Alliance concern at prolonged Libyan war
Source: Agencies |
June 15, 2011, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A NATO airstrike hit an area near Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's compound in the capital again yesterday, as military leaders voiced concerns about sustaining the operations if the alliance mission drags on.
A column of gray smoke could be seen rising from the area around Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound shortly before dawn yesterday.
It was not clear what was targeted, and Libyan officials didn't immediately comment.
East of the capital, alliance aircraft have begun dropping leaflets warning government troops to abandon their posts outside Zlitan, which lies just west of the rebel-held port city of Misrata.
Rebel forces have been advancing along the Mediterranean coast toward Zlitan, but say they have been instructed by NATO to withdraw ahead of expected bombing runs to old front lines in Dafniya.
The 3-by-5 inch leaflets intended for forces loyal to Gadhafi carry the NATO symbol and a picture of an Apache attack helicopter and burning tanks on one side.
Green Arabic writing warns: "There's no place to hide. It's not too late to stop fighting. If you continue to threaten civilians, you will face destruction." The message on the reverse urges soldiers to "stop and stay away from fighting now."
NATO's nearly three-month air campaign has grounded Gadhafi's air forces and weakened his military capabilities. But there are signs the pace of operations has put a strain on the trans-Atlantic alliance.
In London, the head of the Royal Navy warned that the British fleet - a key contributor to the Libya mission - will be unable to maintain the pace of operations if the mission drags on until the end of the year.
Admiral Mark Stanhope said on Monday he was comfortable with NATO's decision to extend the Libya operation to the end of September, but said that beyond that the government would need to make "challenging decisions."
"If we do it longer than six months we will have to reprioritize forces," he said.
Elsewhere, a senior NATO official said coalition resources would become "critical" if intervention in Libya continues. "If additional resources are needed, this of course will need a political decision," said the official, General Stephane Abrial, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation.
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates last week publicly rebuked the United States' European allies and said NATO's operations in Libya have exposed the alliance's shortcomings. France and Britain have carried most of the load since NATO began the Libya mission March 31.
In western Libya, Gadhafi's troops were bombarding opposition forces controlling a key border crossing with Tunisia, according to Omar Hussein, a spokesman for rebels in the western Nafusa mountains.
He said government forces were targeting rebels holding the road that leads toward the Dehiba border crossing. Dehiba is a key supply point for the rebels who wrested control of a string of Nafusa mountain towns from Gadhafi's forces.
A column of gray smoke could be seen rising from the area around Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound shortly before dawn yesterday.
It was not clear what was targeted, and Libyan officials didn't immediately comment.
East of the capital, alliance aircraft have begun dropping leaflets warning government troops to abandon their posts outside Zlitan, which lies just west of the rebel-held port city of Misrata.
Rebel forces have been advancing along the Mediterranean coast toward Zlitan, but say they have been instructed by NATO to withdraw ahead of expected bombing runs to old front lines in Dafniya.
The 3-by-5 inch leaflets intended for forces loyal to Gadhafi carry the NATO symbol and a picture of an Apache attack helicopter and burning tanks on one side.
Green Arabic writing warns: "There's no place to hide. It's not too late to stop fighting. If you continue to threaten civilians, you will face destruction." The message on the reverse urges soldiers to "stop and stay away from fighting now."
NATO's nearly three-month air campaign has grounded Gadhafi's air forces and weakened his military capabilities. But there are signs the pace of operations has put a strain on the trans-Atlantic alliance.
In London, the head of the Royal Navy warned that the British fleet - a key contributor to the Libya mission - will be unable to maintain the pace of operations if the mission drags on until the end of the year.
Admiral Mark Stanhope said on Monday he was comfortable with NATO's decision to extend the Libya operation to the end of September, but said that beyond that the government would need to make "challenging decisions."
"If we do it longer than six months we will have to reprioritize forces," he said.
Elsewhere, a senior NATO official said coalition resources would become "critical" if intervention in Libya continues. "If additional resources are needed, this of course will need a political decision," said the official, General Stephane Abrial, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation.
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates last week publicly rebuked the United States' European allies and said NATO's operations in Libya have exposed the alliance's shortcomings. France and Britain have carried most of the load since NATO began the Libya mission March 31.
In western Libya, Gadhafi's troops were bombarding opposition forces controlling a key border crossing with Tunisia, according to Omar Hussein, a spokesman for rebels in the western Nafusa mountains.
He said government forces were targeting rebels holding the road that leads toward the Dehiba border crossing. Dehiba is a key supply point for the rebels who wrested control of a string of Nafusa mountain towns from Gadhafi's forces.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
