Coalition forces paving rebels’ way to Libyan oil facilities

The international coalition enforcing a no-fly zone in Libya is bombing both military and civilians targets to pave the rebels’ way to oil facilities, a military source told the Jana national news agency on Saturday.

The source said the coalition’s raids “have nothing to do with the protection of civilians.”

“The coalition forces are methodically paving the way to Al-Qaeda’s gangs so that they seize as many oil fields and facilities and territories as possible and then blackmail the authorities,” the source added.

He also said that the coalition’s air strikes eliminated almost all the tanks of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s forces in the eastern oil town of Ajdabiya leaving them no chance for defense.

Libyan rebels managed to retake the town of Ajdabiya from Gaddafi loyalists earlier on Saturday. The government forces had pulled back after being bombed by allied aircraft.

The source said the coalition obviously coordinated its actions with the rebels.

The UN Security Council imposed a no-fly zone over Libya on March 17, also permitting “all necessary measures” to protect civilians from Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s attacks on rebel-held towns.

The operation to enforce the no-fly zone, codenamed Odyssey Dawn, is being conducted jointly by 13 states, including the United States, Britain and France.

Western warplanes have flown more than 300 sorties over the North African country and fired 162 Tomahawk missiles in the UN-mandated mission. Libyan state media outlets have reported that dozens of people have been killed by the airstrikes.

 

CAIRO, March 26 (RIA Novosti)

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