Snipers hold up push into Gaddafi stronghold of Sirte

SIRTE: Forces of Libya’s new rulers, the National Transitional Council (NTC), broke weeks of resistance from Gaddafi loyalists to enter Sirte in recent days, but heavy gunfire has prevented them from reaching the city centre.

Snipers defending Muammar Gaddafi’s hometown of Sirte held off an advance on Tuesday by interim government forces into the centre of the city, one of the last bastions of supporters of the ousted Libyan leader.

Anti-Gaddafi units who approached the city from the east were, for a second day, pinned down at a roundabout approximately 2 km (1.5 miles) from the centre of Sirte.

“Gaddafi forces have placed a lot of snipers around the roundabout and it is not easy for us to advance forward until we get rid of the snipers,” said Ahmed Saleh, an NTC fighter there.

Explosions of artillery rounds and exchanges of small arms fire could be heard from the roundabout. NATO warplanes, which have been pounding targets in Sirte to clear the way for NTC forces to enter, were flying overhead.

Taking Sirte would be an important symbolic trophy for Libya’s new rulers, and would bring them closer to finally gaining control of the whole country more than a month since their fighters seized the capital Tripoli.

Gaddafi built lavishly, turning his birthplace — once a sleepy coastal town — into an informal second capital. It was in the marble halls of Sirte’s Ouagadougou conference centre that he hosted heads of state for summits designed to burnish his image as “African king of kings.”

Libya’s new rulers are under pressure to bring the fighting to an end. Humanitarian organisations have raised the alarm over conditions for civilians in Sirte and in the second pro-Gaddafi bastion, the desert outpost of Bani Walid southeast of Tripoli.

CIVILIANS TRAPPED

Scores of civilians in cars laden with personal belongings streamed out of the town to both the east and west on Monday.

“We are very concerned about the people inside and near Bani Walid and Sirte,” Georges Comninos, who heads the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Libya, said in a statement.

ICRC spokesman Steven Anderson said the agency was trying to get access to people trapped in both towns and provide aid to thousands of people who have fled.

People inside the two besieged Gaddafi bastions had appealed by e-mail and phone for help, he said. “People are talking about medical supplies and food running short.”

NTC fighters and people who have fled Sirte have alleged that pro-Gaddafi fighters were trying to prevent civilians from leaving, effectively using them as human shields.

“Gaddafi’s forces have surrounded the area, closed it off, by shooting at people,” said a man called Youssef, driving away from Sirte with his wife. “There are a lot of people who want to get out but can’t.”

Gaddafi’s fugitive spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said on Monday the ousted leader was in Libya and “very happy that he is doing his part in this great saga of resistance”.

Ibrahim would not comment further on Gaddafi’s whereabouts, but said he himself had been in Sirte the previous day. “The situation is quite bad.” AGENCIES

Gaddafi spokesman: 17, including French and British, captured

A spokesman for Muammar Gaddafi said on Sunday that 17 “mercenaries,” including what he called French and British “technical experts” had been captured in the Gaddafi bastion of Bani Walid in Libya.

“A group was captured in Bani Walid consisting of 17 mercenaries. They are technical experts and they include consultative officers,” Moussa Ibrahim told Syrian-based Arrai TV.

“Most of them are French, one of them is from an Asian country that has not been identified, two English people and one Qatari,” he added.

He said the 17 would be shown on television at a later time, but did not give more details.

It was not immediately possible to verify Ibrahim s claims. The French foreign ministry said it had no information regarding the report.

NATO, French and British officials had on Saturday denied a report by Arrai TV that some NATO troops had been captured by Gaddafi loyalists.

Western special forces are known to have been in Libya and to have liaised with anti-Gaddafi officials during the conflict. Private security firms have also been helping anti-Gaddafi forces, according to Western media reports.

Kuwait may host US Iraq backup force

The troops will be kept as a backup or rotational training force for Iraq, after the Pentagon completes the scheduled withdrawal of its current 45,000-strong force from Iraq in December, US officials said.

The proposal, not yet announced, is among a number of options the administration is considering for extending its military training role in still-violent Iraq, whose divided government has been reluctant to ask Washington directly to keep troops on its soil beyond this year.

All troops are to leave Iraq by Dec. 31 under a 2008 security agreement, but senior US officials worry that without more training the Iraqi forces may squander hard-won security gains. The Iraqi army, for example, is only now taking delivery of US battle tanks, on which they have yet to be trained.

Iraq s security forces are improving but still lack the capability to defend fully Iraqi air space, borders and territorial waters, US military officers say.

“There are some gaps in their military capabilities, their security capabilities, that we believe we could offer some assistance with,” Navy Capt. John Kirby, a spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday. Discussions with the Iraqis on this are in an early stage, Kirby added.

The Obama administration favors a proposal that would leave 3,000 to 5,000 US troops in Iraq next year to train Iraqi forces, US officials said this week. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because Iraq has not yet asked for any extension of forces.

It has not previously been reported that staging US forces in Kuwait as a part of that training mission, or possibly along with that mission, is being considered. One of the US officials said the administration would foresee the Kuwait arrangement lasting for three years, starting in 2012, with troops rotating into Iraq for six-month stints. No decisions have been made, and it was not clear whether direct talks with the Kuwaiti government have begun.

Kuwait has played a pivotal role in the Iraq war from its beginning. The bulk of US ground forces launched the invasion from Kuwaiti territory in March 2003, and the tiny Gulf state has served as a transit point for coalition supply convoys and air transport throughout the conflict. The US uses Kuwaiti air and land bases and maintains a small force in the country now. The Iraq backup forces would be besides that contingent.

Libya: Pro-Kadhafi forces fired 3 Scuds at Misrata

BRUSSELS: Forces loyal to defiant Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi fired three Scud missiles in the direction of Misrata during Monday fighting, a NATO spokeswoman told AFP on Tuesday.

Security forces kill two terrorists in Swat

Staff Report

SWAT: The security forces have killed two terrorists in an operation in Swat on Sunday.

According to forces’ sources, the security forces received information that few terrorists are present in Sher Pallum area of Tehsil Matta.

The security forces moved immediately and launched a search operation in the area. During the operation, two terrorists attacked the forces.

Both terrorists were killed in the counter attack and their arms and ammunition were seized by the security personnel. Trend Pk

Army starts anti-militant operation in Mardan

Staff Report

MARDAN: Security forces on Monday launched a fresh operation in different parts of Mardan against suspected militants.

According to sources, army and police are conducting a joint operation in Kandao and Galibagh areas in a bid to arrest militants believed to have been hiding there.

So far, no arrests have been made by the forces. SAMAA

New Delhi: APC on Kashmir situation ends without Consensus

All Parties Conference (APC) on Kashmir situation held in New Delhi ends without any consensus between the parties. PM Manmohan Singh chaired the APC which was also attended by IOKs National Conference and PDP.
IOKs former CM and National Party leader Farooq Abdullah was also invited and BJP, the biggest opposition party of India also attended APC. At the meeting it was decided that an all party delegation including Indian FM would visit the disputed state to assess the ground situation before arriving at any decision.
In the conference, demarcation of Indian Army in the state and ‘Armed Forces Special Act’ agenda was also brought under discussion. CM of IOK Omar Abdullah wants a cut in the powers of Indian Army in the disputed state, also a cut in the strength of the forces in some regions. But Army officials and Opposition parties opposed the proposal.
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi proposed to produce more employment opportunities and Mehbooba Mufti, a Kashmiri leader, at the end of the conference said that all apprehended men should be released.

Forces kill key Taliban commander in Buner

Staff Report

BUNER: Security forces on Sunday killed a key Taliban commander and his two accomplices in Buner District.

The dead Taliban commander, Naseebzada, was wanted by security forces in several acts of terrorism.

According to sources, an exchange of fire took place between army troops and Taliban militants in hilly area of Pir Baba.

In Lower Orakzai, troops pounded militant hideouts, killing two terrorists and arresting two others.

Terrorists were holed up in Lower Orakzai Agency and wanted to carry out terrorism. However, they were spotted by the forces during a search operation. SAMAA

Political, people unity to leave terrorists on the run: Gilani

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Thursday said political will and national unity can defeat extremism and rid the country of terrorist elements.

Addressing a passing out parade of Assistant Superintendents of Police here at the National Police Academy, Gilani said the government was determined to eliminate the forces of extremism and terrorism through a mix of policy responses.

“With the support and backing of people of Pakistan, we are destined to succeed against the forces of darkness. We have already broken the back of terrorism through expression of unity and political will,” he added.

Prime Minister Gilani vowed never to allow terrorism, and forces of violence and extremism “to overtake our way of life, our culture and our traditions”.

The Prime Minister also called for undertaking a major effort to sensitize the public so that they remain vigilant against these dark forces.

“All peace loving forces will have to create a synergy to defeat the evil designs of anti-humanity and anti-Pakistan elements.”

He directed the police to be creative and innovative and keep abreast of the changes for an effective policing. The people have high expectations from the police and security forces and they have a key role to play in ridding the country of this menace.

Pak news channels banned in Indian held Kashmir

SRINAGAR: The telecast of Pakistani TV channels have been shut down in various areas of the Indian held Kashmir, Geo News reported Sunday.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the local administration directed the cable operators in Baramulla and Sopore against showing Pak channels.

These channels include PTV, Geo TV, ARY, Dawn News, Express 24/7 and Nur TV.

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