France in pledge to boost Libya airstrikes
Source: Agencies |
April 21, 2011, Thursday
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FRANCE vowed yesterday to step up airstrikes on Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's forces and acknowledged that it has military officers already working with Libyan rebels on the ground.
Italy joined Britain in announcing their commitment of military instructors to train the rebels, who have failed to rout Gadhafi's forces despite weeks of NATO-led airstrikes.
European powers and the Libyan opposition remained firm against sending foreign ground troops into Libya, a dangerous and politically risky step. However NATO, which is leading the United Nations-sanctioned international military operation to protect civilians, is now acknowledging that airstrikes alone cannot stop the heavy shelling of cities by Gadhafi's forces.
Gadhafi's forces attacked a mountain town and a besieged coastal city yesterday, part of a drive to crush pockets of resistance in the western part of the country that is largely under the Libyan leader's control.
"France has placed a small number of liaison officers alongside our special envoy in (the rebel stronghold) Benghazi," French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Christine Fages said in an online briefing yesterday.
A French diplomat said the French officers are not combat troops and are not teaching Libyan rebels weapons skills. Instead, he said, they are working on logistics and organizational help. France sent a diplomatic envoy to Benghazi earlier this month.
France has championed the international campaign in Libya. President Nicolas Sarkozy met yesterday with visiting Libyan opposition leader Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, who said he asked France "to intensify the support accorded to the Libyan revolution."
"We will intensify the strikes," Sarkozy responded, according to a presidential aide. The aide was not authorized to be named according to presidential policy.
In Rome, Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa said 10 military instructors will be going to Libya to help the rebels, but again ruled out sending Italian ground troops.
La Russa spoke after meeting with British Defense Secretary Liam Fox, who said many of the Libyan rebels "have no military experience, they have little understanding of weaponry or military tactics."
Britain said on Tuesday it was sending up to 20 military advisers to help the rebel forces.
A spokesman for Libya's National Transitional Council, the political wing of the rebel movement, said yesterday the military advisers would be a big help.
"My understanding is that it will all be administrative help, nothing with weapons and nothing in the field," Mustafa Gheirani said.
Italy joined Britain in announcing their commitment of military instructors to train the rebels, who have failed to rout Gadhafi's forces despite weeks of NATO-led airstrikes.
European powers and the Libyan opposition remained firm against sending foreign ground troops into Libya, a dangerous and politically risky step. However NATO, which is leading the United Nations-sanctioned international military operation to protect civilians, is now acknowledging that airstrikes alone cannot stop the heavy shelling of cities by Gadhafi's forces.
Gadhafi's forces attacked a mountain town and a besieged coastal city yesterday, part of a drive to crush pockets of resistance in the western part of the country that is largely under the Libyan leader's control.
"France has placed a small number of liaison officers alongside our special envoy in (the rebel stronghold) Benghazi," French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Christine Fages said in an online briefing yesterday.
A French diplomat said the French officers are not combat troops and are not teaching Libyan rebels weapons skills. Instead, he said, they are working on logistics and organizational help. France sent a diplomatic envoy to Benghazi earlier this month.
France has championed the international campaign in Libya. President Nicolas Sarkozy met yesterday with visiting Libyan opposition leader Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, who said he asked France "to intensify the support accorded to the Libyan revolution."
"We will intensify the strikes," Sarkozy responded, according to a presidential aide. The aide was not authorized to be named according to presidential policy.
In Rome, Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa said 10 military instructors will be going to Libya to help the rebels, but again ruled out sending Italian ground troops.
La Russa spoke after meeting with British Defense Secretary Liam Fox, who said many of the Libyan rebels "have no military experience, they have little understanding of weaponry or military tactics."
Britain said on Tuesday it was sending up to 20 military advisers to help the rebel forces.
A spokesman for Libya's National Transitional Council, the political wing of the rebel movement, said yesterday the military advisers would be a big help.
"My understanding is that it will all be administrative help, nothing with weapons and nothing in the field," Mustafa Gheirani said.
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