Libya rebels reject cease-fire deal
Source: Agencies |
April 12, 2011, Tuesday
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Libyan rebels swiftly rejected an African Union peace initiative yesterday, saying there could be no deal to end a two-month-old civil war unless Moammar Gadhafi left power.
The initiative collapsed hours after South African President Jacob Zuma, head of an African Union mission, said Gadhafi had accepted the plan, including a cease-fire proposal.
As African presidents negotiated with the rebel leadership in their stronghold of Benghazi, residents said Gadhafi's forces bombarded the besieged western city of Misrata where residents reported heavy fighting.
Western leaders also rejected any deal that did not include Gadhafi's removal and NATO refused to suspend its bombing of his forces unless there was a credible cease-fire.
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told a Brussels news briefing that Gadhafi's government had announced cease-fires in the past, but "they did not keep their promises."
Rebel leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil told a news conference after the talks in Benghazi: "The African Union initiative does not include the departure of Gadhafi and his sons from the Libyan political scene, therefore it is outdated."
NATO said its air strikes against government armor, which have recently increased, would continue as long as Gadhafi targeted civilians.
A resident of the coastal city of Misrata, which has been under siege for six weeks, said that heavy fighting was under way on the eastern approaches and in the center.
Rebels said that Gadhafi's forces fired Russian-made Grad rockets into the city, where conditions for civilians are said to be desperate.
Zuma did not travel from Tripoli to Benghazi with other AU delegates, to the rebels' surprise, but issued a statement when he got home saying the mission was "a huge success."
Libyan officials have repeatedly said that Gadhafi, who holds no official state position, will not quit.
The AU delegation was met in Benghazi by up to 3,000 demonstrators holding banners reading: "African Union take Gadhafi with you" and "Gadhafi has committed genocide." They pushed up to the doors of the hotel where the talks were held, yelling "the people want the downfall of the regime."
Officials from NATO, which is bombing Libyan government armor under a United Nations mandate to protect civilians, said they took note of the African Union plan but the alliance would continue operations while civilians were at risk.
NATO stepped up attacks on Gadhafi's armor over the weekend, destroying 25 tanks around Misrata and Ajdabiyah after rebels accused them of acting too slowly.
The initiative collapsed hours after South African President Jacob Zuma, head of an African Union mission, said Gadhafi had accepted the plan, including a cease-fire proposal.
As African presidents negotiated with the rebel leadership in their stronghold of Benghazi, residents said Gadhafi's forces bombarded the besieged western city of Misrata where residents reported heavy fighting.
Western leaders also rejected any deal that did not include Gadhafi's removal and NATO refused to suspend its bombing of his forces unless there was a credible cease-fire.
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told a Brussels news briefing that Gadhafi's government had announced cease-fires in the past, but "they did not keep their promises."
Rebel leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil told a news conference after the talks in Benghazi: "The African Union initiative does not include the departure of Gadhafi and his sons from the Libyan political scene, therefore it is outdated."
NATO said its air strikes against government armor, which have recently increased, would continue as long as Gadhafi targeted civilians.
A resident of the coastal city of Misrata, which has been under siege for six weeks, said that heavy fighting was under way on the eastern approaches and in the center.
Rebels said that Gadhafi's forces fired Russian-made Grad rockets into the city, where conditions for civilians are said to be desperate.
Zuma did not travel from Tripoli to Benghazi with other AU delegates, to the rebels' surprise, but issued a statement when he got home saying the mission was "a huge success."
Libyan officials have repeatedly said that Gadhafi, who holds no official state position, will not quit.
The AU delegation was met in Benghazi by up to 3,000 demonstrators holding banners reading: "African Union take Gadhafi with you" and "Gadhafi has committed genocide." They pushed up to the doors of the hotel where the talks were held, yelling "the people want the downfall of the regime."
Officials from NATO, which is bombing Libyan government armor under a United Nations mandate to protect civilians, said they took note of the African Union plan but the alliance would continue operations while civilians were at risk.
NATO stepped up attacks on Gadhafi's armor over the weekend, destroying 25 tanks around Misrata and Ajdabiyah after rebels accused them of acting too slowly.
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