African Union committee to meet Libyan officials in Tripoli
By the CNN Wire Staff
April 10, 2011 -- Updated 1457 GMT (2257 HKT)
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
* NEW: The African Union committeearrives in Libya
* NEW: The rebels appear to have recaptured Ajdabiya
* NATO says Gadhafi's forces are using civilians as human shields
* Witnesses: Three pro-Gadhafi fighters who were killed carried foreign
identification cards
Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- In the latest diplomatic effort to stop the bloodshed
in Libya, an African Union committee arrived Sunday to meet with authorities in
Tripoli before connecting with opposition members in the Libyan rebel
stronghold of Benghazi.
The African Union's special committee on Libya is represented by Mauritania,
the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Uganda and South Africa.
Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz told journalists on Sunday that
the meetings "will discuss the ways to resolve the crisis in Libya, and our
main goal is to stop the military operations and find adequate solutions for
the problem between our Libyan brothers," according to a Mauritanian news
agency.
But longtime Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has been a strong supporter of the
African Union and has channeled large sums of money its way. Libya also holds a
seat on the 15-member Peace and Security Council. As such, opposition leaders
in Benghazi did not express optimism over the success of mediation as they
continue to fight for freedom and an end to Gadhafi's four-decade rule.
After a series of setbacks driven by the advances of pro-government forces,
Libyan rebel fighters appeared to recapture the besieged city of Ajdabiya after
apparently holding off Gadhafi's better-equipped forces.
In a hospital, witnesses told CNN that three of Gadhafi's fighters who were
killed were carrying identification cards from Syria, Algeria and Chad.
Meanwhile, in Misrata, NATO airstrikes hit parts of the city overnight and
Sunday morning, an eyewitness, who did not want to be named for security
reasons, told CNN. At least eight people were killed and 22 injured from
Saturday's fighting between the pro-Gadhafi forces and the rebels, according to
medical sources in the city.
Pro-Gadhafi forces continued shelling parts of the city Sunday morning, the
eyewitness said. A steel mill near the port was targeted but the port is now
under rebel control.
Civilians living in the western sections of Misrata have been forced to leave
their homes and have gathered in schools and friends' and relatives' homes near
the city center, eyewitnesses said.
In a statement Saturday, NATO said its aircraft destroyed pro-Gadhafi
ammunition stockpiles east of Tripoli that were supplying troops shelling
Misrata and other cities. The alliance also made attacks on armored vehicles
near Misrata and Ajdabiya, NATO said.
Opposition spokesman Shamsiddin Abdulmolah told CNN that rebels flew two attack
helicopters from Tobruk to join the fighting in Ajdabiya.
"There were some 50 regime pickup trucks with machine guns and rocket launchers
that attempted to enter Ajdabiya," Abdulmolah said. "The helicopters destroyed
several of the trucks, and the rest took off."
Abdulmolah did not know what kind of helicopters the rebel forces used in
Saturday's attack and could not confirm whether rebel forces coordinated the
operation with NATO.
NATO is operating under a U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing the use
of force to protect Libyan civilians from attack.
The United Nations said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will travel to Cairo
Thursday to head meetings on Libya at the Arab League headquarters. Among the
participants will be Catherine Ashton, the representative for foreign affairs
and security for the European Union.
While Gadhafi has largely stayed out of the public eye in recent days, state TV
aired images Saturday of the leader visiting what appeared to be a primary
school in Tripoli. The anchor said the school was a target of international
airstrikes and was going to be attacked.
But NATO said in its statement that Gadhafi's forces continue to use civilians
as human shields.
"We have observed horrific examples of regime forces deliberately placing their
weapons systems close to civilians, their homes and even their places of
worship," said Lt. Gen. Charlie Bouchard, commander of NATO's Operation Unified
Protector. "Troops have also been observed hiding behind women and children.
This type of behavior violates the principles of international law and will not
be tolerated."
CNN's Reza Sayah, Nic Robertson and Yousuf Basil contributed to this report
------------------------------------
Post message: [email protected]
Subscribe : [email protected]
Unsubscribe : [email protected]
List owner : [email protected]
Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[email protected]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
