." "What they expect?"has begged for a.

Unlike on the previous days headquarters more six week of Misrata, the resident refused to give his name--an indication of the mounting fear in the city that Gaddafi forces are ready to resume.

The last major rebel stronghold in the West of the Libya, Misrata is surrounded by the forces of pro-Gaddafi and depends entirely on the sea supply.

NATO forces have been searching for a ROE anti-ship than mine laid by the forces of Gaddafi near Misrata last week, the alliance said. Four small boats were captured by dropping three mines off the coast of the port last week, but two only were found and disarmed.

Rockets and again targeted shells Misrata in the evening, and heavy explosions were heard in the port area.

In the capital, more than 1,000 people attended funerals for the young second son and three grandchildren of the leader of al-Gaddafi.

Mussa Ibrahim regime spokesman told journalists that Seif al-Arab al-Gaddafi was killed in an air attack on a compound of Tripoli over the weekend. The grandchildren who died in the attack were a boy and a girl, both aged two and a girl of four months.

No small coffins were immediately visible in the procession at the Al-Hani cemetery, where some lament fired the gun into the air and slogans chanted pro-Gaddafi.

"In contrast to the martyrs"! People want Moamer, guide! ", the crowd chanted that the body of Seif al-Arab, covered in a green canvas with a wreath of flowers on top, was made for the burial.

Also, crowds chanted slogans against French President Nicolas Sarkozy, which led from the start of the international campaign against Gaddafi.

Catholic Bishop Giovanni Martinelli, who has been critical of the air strikes of the international coalition against pro-Gaddafi forces attended the funeral.

Ibrahim said Al-Qadhafi and his wife had been in the building during the strike, which he calls "a direct operation to assassinate the leader."

But Kadhafi nor his wife were adversely affected, he said.

Demonstrators burned vacant British and Italian diplomatic buildings in Tripoli in response to this raid, prompting Britain to expel the Ambassador of the Libya.

A statement of the National Council of transition in bastion rebel breakdown Benghazi the burned down, saying: "it is a clear sign that Gaddafi did not respect international law."

Also, the rebels welcomed the death of Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and said that it would be "gift" If the United States killed now Gaddafi.

Italy promoted security checks after Gaddafi threatened to "wear the battle in Italy" after the decision to Rome to join the air strikes NATO-led.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has sought to minimize threats, attributing them to "Disappointment Gaddafi 's" in Italy, former leader of the Libya colonial.

Turkey has closed its Embassy late Sunday after the attacks on the British and Italian diplomatic missions, said Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

The Western alliance has promised more strikes, although the Commander of the operation, said "us target specific step".

"All NATO targets are military in nature and have been clearly linked to the attacks... systematic of the regime on the Libyan people and populated areas," said lieutenant-general Charles Bouchard.

He said the raids would continue until threats against civilians has ceased and all the forces of Gaddafi "" removed verifiable from their bases, and until there is a free, full access and unhindered humanitarian assistance to all those Libya who need.""

China has renewed its call for a ceasefire and urged NATO to do not exceed the terms of the resolution of the United Nations Security Council providing for military action to protect civilians.

Venezuela asked the Organization of the United Nations to condemn the murder of Gaddafi and grandchildren, such that it demanded an end to raids on the country.

An international coalition began to operate attacks on March 19 under the mandate of the United Nations Security Council. NATO took command of operations on March 31.

Switzerland said it has frozen 830 million francs (960 million dollars/646 million euros) in funds belonging to strongmen North Africa since the beginning of the popular uprisings of this year.

Most of the blocked funds--410 million francs - is linked to the former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his associates. But it is thought that 360 million francs blocked by the Switzerland belong to the regime of Kadhafi.