NATO keeps killing anti-Gadaffi Libyans

This video says about itself:

April 02, 2011 – Ten Libyan rebels have been reported killed in a coalition airstrike.

Yesterday, on Dutch TV, there was a report from Benghazi in Libya.

Khalifa Hifter [also spelled: Haftar], the military commander of the Libyan rebels (ex-general in the Gadaffi dictatorship’s armed forces, then CIA agent) complained there were not enough NATO air attacks on Libya.

NATO fulfilled Khalifa Hifter’s wishes soon. However, the proverb “Be careful what you wish for” turned out to be true.

After a three-month-old baby girl killed by Western air force attacks … after many other civilian deaths in Tripoli and other Gadaffi regime-ruled Libyan regions (dead civilians who should not automatically be considered to have been pro-Gadaffi at all) … after anti-Gadaffi Libyan villagers fired at and wounded by invading United States Marines … after NATO killed Libyan rebels near Brega … today this from the BBC:

7 April 2011 Last updated at 11:24 GMT

Libyan rebels near Ajdabiya ‘killed in Nato air strike’

Rebels in eastern Libya say their forces have been mistakenly hit in a Nato air raid.

Doctors in Ajdabiya told the BBC 13 rebel fighters had been killed by the strike on a rebel tank position.

The BBC’s Wyre Davies reports chaotic scenes on the outskirts of Ajdabiya, with rebel forces in retreat reporting being hit by Nato air strikes.

It is the third such incident in recent days involving international forces deployed to protect Libyan civilians.

One rebel commander told the BBC he saw at least four missiles land among rebel fighters.

Many people have been killed and many more have been injured, he said.

The rebels had been taking a group of tanks, armoured vehicles and rocket launchers near the front line between the towns of Ajdabiya and Brega in more than 30 transporters.

Ambulances were seen heading in the opposite direction, towards the hospital in Ajdabiya, following the apparent Nato hit.

There is considerable anger among rebel troops after what appears to have been a terrible mistake, our correspondent says.

Rebel forces in the area began retreating on Wednesday after heavy bombardment from government forces.

…

There has been no confirmation from Nato over the incident yet.

With “friends” like NATO, the Libyan rebels do not need enemies.

By Tom Mellen in Britain:

Libya’s government and Western-backed rebels are both condemning Nato for launching air strikes that have killed at least 16 people since Tuesday night.

Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim said on Wednesday that British jets had bombed the government-controlled Sarir oil field overnight, killing three guards, injuring other workers and damaging equipment and a pipeline.

And rebels on the front line near the oil town of Brega said today that a series of Nato air strikes in the morning killed at least 13 people and destroyed several tanks that they had siezed from government forces.

They said their commanders in Benghazi had told Nato officials of their plans and co-ordinates.

Witnesses said that the tanks and a bus full of rebels that bore the brunt of the assault were parked and marked with the distinctive flag of the pre-Gadaffi monarchy.

It was the second deadly attack by Nato on a rebel position since last Friday, when pilots bombed a convoy, killing 13 and injuring seven others.

Today’s air strikes came a day after rebels accused Nato of not launching enough bombing raids on Libya.

Ajdabiya doctor Mohammed Ahmed said: “The last time Nato bombed us it was a mistake – but this time they knew it was us.

“We don’t need Nato any more. Every time they promise to help us, they shoot us.”

But Nato is unlikely to withdraw from the increasingly bloody conflict any time soon.

Libya has the largest proven oil reserves in Africa, even more than Nigeria, at an estimated 46.4 billion barrels.

Former British prime minister Tony Blair described the African state on Wednesday as “a goldmine of a country.”

Speaking on Danish TV, Mr Blair said: “Libya is potentially a goldmine of a country – it has got fantastic financial resources, it has got amazing tourist sites.

“If it opened up its economy and opened up its society and takes that route of reform once they change government, then Libya will be a phenomenally successful country.”

Mr Blair stressed that the West must continue to shoulder the white man’s burden.

“We need to be there to partner them to do that.”

Britain armed Gaddafi, now have designs on rebels: here.

Mercenaries could be drafted into Libya to help rebel forces because British military chiefs believe the war against Colonel Gaddafi cannot be won with air strikes alone: here.

Reports that opposition forces in Libya will begin exporting crude oil from areas under their control raise concerns about the transparency of oil revenues, Human Rights Watch said today. Libya’s people have a right to information about a major national resource, Human Rights Watch said: here.