Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Libyan forces pound rebels; US wary on no-fly zone
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Weekend Edition
Africa
Europe
Latin America
Middle East
North America
Libyan forces pound rebels; US wary on no-fly zone
AFP - Wednesday, March 9
Send
IM Story
Print
Libyan forces pound rebels; US wary on no-fly zone
RAS LANUF, Libya (AFP) - – Forces loyal to Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi launched air strikes on rebel positions as the United States said that any no-fly zone over the country would need to have full UN backing.
US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron said they would plan a "full spectrum" of action against Kadhafi while US officials met with opposition members seeking to topple the veteran leader.
Cameron said the world could not stand aside while Kadhafi did "terrible things" to the Libyan people. "We have got to prepare for what we might have to do if he goes on brutalising his own people," Cameron said.
As fighting raged, a rebel spokesman said a Kadhafi intermediary had offered talks but was rejected outright.
That claim was dismissed as "rubbish" by a government official in Tripoli, where a defiant Kadhafi made a late-night appearance at a hotel used by many foreign correspondents in the Libyan capital.
Heavy shelling was heard on the front line with the rebel-held east. Scene: Ragged rebels flee as Kadhafi's shells rain down
Rebels said government troops had unleashed a torrent of fire west of the rebel-held oil town of Ras Lanuf, and dozens of opposition fighters were seen moving up the desert road.
An AFP reporter said that at one point, he counted 10 shells in two minutes.
The rebels, who control most of eastern Libya, have found their advance checked as their rebellion against Kadhafi's more than 41-year-old rule entered a fourth week.
Their goal of marching to Tripoli has stalled since the weekend when the regime recaptured Bin Jawad, a hamlet 15 kilometres (10 miles) west of Ras Lanuf, and numbers at the front appear to have decreased.
But the ragtag rebels were still moving forward near Ras Lanuf from their strongholds in the east, many carrying AK-47s assault rifles or rocket propelled grenade launchers (RPGs).
"We came here with Kalashnikovs, we don't have any tanks or anything. But they are shooting at us with bombs and rockets," said Ayman Bursi, a bearded fighter wearing a green sweater and camouflage trousers.
Another man, wearing an old-style flying helmet and with an RPG launcher slung over his shoulder, shouted: "Victory, victory, we will not surrender. This is the price of freedom."
Saad Hamid, a "media official" for the rebel national council, said government forces had been seen digging trenches and had brought up rocket launchers, tanks and artillery, as well as intensifying air strikes. Scene: Families find terror on road out of Libyan town
"We now have reinforcements on the way and they are also making preparations," he told AFP.
Earlier, warplanes staged a series of raids on Ras Lanuf, wounding one person.
A former official said Kadhafi's forces have launched a final onslaught on the western city of Zawiyah and described the situation there as "very critical".
"Round every corner there are people shooting. He (Kadhafi) wants to take it before Wednesday. The international community must do something," Murad Hemayma said of the strategic city, besieged for days by Kadhafi tanks and troops.
As pressure grew from inside Libya and elsewhere in the Arab world for a no-fly zone, the White House said Obama and Cameron agreed to press forward with planning, including at NATO, on a range of possible responses.
Measures under consideration included surveillance, humanitarian assistance, enforcement of the arms embargo and a no-fly zone, the White House said.
Washington has been markedly less enthusiastic about the possibility of such a step than some of its allies, with some officials noting that it would likely require bombardment of Libya's air defences.
Showing continued US caution about a no-fly zone, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that any decision to impose such a measure to protect civilians from Kadhafi's air power should be taken by the United Nations and "not the United States".
"I think it's very important that it's not a US-led effort because this comes from the people of Libya themselves," Clinton told Sky News. "We think it is important that the United Nations make that decision." Related article: Libya no-fly zone a UN decision, 'not US': Clinton
Britain and France have been drawing up a draft UN Security Council resolution on a no-fly zone and a senior UN official in New York said the council had discussed the matter.
The rebel leadership went to the European Parliament with a demand to be recognised as "legitimate" and a request for the West to impose a no-fly zone.
In Cairo, US ambassador to Libya Gene Cretz and other US officials met members of the opposition seeking to topple Kadhafi, the State Department said.
"We are engaging a wide range of leaders, and those who both understand and can potentially influence events in Libya," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters, without elaborating.
He declined to identify who Cretz had met but said Washington has been in contact with opposition members inside and outside the national council, which is headed by former Libyan justice minister Mustafa Abdel Jalil.
Oil, which has hit two-and-a-half-year highs since unrest in the Arab world erupted in December, eased slightly after major supplier Saudi Arabia said it would counter any shortfall and on reports that Kadhafi was seeking an exit.
New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in April, shed 39 cents to $104.63 per barrel while Brent North Sea crude for April delivery fell 36 cents to $112.70.
Send
IM Story
Print
Related Articles
US must step up aid, diplomacy to DRCongo: Affleck AFP - Wednesday, March 9
Australian gangland matriarch convicted of murder AFP - 11 minutes ago
24 killed in Pakistan funeral blast AFP - 14 minutes ago
US shuttle Discovery on track for final landing AFP - 16 minutes ago
S.Korea foreign minister: sex scandal apology AFP - 35 minutes ago
News Search
Top Stories
Cathay Pacific to buy, lease 27 new planes
Oil, US stocks ease pressure on Asian markets
Spider-Man comic nets US$1.1 million dollars
Lack of sleep can make you overly optimistic: study
Japan core machinery orders up 4.2% in January
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
NASA scientists in row over 'alien microbes'
Mass fish death in California harbor
Lack of sleep can make you overly optimistic: study
Oil prices ease as Saudi downplays supply fears
Libya: live report
More Most Viewed »
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Weekend Edition
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo!
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Entertainment
Photos
Yahoo! News Network
Copyright © 2011 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Wednesday, 9 March 2011 Italy's top bank ready to freeze Libya stake
First direct Serbia, Kosovo talks open on 'high hopes'
Oil prices ease as Saudi downplays supply fears
Spain's deputy PM leaves intensive care
German central bank sees 2.5% growth this year
Gates observes US progress in southern Afghanistan
World oil supply 'very adequate': Saudi minister
Afghan president tells his people hard year ahead
N. Zealand stun Pakistan in cricket W. Cup
Libya: live report
Down's syndrome test breakthrough 'on the horizon'
Nokia starts talks with Finnish staff over revamp
Taylor leads N. Zealand to 302 runs against Pakistan
Kuwait protesters swell in number, call for PM change
|
Cuban state layoffs move slowly, workers uneasy
|
Gunfire erupts in Abidjan, Gbagbo forces kill 4
|
Gates sees Afghan progress, warns of fight ahead
Iran forces fire teargas to disperse opposition backers
|
Bangladesh court OKs Yunus' dismissal from bank
Sudan rebels to stand trial over peacekeeper killings
|
ICC summons 6 suspects over Kenyan violence
|
Holy streaming, Batman! 'Dark Knight' on Facebook
Holy streaming, Batman! 'Dark Knight' on Facebook
Women go flipping crazy for world's oldest pancake race
Not one more night: Phil Collins calls it a day
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
TV executives await blockbuster ad sales
Warner Bros to offer movies through Facebook
|
At 25, MTV's "Real World" challenged to stay fresh
International Women's Day shines harsh light on 'femicide'
Toyota's global sales of hybrid cars top 3 million
New TV and social media trend among the youth: study
|
Security high as Prince William and Kate in Belfast
Avril Lavigne more "emotional," "raw" on new album
Lime Wire, music publishers settle copyright case
|
Single euro patent battle hits legal buffer
Taiwan softens on high-tech investment in China
Wireless expert Parrot seeks acquisitions
US-TECH Summary
Google logo, maps mark International Women's Day
Avril Lavigne more emotional, raw on new album
|
Warner Bros to offer movies through Facebook
|
Lime Wire, music publishers settle copyright case
TV executives await blockbuster ad sales
|
SW China mega-city building huge security system
New TV and social media trend among the youth: study
|
Mia Wasikowska travels from Alice to Jane Eyre
|
India's Mahindra group forms alliance with Cisco
China blasts SKorea military hacking allegations
Rocker Robbie Robertson set to write memoirs
|
Google to digitise Mandela archives
At 25, MTV's Real World challenged to stay fresh
|
Genesis vocalist Phil Collins announces retirement
|
Civilian deaths in Afghan war hit record high: UN
Libyan forces pound rebels; US wary on no-fly zone
S. Korea accuses N. Korea over communications attack
Coptic Christian killed in Cairo sectarian clashes
Oil, US stocks ease pressure on Asian markets
Chinese voices find outlet in microblogs
One dead as Muslims and Christians clash in Cairo
Libya no-fly zone must have U.N. backing: Clinton
|
Spider-Man comic nets US$1.1 million dollars
Kuwait protesters swell in number, call for PM change
Cathay Pacific to buy, lease 27 new planes
Senate approves patent reform to end backlog
Iran forces fire tear gas at protesters: opposition website
Lack of sleep can make you overly optimistic: study
Suicide bomber kills 25 at Pakistan funeral
|
Japan core machinery orders up 4.2% in January
Google Ventures backs online marketing startup
Egypt's army detains state security chief
Mass fish death in California harbor
Iran forces fire teargas to disperse opposition backers
Targeted civilian killings spiral in Afghan war: U.N.
|
First direct Serbia, Kosovo talks open on 'high hopes'
Craigslist founder in new venture
Shakhtar move seamlessly into Champions League last eight
US probes hacker threat over WikiLeaks soldier
Strong quake hits northeast Japan, tsunami warning issued
|
Wall Street insider trading trial picks jury
New TV and social media trend among the youth: study
Exposed: Egypt's spies dragged from shadows
|
New Chrome browser ready for the world
Embattled Japan PM picks new foreign min amid diplomacy woes
|
Paris court fines Google for copyright breaches
New Chrome browser ready for the world
Embattled Japan PM picks new foreign minister
One dead as Muslims, Christians clash in Cairo
|
Strong quake hits northeast Japan, tsunami warning issued
Colombian troops free kidnapped oil workers
|
Sri Lanka urged to end detention without trial
Holy streaming, Batman! 'Dark Knight' on Facebook
SKorea's top diplomat apologizes over scandal
Philippines on alert amid infighting among rebels
Japan's government selects new foreign minister
Large earthquake hits northeast Japan; no damage
Weather forecast for the Asia-Pacific region
At 18, he's the US teen truffle tycoon
Tourists reach new beach frontier in Myanmar
Philippine plane gets stuck in mud, delays flights
Magnitude 7.2 earthquake hits northeast Japan
Spider-Man comic nets US$1.1 million dollars
Former Alice in Chains rocker Mike Starr dies
Bassist from US grunge band found dead
Mexican court allows controversial film back
Charlie Sheen outranks Obama and Lady Gaga in social media
Precious Agatha Christie ivories to go on show in London
Charlie Sheen outranks Obama and Lady Gaga in social media
|
Pakistan-IMF talks extended for 2-3 days
Seoul shares cut gains on tech sector weakness
Pakistan
Taiwan central bank: should pursue price stability
Senate approves patent reform to end backlog
|
S.Korea Jan-Feb CPI growth topped c.bank views
Deutsche says unit may lose $10 mln during suspension
Seoul shares cut gains on tech sector weakness
S&P: Korean recovery firm, but inflation risks persist
NZ FinMin says growth to rise above 4 pct on quake rebuild
S.Korea c.bank says to focus policy on inflation
Former Alice in Chains rocker Mike Starr dies
|
Charlie Sheen outranks Obama and Lady Gaga in social media
|
Morals clause at issue in Charlie Sheen legal fight
|
Libya: live report
Internet banking surges in southeast Asia
Serbia, Kosovo kick off landmark direct talks
RIM's PlayBook tablet gets 7digital music store
French court suspends Chirac graft trial
World powers pressure Iran over nuclear concerns
Toyota targets strong sales in emerging markets
Want less Charlie Sheen? There's an app for that
Saudi minister says dialogue needed, not protest
Schalke's Raul wary of Valencia in Champions League
Ten dead in Egypt religious clashes
Intel official: Iran sends Taliban deadly rockets
UN says Afghan civilian deaths spike in 2010
Egypt sectarian strife kills 13, challenge to army
|
World powers pressure Iran over nuclear concerns
|
Ugandan police fire teargas at poll protesters
|
Ebadi says Arab-style revolt certain soon in Iran
|
Pakistan's Islamist parties challenge weakening government
Blast at Moscow bus stop near security academy
|
U.S. condemns violence in contested Sudanese region
|
Bali to criminalise giving alms to street beggars
Taiwan's Ma seeks US help in closing arms gap
Netanyahu names new national security adviser
|
Samsung, LG fight for 3-D tech supremacy
New PM vows to lift Ireland out of darkest hour
|
AP Interview: Petraeus says tough summer ahead
Indonesia's radical Islamist group urges Sultan to ban Ahmadiyah
Nobel laureate appeals to keep job at microlender
World pays attention to S. Korean diplomats' sex scandal
Minimum and maximum temperatures in Celsius
Suicide bomber kills 37 at Pakistan funeral
Thailand blames teen pregnancies for rise in number of disabled babies
1kg marijuana found in Indonesian prison
Kazakh celebrities launch drive to bring out vote
Pakistan to announce T-bills auction result on Wednesday
Microblogs in China government's fight to win public approval
|
Reliance Communications seals $1.9B Chinese loan
HK's Cathay adds 27 Boeing, Airbus jets to fleet
Nokia shares up after Symbian sales commitment
|
China's Feb auto sales slow, hit by holiday
RIM's PlayBook tablet gets 7digital music store
|
HK toy maker settles patent suit with Hasbro
Abbey Road studios launch 80th anniversary contest
|
A Minute With: Jeff Beck revisits rock's glory days
|
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights