March 26, 2011

Cairo, March 27 (IANS/RIA Novosti) 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 has told Libya's official Jana national news agency.

The coalition's raids 'have nothing to do with the protection of civilians', the source said Saturday.

'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 defence.

Libyan rebels managed to retake the town of Ajdabiya from Gaddafi loyalists earlier 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 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 countries, including the US, 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 air strikes.

--IANS/RIA Novosti