LIBYAN Government forces are firing Russian-made rockets and howitzers on counter-revolutionary ‘rebels’ and their Western commanders and forcing them back.
Meanwhile, NATO bombers are clearing the way for an assault on the city of Sirte.
Despite claiming that its puppet ‘NTC’ is now in control of most of Libya, NATO admitted yesterday that Colonel Gadaffi is still in control of his army which is dealing blows to the pro-imperialist forces.
NATO officer Colonel Roland Lavoie said: ‘My message is that despite the fall of the Gadaffi regime and the gradual return of security for many Libyans, NATO’s mission is not finished yet.
He said: ‘Our main area of attention is the corridor between Baliwalid and the eastern edge of Sirte where the pro-Gadaffi forces are maintaining a varying presence in several coastal cities and villages, a presence that has also been reported inland.’
NATO said yesterday that it is still ‘very much involved’ in military action over Libya, with its planes dropping a multitude of bombs on the population of Sirte, a city of 100,000 men, women and children.
Sirte is rumoured to have entrances lined with mines and it is prepared for battle.
Yesterday, the Libyan ‘rebels’ were reportedly parked at a ‘staging ground’ some 150 kilometres to the west of Sirte fearful of moving except under the constant escort of NATO jets and helicopter gunships.
Meanwhile, neighbouring Algeria has earned the hatred of the counter-revolutionary ‘NTC’ for welcoming Colonel Gadaffi’s wife Safia, his daughter Aisha and his sons Muhammad and Hannibal.
The Algerian government said Aisha Gadaffi gave birth to a daughter shortly after arriving in the country on Monday morning.
Algeria’s ambassador to the UN, Mourad Benmehidi, said that in the desert regions there is a ‘holy rule of hospitality’ and his country had accepted the family on humanitarian grounds.
But the imperialist puppet ‘NTC’ condemned Algeria for offering shelter to the family, calling it ‘an act of aggression against the Libyan people and against the wishes of the Libyan people’.
And Britain’s Foreign Secretary Hague said: ‘We would expect full co-operation from Algeria in any judicial process with regard members of the Gadaffi family.’
Meanwhile, the Ugandan President Museveni has attacked the West and NATO for ‘disorganising a friend’.
He accused the West of greed and defended Colonel Gadaffi, warning: ‘Those Europeans have more mistakes and problems. They think the rest of us are fools except themselves.
‘When there are riots in Africa they call them pro-democracy and in London they call them criminals.’
President Museveni added: ‘Those Europeans should know that Africa of today is not Africa of 100 years ago or even 50 years ago.’
