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Live Blog - Libya Feb 26
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on February 25th, 2011.
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya enters its twelfth day, we keep you updated on the developing situation from our headquarters in Doha, Qatar.
Blog: Feb17 - Feb18 - Feb19 - Feb20 - Feb21 - Feb22 - Feb23 - Feb24 - Feb25
AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Twitter Audio: Voices from Libya
Benghazi Protest Radio (Arabic)
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:59pm
We continue our liveblog coverage here: February 27.
11:00pm
Jamie Doward argues in the Guardian that "Saif's desire to act as a mouthpiece for his father has lent the tragic scenes unfolding in Libya a surreal, sometimes ridiculous dimension.
His appearances in front of the television cameras suggest a man increasingly unhinged. Arms folded, jaw firmly out, Saif is a manifestation of defiance. It is clear he is very much his father's son, albeit, as one Twitter user wryly observed, someone who seems to have styled himself sartorially on Stringer Bell, the drug lord in the US cop show The Wire.
10:45pm
An atmosphere of panic and chaos has gripped Tripoli's international airport, strewn with luggage left behind by fleeing passengers and besieged by crowds on Saturday trying to escape the escalating violence. Thousands of people, many of them migrant workers from the Middle East and Africa, have camped out for days on little more than bread and water in the hope of leaving.
10:25pm
AJE source says that "security officials were at Tripoli medical centre all day today ... the injured did not go in for help". He estimates that 70 were killed last night alone.
"They were left to drown in their own blood ... the blood banks are empty ... last night (Friday) Tripoli medical centre was over run with the wounded"
10:20pm
The first Indian evacuees from #Libya have arrived in New Delhi, describing looting and narrow escapes from violence reports AFP. The Air India flight carrying around 300 evacuees from Libya arrived in New Delhi and was greeted by India's Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao.
10:05pm
Reuters reports that UN Security Council diplomats clashed on Saturday over a proposal to refer the deadly crackdown against anti-government demonstrators in Libya to the International Criminal Court.
9:50pm
According to Reuters, Libyan Ex-Justice minister leads formation of an interim government based in Benghazi. It is further reported that Gaddafi 'alone' bears responsibility for crimes in the country.
9:30pm
Al Jazeera talks to Ibrahim Sharqieh of the Brookings Center in Doha about the possibilities for Libya
9:10pm
Screen shot of Saif al-Islam
7:45pm
Blackout. No international journalists. No network cameras. And yet the story of Libya's revolution has poured out on twitter, facebook and other online platforms. It's a story that has been raw, uncut and shocking. Read on here.
7:30pm
The UN Security Council has begun urgent deliberations to consider imposing sanctions against Libya for violent attacks against protesters. The sanctions under consideration at Saturday's session include an arms
embargo against the Libyan government and a travel ban and asset freeze against Gadhafi, his relatives and key regime members.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is urging council members to take concrete action to protect civilians in Libya where some estimates indicate more than 1,000 people have been killed in less than two weeks.
7:15pm
The New York Times reports that Qaddafi forces were seen shooting from ambulances and using antiaircraft weapons against crowds, as protesters recount brutal tactics of Libyan regime.
They shoot people from the ambulances,” said one terrified resident, Omar, by telephone as he recalled an episode during the protests on Friday when one protester was wounded. “We thought they’d take him to the hospital,” he said, but the militiamen “shot him dead and left with a squeal.
7:05pm
AJE correspondent reports that anti-government protesters have attacked black Africans in Libya, taking them for mercenaries.
Seidou Boubaker Jallou and his friend, both from Mali, fled for their lives by night to the Tunisian border. They said the roads out of the West are still in the hands of those loyal to Gaddafi. Jallou says:
The situation is very dangerous - every day there are more than a hundred who die - every day - every day there are shootings - the most dangerous situation is for foreigners like us - and also us black people - Because Gaddafi brought soldiers from Chad from Niger - they are black and they are killing Arabs.
7:00pm
Al Jazeera's Inside Story: What would a new Libya look like?
6:55pm
A British warship and a Chinese-chartered ferry docked in the Mediterranean island of Malta loaded with 2,500 people from Libya's vast multinational workforce including domestic helpers.
6:52pm
Families and relatives of expatriate Bangladeshis now trapped in Libya blocked a road near Dhaka on Saturday to demand their quick repatriation. The protesters called upon the government to quickly bring
the expatriate workers home. More than 50,000 Bangladeshi workers are believed to be employed in different Libyan and international firms operating at different areas mainly in Bengazi.
6:30pm
'Free Libya' protests in Tokyo by flickr user: jetalone
5:25pm
An anti-government security man waves to migrant Tunisian nationals and expatriates from other countries before they leave Libya on board a Tunisian ship leaving for Tunisia, from the Libyan harbour in Benghazi. Photo from Reuters.
5:50pm
Map illustrating which cities in Libya have fallen into the hands of pro-reform demonstrators. Details via Reuters.
View Libya in a larger map
4:20pm
South African cartoonist, satirist and social commentator Zapiro charts an alternate Oscar ceremony.
4:15pm
The leaders of Britain, Germany, Italy and Turkey have agreed that the actions of the Libyan regime are "totally unacceptable", a spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron said on Saturday.
3:50pm
Richard Pithouse argues in the latest edition of Pambazuka Online, that the revolts in North Africa and the Middle East might be towards advancing democratic values but the struggles do not seek to replicate American or European values. Pithouse argues that considering the relationship the United States and Europe have had with despots in the region, "they have no claim of moral leadership in this world"
We cannot know the trajectories of the uprisings that have swept North Africa and the Middle East. But one thing is for sure. Whatever pompous claims to the contrary come out of Washington and Brussels, these are not revolts for American or European values. On the contrary they are a direct challenge to those values. They are revolts against a global power structure that is formed by an international alliance of elites with one of its key principles being the idea, the racist idea, that Arabs are ‘not yet ready’ for democracy.
3:40pm
The British Prime Minister chaired a ministerial meeting of the Cabinet Office Briefing Room (COBR) to discuss the latest situation in Libya. According to the spokesperson:
The Prime Minister was clear that the Libyan regime would face the consequences of its actions. He agreed with counterparts that urgent action was needed through the EU and UN including a tough sanctions package targeting the regime directly. The Prime Minister stressed that there can be no impunity for the blatant and inhuman disregard for basic rights that is taking place in Libya.
3:10pm
The US State department says that there maybe Americans still in Libya who "might need assistance departing the country"Philip Crowley, department spokesperson:
In order to help, our task force will remain up and running to make sure that if there are any Americans remaining, we can assist them
2:54pm
The New Middle East? Via Imgur.com
1:50pm
Gaddafi's strongest European ally has weighed in on the situation in Libya too. At a political meeting in Rome, Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi said:
It appears that, effectively, Gaddafi no longer controls the situation in Libya.
1:30pm
Libya's ex-interior minister has told Al Jazeera that Tripoli is the only major city in Muammar Gaddafi's hands.
"Now there is only Tripoli and a few other towns (In Gaddafi's hands). that is why I urge the Libyan people that there is no going back."
1:15pm
The UN Security Council is set to meet today to consider a sanctions resolution against Gaddafi.
Britain, France, Germany and the US have drawn up a resolution that says the attacks on civilians in Libya could amount to crimes against humanity.
The resolution calls for an arms embargo and a travel ban and assets freeze against the Libyan leader.
12:15pm
Our correspondent Hoda Abdel-Hamid, reporting from the eastern Libyan city of al-Baida, says that while many parts of the country's east are no longer under government control, local residents do not want to separate from the rest of Libya.
"They still want a united Libya, and want Tripoli to remain its capital," she said.
She added that many in the country's east have felt abandoned by the Gaddafi government, despite the vast oil wealth located in the region, and said that they feel they have no future in the country.
11:11am
The Maldives has apparently joined France in calling on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to step down, according to the Haveeru Daily, a newspaper in the island nation.
It said Iruthisham Adam, the permanent representative of the Maldives to the UN in Geneva , told the UN Human Rights Council that Libyan authorities have shown brute force and clear disdain for people's rights and well-being.
“The Maldives, a fellow Muslim country which itself recently began the transition to democracy, refuses to remain silent as hundreds of Muslim brothers and sisters are abused and killed,” she asserted.
10:56am
The website Buzzfeed has compiled a list of the Top 40 Best Libyan Protest Signs from around the world. This photo, taken and owned by Collin David Anderson at a protest in Washington, DC, shows one of Buzzfeed's winning signs.
10:00am
Witnesses tell Al Jazeera Arabic, our sister station, that Libyan protesters have taken control of a number of areas in the capital, Tripoli.
They also said at least seven people were killed in Tripoli yesterday when security brigades opened fire on protesters. It was not immediately possible to verify their accounts however.
9:28am
In the Libyan city of Az Zawiyah, about 50km away from the capital Tripoli, amateur video appears to show soldiers switching sides and joining anti-government protesters. Al Jazeera's Tarek Bazley reports:
9:00am
According to this Global Voices piece, which cites Malta.cc, a Maltese blog, Serbian military pilots reportedly took part in the bombing of anti-government protesters in the Libyan cities of Tripoli and Benghazi.
Two Libyan pilots made the claim upon fleeing to Malta, the blog said. Al Jazeera can't confirm the authenticity of the report - but you can read it for yourself here.
8:19am
A resident of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, just left this voice note posted on Twitter by @Feb17voices. She says:
"We are afraid. We are afraid because we are women, I have daughters here. Every house is armed only by knives. We have nothing else, but we have God. ... We are not very much afraid of death."
Listen to part one of her note below and click here for part two.
5:23am
Ashraf Tulti, director of the Justice and Democracy for Libya group based in Washington, DC, told Al Jazeera that sanctions go against people; they will not affect the Libyan regime.
Instead, he asked for immediate action to stop the killings of Libyan people.
5:22am
Details of the US sanctions are emerging. They are:
Freeze of assets held by Gaddafi and four of his children inside US, all US banks have been put on notice for sudden movement of funds from Libya and all military assistance cut off.
5:02am
A picture of a group of peaceful Libyan protestors outside Hyde Park, London twitted by @ellsun.
Protests have also been held in the British city of Manchester.
4:57am:
The UN Security Council agrees to urgently consider sanctions against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime to try to end its bloody crackdown against anti-government protesters.
Under pressure from Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General, to take "concrete action" to protect civilians, the council decided to meet again on Saturday morning to discuss options.
4:40am:
A rally has been planned in San Fransisco, US, in solidarity with Libyans on Saturday, Febraury 26, 2011 at UN Plaza Market between 1:00pm-4:00pm [local time]
3:35am:
Barack Obama, the U.S. president, has imposed sanctions on Libya's government for its violent repression of a popular uprising, signing an executive order blocking property and transactions related to the country.
3:31am:
Obama says Libyan sanctions target Gaddafi's government while protecting Libyan people's assets.
3:30am:
Obama says Gaddafi's government has violated international norms and common decency and must be held accountable.
3:20am:
A charter aircraft dispatched by the Canadian government on Friday to pick up its citizens fleeing the violence in Libya left Tripoli with only its crew aboard after it could not find any Canadians waiting at the airport.
3:10am:
Muammar Gaddafi's allies in Latin America should follow Peru's example and suspend diplomatic relations with the North African nation's regime, the representative of a leading Jewish organization said on Friday.
Sergio Widder, the Latin American representative of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, strongly criticized the governments of Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela for failing to condemn Gaddafi's violent crackdown on a popular uprising.
2:35am:
Mark Goldberg, Managing Editor, UN Dispatch, told Al Jazeera that the Libyan regime has become isolated and the targeted sanctions against Libyan government might encourage further defections.
2:20am:
After the UN security council meeting, Al Jazeera’s Scott Heidler, reporting from UN headquarters, said that the most important point right now is how to stop the killings in Libya. However, the UN chief told our correspondent that military action was not in the cards.
1:50am
Dozens of US diplomats and their families were among the US-chartered ship's estimated 300 passengers, two of whom had to be taken off the vessel on stretchers by paramedics after crossing over from Tripoli in 20-foot waves.
1:09am:
12:58am
Twitter user @AnnSaid posted this picture.
12:46am
Libya's ambassador to the United Nations, Mohammed Shalgham, has defected, following in the footsteps of his deputy Ibrahim Dabbashi, a diplomat said on Friday.
12:35am
A son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi said on Friday that his forces were holding back in fighting with rebels in western Libya and hoped that a negotiated ceasefire could be in place by Saturday, according to Reuters.
12:20am
After three days of delays, a U.S.-chartered ferry carrying Americans and other foreigners out of the chaos of Libya finally arrived on Friday at the Mediterranean island of Malta.
12:10am
After 41 years of ruthless rule by Muammar Gaddafi, Libyans are suddenly free to rule themselves. Here's a picture gallery from boston.com on the lives of Libyans in the liberated areas of the country.
11:45pm
Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam says army holding back and hopes for peaceful settlement "by tomorrow", according to Reuters.
10:25pm
In Chad, Foreign Ministry's General Secretary Moussa Mahamat Dago rejected allegations that citizens of his African country were amongst those reportedly recruited by Gaddafi to crack down on protesters
10:15pm
An Italian navy assault ship, the San Giorgio, has loaded up 245 evacuees in the Libyan port of Misrata and has set sail for Sicily.
10:04pm
The United States has suspended embassy operations in Libya and is moving forward with unilateral sanctions.
Topics in this blog
PEOPLE
Ban Ki-Moon
Ibrahim Sharqieh
Muammar Gaddafi
Saif al-Islam
COUNTRY
Chad
Libya
United States
CITY
Benghazi
Tripoli
ORGANIZATION
Libyan government
UN security council
United Nations
Possibly related posts (automatically generated)
Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Libya Live Blog - April 10
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 10th, 2011.
A rebel fighter carries his food on the road between Ajdabiya and Brega on Saturday. [AFP/Odd Andersen]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Blog: Feb17 - Feb18 - Feb19 - Feb20 - Feb21 - Feb22 - Feb23 - Feb24 - Feb25 - Feb26 - Feb27 - Feb28 - Mar1 - Mar2 - Mar3 - Mar4 - Mar5 - Mar6 - Mar7 - Mar8 - Mar9 - Mar10 - Mar11 - Mar12 - Mar13 - Mar14 - Mar15 - Mar16 - Mar17 - Mar18 - Mar19 - Mar20 - Mar21 - Mar22 - Mar23 - Mar24 - Mar25 - Mar 26 - Mar 27 - Mar 28 - Mar 29 - Mar 30 - Mar 31 - Apr 1 - Apr 2 - Apr 3 - Apr 4 - Apr 5 - Apr 6 - Apr 7 - Apr 8
AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Operation Odyssey Dawn - Twitter Audio - Tweeting revolutions
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
12:41am
African Union mediators have left Mauritania for Libya to attempt to negotiate a ceasefire.
Presidents Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania, Amadou Toumani Toure of Mali, Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo and Jacob Zuma of South Africa, left mid-morning, travelling separately to Tripoli, then Benghazi.
"They have just left, each in his own plane," a Mauritanian official told AFP.
Meanwhile, Nabila Ramdani, a French journalist and Middle East expert,told Al Jazeera that she was questioning the AU's involvement in mediation.
Unfortunately, my view about the African Union is that it will appear as not being a credible group of people to be in a position to broker a deal on behalf of [Muammar] Gaddafi.
"They're a group of dictators themselves and they won't be taken very seriously given that they're from very brutal regimes which are in many ways far worse than the Gaddafi regime."
9:50am
Gaddafi's forces have clashed with opposition fighters in Ajdabiya, according to rebels quoted by Reuters.
A witness at Ajdabiya's eastern gate heard shooting and artillery fire and saw plumes of black smoke, suggesting Gaddafi's forces had pushed towards the centre of the town.
"There is resistance inside the city. Gaddafi forces are fighting with rebels. They have a presence inside."
7:58am
North Korea has ordered its citizens in Libya not to return home in an apparent bid to block news of civil uprisings in the Arab World from reaching the isolated state, according to Yonhap news agency.
The report says Pyongyang sent a message to its embassy in Libya telling about 200 North Korean workers not to return.
Pyongyang and Tripoli have maintained close diplomatic ties, with Gaddafi described in the North as a "revolutionary comrade" of leader Kim Jong-Il, according to defectors from the North.
7:30am
Here's a longer version of the footage Al Jazeera has obtained of government forces in the battlefield. It's filmed in mid-March and shows young men being taken into custody and beaten up by Gaddafi forces roaming the streets of Ajdabiya.
3:10am
To catch up on all of the events in Libya from Saturday, check out our April 9 live blog.
2:59am
Here's some of that exclusive Ajdabiya video Al Jazeera has received, with some discussion from our correspondent Hoda Abdel Hamid:
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Libya
Possibly related posts (automatically generated)
Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Live Blog: Middle East Protests April 10
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Middle East
on April 10th, 2011.
A burned military truck in Tahrir Square in Cairo after security forces dispersed protesters. [AFP/ Khaled Desouki]
Show oldest updates on top
As the unrest in the Middle East continues, we update you with the latest developments from Syria, Yemen and across the region.
Read on for the latest from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe.
Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Region in turmoil - Syria Unrest - Yemen's Uprising - Battle for Libya - Egypt's Revolution - Bahrain Protests
(All times are in GMT)
10:48am
SYRIA Sources tell Al Jazeera that Daraa, where dozens of people were killed in Friday's protests, is 80 per cent paralysed. Children were sent back home from schools and most government buildings are not operational.
There are checkpoints between the old city and the new city.
10:10am
EGYPT Several hundred protesters stayed in Cairo's Tahrir Square overnight and have barricaded the square with a burnt-out army vehicle, barbed wire and beams.
"The people demand the toppling of the Field Marshal," they chanted, referring to military chief Hussein
Tantawi who was handed power after former president Hosni Mubarak was ousted.
10:00am
SYRIA Watch Cal Perry's report from Syria, where rights groups say 37 protesters were killed on Friday.
7:05am
SYRIA An resident in the coastal city of Banias tells Al Jazeera that military has been deployed there after protests yesterday and that gunfire can be heard.
"No one can leave or enter. Schools are closed," she says, adding that people are not going to work.
She says about 6,000 people were protesting in the city yesterday. Cars were set on fire and shops destroyed.
3:00am
SYRIA - Al Jazeer has obtained video from Daraa, the scene of the Syrian protests' worst violence, showing Friday's protests and the security forces' heavy handed response. The government has sought to prevent journalists from visiting Daraa.
2:37am
EGYPT - Despite a warning from the ruling military council that protesters who remained in Tahrir Square would be cleared out with "firmness and force," security forces apparantly have not acted against hundreds who remained in the square for a second straight night. With just a few minutes to go before the military's curfew ends, there have been no reports of violence.
Check out our story on the violent dispersal of protesters on Friday night.
1:18am
BAHRAIN - The Interior Ministry has confirmed the deaths on Saturday of two people being held in its detention centers (one death had earlier been reported by the Associated Press).
According to the ministry, Ali Isa Saqer, 31, "created chaos at the detention center and that led to the interference of security forces to bring situation to normal, but he resisted them and sustained various injuries in the process. He was referred to the hospital and died later."
Zakaroya Rashid Hassan, 40, died of complications from sickle cell anemia, the ministry said. This is the second time Bahraini authorities have said a detainee died of sickle cell anemia.
1:14am
SYRIA - Two witnesses told the Reuters news agency that Syrian security forces fired on mourners near a mosque in Deraa on Saturday, but our team on the ground says not gunshots were fired during the funeral procession. A sources says state security did, however, fire on protesters near Deraa's customs building.
12:50am
To catch up with Saturday's events from Yemen, Bahrain, Syria and elsewhere, check our April 9 live blog.
12:42am
EGYPT - Hundreds of protesters remain in central Cairo's Tahrir Square despite the military curfew, which began nearly an hour ago. People in the square are reporting a tense atmosphere on Twitter and, in the last few minutes, that some protesters have been whistling and banging on metal railings in apparent warning.
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Syria
Yemen
Possibly related posts (automatically generated)
Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Live Blog: Middle East Protests April 9
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Middle East
on April 9th, 2011.
Yemeni anti-government protesters shout slogans in Sanaa [AFP]
Show oldest updates on top
As the unrest in the Middle East continues, we update you with the latest developments from Syria, Yemen and across the region.
Read on for the latest from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe.
Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Region in turmoil - Syria Unrest - Yemen's Uprising - Battle for Libya - Egypt's Revolution - Bahrain Protests
(All times are in GMT)
12:49am
That's it for our Middle East protest blog for April 9. You can continue following events on Sunday on our April 10 live blog.
9:45pm
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's correspondent in Sanaa reports:
"We are hearing that there have been at least 200 injured [in Sanaa] according to one medical source, and around 15 of those injuries are form live ammunition."
"We have reports [in Taiz] of over 500 people injured, 40 of those from live ammunition and at least five people are in critical condition. "
9:04pm
EGYPT - More than 1,000 protesters in Tahrir Square vowed on Saturday to stay overnight in defiance of the military after a protester was killed the night before when soldiers dispersed a similar sit-in.
8:04pm
YEMEN - President Ali Abdullah Saleh is facing increased protests at home, and additional pressure from the international community, after some countries have also called for change in Yemen.
Al Jazeera's Caroline Malone reports:
8:02pm
BAHRAIN - A supporter of Bahrain's anti-government movement, Rashid Zakaria Hassan, was found dead in police custody on Saturday, the AP reported.
He was detained April 2 on charges of "inciting hatred, publishing false news, promoting sectarianism and calling for overthrowing of the regime".
His body was found in a detention facility and a medical examiner determined that he died of complications from sickle-cell anemia.
The opposition party, Al-Wefaq, said the death occcured in "mysterious circumstances".
8:00pm
EGYPT - At the news conference in Cairo, given by Egypt's ruling military council, army members spoke about Friday's violence at Tahrir Square.
General Adel Emara, a member of the Armed Forces Supreme Council said:
We would like to confirm to all of you that we didn't shoot a single shot .. didn't shoot a single shot from any of the armed forces that were present at Tahrir Square.
General Ismail Etman, also a member of the Armed Forces Supreme Council said:
Most of the injuries were due to stone throwing because some of our forces mingled in the midst of the people but we did not hit anybody. We didn't use force. And all the films and filming that has been on screens didn't prove any involvement from the armed forces against the civilians.
7:35pm
EGYPT - The ruling military council held a news conference, following renewed protests that overtook Cairo's Tahrir square on Friday and Saturday.
They said the army had dispersed the protesters peacefully and did not fire a singe live shot. They acknowledged that one person had been killed.
The army spokesman said more than 40 people had been detained from Tahrir Square, including four foreigners and eight who were dressed in military uniform.
Our correspondent in Cairo, Mike Hanna, said:
The assumption here that these [eight in military uniform] were in fact the army officers who had joined the demonstration on Friday and who had sought refuge in the square overnight and who would have been the main aim of the army operation overnight.
7:14pm
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's special correspondent in Sanaa has said that riot police with batons were out in force in the capital.
The streets were littered with rocks and gas canisters, as police confrontations with tens of thousands of anti-government protestors continue in the capital.
7:00pm
EGYPT - The country's health ministry has confirmed the death of at least one person following clashes between protesters and the military. And hundreds of soldiers stormed Tahrir square, after demonstrators formed a human chain to protect several army officers who had joined them.
Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna has this report from Cairo:
6:39pm
EGYPT - The country's ruling military council has decided to change some of the provincial governors appointed by deposed President Hosni Mubarak, state television reported on Saturday, in a concession to reformist demands for more change.
6:18pm
YEMEN - Anti-government Yemenis women pray during a demonstration in Sanaa.
[Image by AFP]
6:09pm
EGYPT - At a news conference in the capital. Egypt's ruling military council said it would clear protesters from a central Tahrir square with "firmness and force" to allow life to return to normal.
6:05pm
YEMEN - Read our latest news report from Syria on the Al Jazeera website here
4:30pm
EGYPT - Two people were killed and 18 wounded when troops and police stormed Cairo's Tahrir Square to break up a demonstration demanding the ouster of the country's de facto military ruler, medics said.
4:24pm
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's special correspondent in the capital Sanaa was stopped and searched in the midst of the ongoing protests there:
It has just been absolute chaos in the last few few hours here in the capital. We were just - me and the team - out in the streets, not far from the the [Change] Square probably between the main square and the presidential palace. There were hundreds of people who had left the square, pro-democracy protesters and they were just marching in the street and out of nowhere tens of police and men who had their heads covered with balaclavas and in army unifrom began to fire tear gas at the crowd, a lot and lot of teargas.The crowds as we could witness it were just chanting they were just walking through the street, it was a peaceful demonstration, there were no rocks being thrown. It just seemed to come out of nowhere.
We were trying to film some of this going on, some of the teargas going on.. and then lots of men holding guns and lots of other people just wearing civilian clothes came towards me. They took my phone, they started shouting saying that I was a spy, and that i was filming..the soldiers told me that I was not allow to film. They took things off me, they searched me, they held the gun to my stomach. and it was a very threatening environment. Then eventually after about 10 minutes of searching me and taking my phones, they let me go and we were able to get to a safer location now.
4:15pm
SYRIA - Read our latest news report from Syria on the Al Jazeera website here.
3:41pm
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Rula Amin reports from the capital, Damascus:
Yesterday (Friday) was a big day and probably the protests yesterday were the most widespread since they began less than a month ago.
In Daraa there is heavy security and army presence. People are telling us thousands are expected to take part in the funerals of those who were killed and they insist on their version of events that it was the security forces who shot at their sons. what the government is saying is that it has its own forces being shot at.They say about 19 policeman and security members were killed during the clashes in Daraa and they accuse armed gangs..
The government has been clear in asking people not to help these armed gangs, and to tell the security forces on their hide-abouts. They made it very clear, they warned people that there won't be any tolerance for any kind of attempt to shoot at the security forces.
2:03pm
SYRIA - Syrian security forces opened fire on mourners near the old Omari mosque in the southern border city of Daraa following a mass funeral for dead pro-democracy protestors, witnesses told Reuters.
Security forces also used live ammunition in the early hours of Saturday to disperse a pro-democracy protest in Latakia, residents said.
2:01pm
EGYPT - Protesters in cairo's Tahrir Square yesterday held (L-R) Yemeni, Syrian and Egyptian flags in support of anti-regime uprisings sweeping the region:
[Image by AFP]
1:50pm
SYRIA - The editor of Syrian government daily Tishrin said she had been sacked over remarks to Al Jazeera criticising security forces for firing on anti-regime protesters.
Samira al-Masalma told the AFP she had been replaced by the paper's business editor, Munir al-Wadi.
On Friday, she told Al Jazeera there had been a "violation of the rules barring the forces of order from firing on protesters," and that anyone who had done so "should be punished."
1:46pm
SYRIA - A local rights group, the National Organisation for Human Rights, said in a statement that 30 people were killed in the southern city of Deraa, the epicentre of protests.
Three others were also killed in the central city of Homs and another three in Harasta, a Damascus suburb, as well as one in Douma.
12:08pm
OMAN An activist who "instigated riots" in the city of Sohar earlir this month will face trial with 25 others for violent conduct, the chief prosecutor says.
yesterday, security forces sealed off the site of violent clashes that left one dead on April 1 and stopped worshippers from attending Friday prayers to prevent another protest.
11:39am
EGYPT The health ministry says one person was killed and 71 injured after the army dispersed a protest in Cairo's Tahrir Square yesterday. Activists have been reporting a higher death toll.
11:25am
BAHRAIN There have been renewed calls for protests in the Gulf nation, when the majority Shias are complaining of discrimination by the ruling Sunni dynasty. As part of a government crackdown on dissident, security forces have arrested Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, a prominent human rights activist.
Zeinab Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, his daughter, told Al Jazeera that police took him from her house at around 2am this morning.
They broke the door of the apartment. My father didn't resist at all, he went to them calmly but straight away a policeman told him, 'Down, down, get on the floor' ... They dragged him down the stairs and started beating him.
"They did not give any reason ... They were beating him very severely, on the ground, maybe four or five of them, kicking him and hitting him in the face.
10:43am
EGYPT One of the lorries set ablaze overnight in Tahrir Square:
[Reuters]
10:15am
EGYPT Our correspondent in Tahrir Square, Mike Hanna, says the crowds there are swelling. There's no presence of security forces at the moment. Regarding the reports of two deaths in the overnight violence, he says one rumour being floated is that those killed were actually soldiers attempting to make arrests.
10:09am
SYRIA Thousands are expected to attend funerals later today for those killed in Daraa yesterday. There's a high presence of security forces in the city, according to residents.
9:46am
EGYPT Hospital sources say two people were killed in Tahrir Square yesterday. However, an army's spokesman told Al Jazeera there were "no deaths. We as armed forces didn't receive any reports from hospitals or any official source that anyone was killed."
9:00am
EGYPT The armed forces are accusing tycoon Ibrahim Kamel, a senior member of the former ruling party NDP, of orchestrating yesterday's violence in Tahrir Square. In a statement, they're demanding the arrest of him and his aides over "incitement and thuggery".
8:40am
SYRIA Activists on social network sites are calling for daily protests after yesterday's violence. Until now, demonstrations have largely been confined to Fridays.
8:15am
YEMEN Sanaa has called home its ambassador from Qatar for consultation after Qatar's prime minister said Gulf states had a plan for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down.
"The ambassador is being withdrawn for consultations," a foreign ministry official told Reuters.
Saleh initially accepted an offer by Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states to hold talks with the opposition but on Friday, he told tens of thousands of supporters in the capital: "We don't get our legitimacy from Qatar or from anyone else ... we reject this belligerent intervention."
Five protesters were killed in clashes with security forces in the southern city of Taiz on Friday.
8:00am
EGYPT The military says in a statement on Facebook that there were no deaths in last night's violence in Tahrir Square. However, protesters tell Al Jazeera's Adam Makary that at least one or two were killed.
7:24am
EGYPT Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna gave this update from Cairo's Tahrir Square about the clashes which happened overnight:
There were some few thousand people in the square overnight ... They had with them a number of army officers who had joined the demonstrations, against the instructions of the military authorities. Protesters attempted to protect these officers when the military police and other army units moved in overnight. They were dispersed by tear gas, and perhaps rubber coated steel bullets. The exact details of what happened cannot be confirmed, neither can the number of injuries.
"However, those army officers were taken away, we do not know where they are being detained at the moment.
"What added fuel to the flames as far as the military is concerned is the fact that seven of its officers were with the demonstrators in the square. It clearly took this as a direct challenge, having issued orders that no soldier were to take part in the demonstration, this scene was a particularly affront to the military, and clearly this added an edge to whatever actions they did."
7:14am
SYRIA The official SANA news agency says 19 members of the security forces were killed by "armed groups" in Daraa yesterday, while activists say dozens of protesters were killed by security forces.
Our correspondent Rula Amin in Damascus says there are rumours that some family members of people killed in protests could have carried guns and aimed at security forces. Al Jazeera can't verify these reports at the moment as access to information is limited and it's hard for journalists to get into Daraa.
5:40am
EGYPT Al Jazeera's Adam Makary in Tahrir says thousands of people have now gathered in the square, saying they won't leave until they've "reclaimed the square". Makary says he's seen some protesters with injuries from the clashes earlier this morning but no casualties have been confirmed.
5:00am
EGYPT Twitter user yj787 has posted this picture from Tahrir Square this morning. Cars have been set ablaze nearby, that's probably where the smoke in the background is coming from.
4:36am
EGYPT Photographer David Degner posted pictures from Tahrir this morning.
4:30am
EGYPT A witness tells Al Jazeera that a few hundred protesters have re-gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square this morning after military police dispersed a demonstration at around 3am local time.
4:15am
SYRIA US President Barack Obama has criticised the the Syrian government's latest crackdown in which at least 27 people were killed in the southern city of Daraa yesterday.
I strongly condemn the abhorrent violence committed against peaceful protesters by the Syrian government today and over the past few weeks. I also condemn any use of violence by protesters.
"Furthermore, the arbitrary arrests, detention, and torture of prisoners that has been reported must end now, and the free flow of information must be permitted so that there can be independent verification of events."
4:00am
To find out what happened yesterday, check out Friday's live blog.
Topics in this blog
PEOPLE
Abdulhadi Alkhawaja
Mike Hanna
CITY
Cairo
Daraa
ORGANIZATION
army
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Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Libya Live Blog - April 9
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 8th, 2011.
An anti-Gaddafi fighter stands on a tank destroyed near Ajdabiya's western gate [Picture: Reuters]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
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AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Operation Odyssey Dawn - Twitter Audio - Tweeting revolutions
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:55pm
Al Jazeera has obtained exclusive, undated footage showing Gaddafi's forces in Libya, and being seen for the first time inside Ajdabiya, a hotly-contested battleground.
The men are seen going from house to house questioning people to find out if they belong to the opposition.
The video also shows a glimpse of some of the heavy artillery such as rocket launchers, on the highway just outside of town.
For more on this, please go to our Libya live blog for April 10.
10:43pm
NATO commander of the Libya operation Lieutenant-General Charles Bouchard says air strikes hit armored vehicles firing on civilians near both Misurata and Ajdabiya. He said NATO jets also struck ammunition stockpiles east of Tripoli being used in attacks on Misurata and other populated areas.
An unnamed NATO official told The Associated Press that warplanes destroyed 17 tanks and damaged nine more.
8:41pm
NATO warplanes intercept a MiG-23 fighter jet operated by a rebel pilot , forcing him to land after he violated the no-fly zone. An unnamed NATO official said the jet took off from an airfield near Benghazi and was intercepted within minutes.
No aggressive action was displayed by the MiG-23 and the NATO fighters proceeded to force it to land back at the Benina airfield.
8:13pm
A Libyan official says a NATO attack has hit the southern outskirts of Misurata, adding that it was unclear what the target was. Referring to a plume of black smoke rising from the south of the city, the unnamed official said:
This smoke is from a NATO air strike which hit today.
A Reuters witness claimed to have seen a warplane sweeping across the sky.
8:00pm
A group of activists claiming to be part of the February 17 youth revolution organises a small protest at dawn in Tripoli. It declared its main objectives to be - to support efforts to oust Gaddafi, to lift morale in the silenced capital, to resist attempts to silence dissent and to show solidarity with pro-democracy fighters across Libya.
Below the video is the unedited English version of the protest statement, as provided by the group:
In the name of Allah most merciful...
Here we are the city of Tripoli Revolutionaries, we say again ... We are here ... We are standing.
At a time when we protest again, after the loss of hundreds of martyrs amongst us from Tajurah, Suq El Jumma, Mizran, Fashloum, and Martyr square.
And at a time when Gaddaffi’s battalions continue to persecute and apprehend thousands of revolutionaries in every district of Tripoli and without discrimination, from Tajura to Saraj, and from Suq El Jumma and Arrada to Al Seyahiya to Ghout El shaal and Abu Nawas to 2 Maris, and from Gergarish and Hay Al andalus and Dredi and Hadabah to Furnaj, Zanata ,Ben Ashour and Dahra, and from Sidi Khalifa and Almansura to Ain Zara and Airport Road and to all other areas without exceptions.
These are our streets, and these are our alleys , for we vow to you shameful and disgraceful Gaddafi, not you nor your battalions, nor your snipers, nor your mercenaries however many they are, will not terrify us anymore, and we will not back down on our revolution and up rise no matter how greater the sacrifice.
For this city with its students and professors and universities and businessmen and fishermen and doctors and those who witnessed you crimes on February 20th , the day that your revenge reached the highest limits of murdering the injured of those who did not die on site during the demonstrations on Martyrs Square, where those who did not fall from your machine guns in the streets were pursued by your gunmen in the emergency rooms and intensive care units of the hospitals in Tripoli. This city will not allow you to make it weak, easy nor vulnerable ever again.
The Libyans may have been tolerant to the exploitation and abuse of this insane system, in fear of its tyranny and infinite madness, but now that the fear barrier has been broken and shrivelled in the events of the last few weeks, we are thus continuing in the path of freedom and Tripoli will remain a burning flame under his feet and those who follow him.
We will not shout, nor will we tense up as Gaddaffi did in the utmost level of his weakness and vulnerability, but we will maintain our composure and the confidence of the strong, convinced of the nearness of victory and triumph god willing.
The dictator has polluted the language of speech with his cheap synonyms and pitiful descriptions, as he sees people from his point of view, and where we only see him as insolvent, desperate and defeated, becoming himself the terrified rat , spending his days in tunnels and his nights between cellars.
He destroyed the safe country with his ruining alleged leadership, which only led to war, underdevelopment, disability and a country under siege... But now we will take control of the leadership, and we have identified his demise, and we have planned the way for our salvation with no return.
A salute and tribute of respect and glory to the free Libyan revolutionaries everywhere, those who gave an example of gallantry and courage.
We put our hands together with, and renew our support and solidarity to the National Transitional Council, and affirm our support on all its blessed steps and actions.
Glory to Tripoli the capital and eternal glory to our honourable martyrs.
6:24pm
South Africa says its PM Jacob Zuma will be meeting Gaddafi, The Associated Press said, citing a foreign ministry statement on Friday.
But a day later ministry spokesman Clayson Monyela said the only certainty was Zuma's attendance at an African Union meeting on Libya. Monyela said Africans want to mediate talks between Libya's political rivals, but that no date has been set yet.
6:16pm
Gaddafi seen on state-run TV being welcomed in a school in Tripoli, reportedly on Saturday [AFP/Libya TV]
6:03pm
A Libyan opposition group wants the US to grant immediate access to Gaddafi's frozen assets to pay for humanitarian needs in rebel-held areas.
Ali Aujali, who resigned as Libyan envoy to the US in February and now heads the National Transitional Council, wrote to US treasury secretary Timothy Geithner saying the humanitarian conditions were getting worse.
The US has frozen more than $34bn in assets as part of sanctions against Gaddafi and his top aides.
5:50pm
NATO denies its warplanes conducted any air strikes on Ajdabiya, refuting claims by residents that a huge explosion may have been caused by an alliance attack. A NATO official told AFP:
We can confirm that there were no NATO strikes in the city of Ajdabiya. We continue to engage government forces throughout the country. We have verified that the alleged air strike in Ajdabiya city was not the result [of a NATO strike].
The official said NATO was also trying to verify if there was any violation of the UN-mandated no-fly zone, following reports that a military helicopter bearing a rebel flag was flying towards the frontline near Ajdabiya.
5:43pm
A military helicopter with the Libyan rebel flag reportedly seen flying towards the fontline around Ajdabiya on Saturday despite a UN-imposed no-fly zone, the AFP new agency said.
The military helicopter had the rebel flag painted on its side was seen flying very low near Ajdabiya [AFP]
5:20pm
Two rebels reportedly wounded in a crossfire near Ajdabiya, forcing others to retreat following confrontations with Gaddafi's forces on Saturday.
An injured rebel fighter being wheeled into a hospital in Ajdabiya following Saturday's fighting [Reuters]
3:15pm
State-run television runs footage of Gaddafi wearing brown burnous and sunglasses visiting a school in Tripoli reportedly on Saturday morning, with pupils shown shouting anti-Western slogans. He could be seen entering the school surrounded by bodyguards, Reuters said, citing Libyan TV.
12:37pm
Gaddafi's forces have shelled the western outskirts of the opposition-held town of Ajdabiya. Reuters correspondent Michael Georgy reported he heard blasts and machinegun fire for around 30 minutes from the western boundary of the town.
11:58am
Opposition fighters say they have pushed deeper towards the oil port of Brega. They say they took two prisoners after a clash with soldiers near Brega's university.
The eastern Libyan port has changed hands more than five times since the uprising against Gaddafi's rule began in February.
11:05am
The Red Cross says it's extending it aid activities to western Libya. A ship carrying medical supplies has docked in the besieged town of Misurata and aid workers were on the way to Zawiyah.
"We are sending the ship to support Misrata's main hospital, by delivering enough medical supplies to treat 300 patients with weapon injuries on the spot," Jean-Michel Monod, a Red Cross official in Tripoli, said.
The statement came more than a week after the agency began negotiations with Libyan government officials on access to western areas under its control.
8:43am
Our correspondent Hoda Abdel-Hamid sent this report from Brega on how poorly trained opposition fighters are struggling to hold their ground, as Gaddafi's forces continue to have the upper hand on the battlefield.
12:02am
Hello and welcome to today's live blog. We'll keep you updated all day with breaking news and reports from Libya, right here. But if you feel you may have missed out on something, check out yesterday's blog, by clicking here.
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Libya
Possibly related posts (automatically generated)
Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Live Blog: Friday protests across Middle East
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Middle East
on April 8th, 2011.
File picture of protesters in Amman, Jordan [AFP]
Show oldest updates on top
As the unrest in the Middle East continues, we update you with the latest developments from Syria, Yemen and across the region.
Read on for the latest from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe.
Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Region in turmoil - Syria Unrest - Yemen's Uprising - Battle for Libya - Egypt's Revolution - Bahrain Protests
(All times are in GMT)
11:44pm
As the Middle East goes to sleep, we close down our live blog for this Friday, April 8th. Thanks for tuning in, folks.
9:44pm
YEMEN - Online activist group Avaaz have collated footage put online from Taiz and Sanaa, which you can see on their page by clicking here.
9:17pm
SYRIA - In a statement read out on state TV (and repeated three times), the government says:
Over the past Fridays there were a lot of demonstrations in which armed groups used weapons to kill people and security forces - and though we understand that protesting is a right of the population, we can no longer allow chaos to take place and official buildings to be destroyed. So we will use all the means to stop the chaos from taking place.
Note - the above is a rough translation only.
9:06pm
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Cal Perry tells us that people in Daraa are afraid of going to hospitals in case they are kidnapped by secret police. With a large military contingent on its way to Daraa, it is likely the town will be surrounded by tomorrow morning, he says.
8:47pm
SYRIA - The state TV building in Deraa has been burned down, tweets Al Jazeera's Cal Perry.
8:44pm
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Cal Perry, reporting from Damascus, tweets:
Sources confirm to #AJE that the Army has been deployed in large numbers to the Southern City of #Deraa. #Syria
You can follow Cal, too: @calperryAJ
8:17pm
EGYPT - The Muslim Brotherhood has steered clear of recent demonstrations in Cairo's Tahrir Square, but joined protesters on Friday, calling for the prosecution of former president Hosni Mubarak.
Islam Lotfy, who represents the brotherhood and the Youth Coalition, speaks to Al Jazeera from Cairo and explains why his organisation joined today's gathering.
7:45pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Adam Makary (@adamakary) tweets:
The number of army officers joining protesters in #tahrir is growing, they r calling for a sit-in, insisting ppl 2 camp the night with them
7:37pm
SYRIA - More footage of today’s protest in Latakia. The description of this video says: "To all those who question the demands of the Syrian people – A clear message to overthrow the regime"
7:25pm
EGYPT - Thousands gathered today in Tahrir Square, central Cairo, showing a unity unseen since the ousting of former president Hosni Mubarak, to demand the country's new military rulers take action against its former leaders.
Threatening to march to Sharm el-Sheikh, where Mubarak is reportedly holed up, even a small group of soldiers joined the protest - risking courts martial.
Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna has more from Cairo.
7:12pm
SYRIA - More amateur video uploaded to YouTube purportedly shows wounded protesters being treated in the local Omari mosque in Daraa:
6:20pm
YEMEN - Our special correspondent tells us that government officials may be attempting to backtrack on some of President Saleh's defiant remarks this afternoon.
The state news agency is quoting an "informed source" saying Saleh was rejecting "Qatar's meddling in Yemeni affairs" - but still welcomes the efforts of the Gulf countries to find a solution to the crisis. The Saba news agency said:
[The] president welcomed the good efforts of the Gulf countries, particularly the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in order to solve the crisis between the Yemeni parties, the source said - adding that president rejects what was mentioned in a statement by Qatar's Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Hamad bin Jasim Al Thani and regarded it as intervention in the Yemeni domestic affairs which is unacceptable.
5:54pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Adam Makary says thousands of protesters have left Cairo's Tahrir Square following nightfall - and headed to the Israeli embassy.
They are demanding the flag be taken down and the gas supply from Egypt to Israel to be blocked.
5:52pm
SYRIA - The death toll among pro-reform demonstrators in Daraa has climbed to 27, a source told Al Jazeera. Twenty bodies are at the morgue, seven others were released to their families. Four people are still unaccounted for.
5:46pm
YEMEN - Our special correspondent tells us that violence is continuing outside the governor's office in the southern city of Taiz. Police are shooting tear gas and using live ammunition.
She has just confirmed two people have been killed, and 30 are in a critical condition.
A further 100 people have been shot with live ammunition, medical sources tell her, with 1,000 people suffering the results of tear gas inhalation.
5:45pm
SYRIA - State-run Syrian television says 19 police officers and members of the security forces have been killed in Daraa. Witnesses in the southern border town earlier said there were 17 people killed there - all of them anti-government protesters. The discrepancy could not immediately be reconciled.
Daraa was the site of a mass demonstration today by thousands of anti-government protesters. Witnesses and human rights groups said security forces opened fire to disperse the gathering. A nurse at the city's hospital said hundreds of wounded had overwhelmed the facility.
5:33pm
SYRIA - The latest on the nation-wide protests from Al Jazeera's Gerald Tan:
5:10pm
YEMEN - The country's longtime leader, Ali Abdullah Saleh, addressed a crowd of thousands in capital Sanaa, defiantly rejecting international calls for him to step down.
But on the other side of the city, a second demonstration called for his immediate resignation. One man there told our correspondent he had been offered money to attend the pro-Saleh demonstration, but wanted to protest.
Al Jazeera's special correspondent, who is not being named for security reasons, has more from Sanaa.
4:36pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Adam Makary (@adamakary) tweets:
The sun sets over #tahrir and still thousands of people protesting #april8 #jan25 #egyptrocks
4:15pm
IRAQ - More details on the 25 deaths in the crackdown on the MEK - an Iranian opposition group sheltered by Saddam Hussein which has refused to disband. Al Jazeera's Jane Arraf, reporting from Baghdad, speaks to Adrian Fineghan in our Doha newsroom.
4:09pm
SYRIA - State television aired footage of several masked gunmen who could be seen shooting in what it said was the city of Daraa. The news anchor said the gunmen were firing at protesters and police:
A peaceful demonstration which vandals infiltrated ... attacked the electricity company and started shooting and opened fire on the television (station). Some of the gunmen were firing live bullets on protesters and security forces. This expresses clearly and openly that there are some people who wish evil on Syria.
The Syrian government has blamed killings during weeks of pro-democracy protests on armed groups shooting at random, while protesters say they have been targeted by security forces.
3:52pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Adam Makary tweets:
More walking space in #tahrir then there has been over the past six hours and some banners are being removed
You can follow him for yourself @adamakary
3:22pm
SYRIA - More footage emerges of the protests that erupted after prayer today. This video shows a scene in Homs where demonstrators were dispersed with heavy gunfire, water cannons and teargas:
3:12pm
IRAQ - At least 25 killed and 320 wounded in clashes between Iraqi troops and members of an Iranian opposition group, the MEK, given shelter by Saddam Hussein. Protests against ongoing US military presence continue in Baghdad.
3:12pm
SYRIA - The death toll in Daraa rose to 17, a hospital source and an activist said, after residents reported security forces opened fire on thousands of protesters.
3:05pm
YEMEN - Doctors tell our special correspondent: "The number of injured just keeps rising"
2:59pm
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Cal Perry tweets that cell phone connections in Douma and Homs seem completely shut down.
2:43pm
SYRIA - More footage of the unprecedented unrest emerges online. This YouTube clip, published by Sham news agency, shows demonstrations in the northwestern town of Edlib:
2:37pm
SYRIA - Protesters in Daraa set fire to a Baath Party outpost and smashed a stone statue of Basil al-Assad, President Bashar al-Assad's late brother, witnesses said. One of them told Reuters news agency by telephone:
The statue of Basil al-Assad is just a pile of stones. The protesters also set fire to a Baath Party outpost in the el-Mahatta area.
2:28pm
YEMEN - Our special correspondent confirms one man died a few minutes ago in Taiz, as a result of a gunshot to the head. Two others are in a very serious condition, she tells us.
2:23pm
SYRIA - More amateur video published by Sham news agency appears on YouTube. This one is from demonstrations in the coastal city of Tartus:
2:06pm
SYRIA - Videos from today's protests are emerging online. This one, published by the Sham News Agency, purports to show injured protesters being treated in the Omari mosque in Daraa. [Sham - الشام - is another name for Damascus]
2:03pm
SYRIA - At least 10 people were killed in Daraa, a hospital source said, after witnesses reported security forces opened fire to disperse demonstrators.
The state news agency SANA reported shooting in Daraa, but it said "vandals" had opened fire on mass gatherings, killing a policeman and an ambulance driver and wounding dozens of police and residents.
1:55pm
YEMEN - Update from Taiz - our special correspondent tells us that hundreds have now been injured - mostly from tear gas inhalation.
1:50pm
IRAQ - Protesters in Tahrir Square, Baghdad, have been talking to Al Jazeera's Jane Arraf. Many are angry about the continued oresence of US military troops in the country. One who preferred not to give their name said:
They have no credibility. They said, "By the end of 2011 we will be out of Iraq," and yesterday, Gates came here and said that there are hints about keeping the US forces, although they denied this before.
They are not going to leave Iraq, and if they don’t leave Iraq by the end of 2011, then there will be no peaceful demonstrations, there will be something else.
1:41pm
YEMEN - Two protesters shot dead among dozens wounded in the southern city of Taiz, says the AFP news agency.
1:38pm
EGYPT - "The army and the people are one hand" is the same chant raised in Tahrir Square during the uprising against Mubarak, when protesters wanted the army to join their cause.
1:37pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna, reporting from Cairo, said the crowd was also calling for the immediate resignation of the army chief, following what they see as a lack of action on the part of the military. He told us:
There were very strong orders that if any soldier took part in today's protests he would face immediate court martial.
We saw a group of five soldiers, at least one of which was a senior officer, actually join the demonstration and address a portion of the crowd, which was chanting "The army and the people are one hand".
Although they were only five soldiers, it is a very significant development - given the military's specific instructions.
1:29pm
YEMEN - Our special correspondent says, according to medical sources, more than 50 people have been injured as a result of tear gas in Taiz. Ten others were injured by batons or knives. One person has been shot with live ammunition, and is in critical condition.
1:20pm
YEMEN - Police reported to be shooting tear gas and live ammunition in Taiz - our special correspondent, who we aren't naming for security reasons, isn't yet sure if it's being fired in the air or at crowds. Watch this space for an update.
1:14pm
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's special correspendent tells us:
Saleh had at the beginning said he had accepted the offer to go to Saudi Arabia for mediation, but he is now saying he doesn't want anyone meddling in his own affairs.
I just spoke to opposition leaders and they said this strengthens their own position, as it shows Saleh is isolated more and more in the international community - but it does lead to this stalemate.
In Change Square, everwhere we looked we couldn't see the end of the lines of people, there are tens of thousands of people there. It is difficult to believe there is anyone left in their homes today in Sanaa, with the huge turnouts at both demonstrations.
1:02pm
SYRIA - An eyewitness told Al Jazeera that at least seven people were killed by security forces in the southern border town of Daraa.
12:18pm
SYRIA - Reuters quotes opposition activists in Damascus saying that automatic weapons fire rang out during a pro-democracy rally confronted by Syrian security forces in a suburb there.
12:03pm
YEMEN - Read more about the latest updates from Yemen on our website here.
12:02pm
SYRIA - This video on YouTube is said to show a protest in the Damascus suburb of Harasta today.
12:00pm
YEMEN - Embattled President Saleh rejected an exit plan by Gulf states trying to broker an end to bloody unrest in Yemen. Here is some of what he said on his address broadcast on state TV:
11:49am
EGYPT - Thousands gather in Cairo's Tahrir Square, calling for prosecution of the ousted president and his regime. Read out latest news report here.
11:43am
SYRIA Reuters quotes witnesses as saying security forces use live ammunition against protesters in Daraa.
11:37am
YEMEN - Crowds of pro-Saleh supporters shown on Yemeni television during his address:
11:29am
IRAQ - Amnesty International will release a report on April 12, urging the Iraqi authoritie to address attacks on protesters. In a statement, the group said:
Forces deployed against demonstrators have used lived ammunition, killing and injuring protesters and bystanders.
Amnesty International also found disturbing evidence of targeted attacks on political activists, torture and other ill-treatment of people arrested in connection with the protests, and attacks or threats against journalists, media outlets, government critics, academics and students.
Amnesty International will call on Iraqi and Kurdistan Regional authorities to investigate the attacks and killings, torture and other ill-treatment, and hold the perpetrators to account.
11:24am
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna reports from Cairo's Tahrir square, where Friday prayers have ended and massive crowds have gathered:
Within the crowd, there is no sign of political division, or political banners, just the egyptian flag waving
Here, there is anger at military authorities for not taking action against the Mubarak regime. This is a crowd very angry, a crowd questioning the army and a crowd united about its concerns
11:19am
YEMEN - In his address to supporters in Sanaa, President Saleh said:
Our power comes from the power of our great people, not from Qatar, not from anyone else. This is blatant interference in Yemeni affairs...
We were born free, and we have free will, and they have to respect our wishes. We reject any coup against democracy, the constitution and our freedom.
11:16am
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's correspondent in Sanaa reported that there are tens of thousands of people gathered in Change Square, still demanding that President saleh leaves power. "they feel it is important to show solidarity and to show their resolve, no matter what happens to them," our correspondent said.
She added:
We met a university professor at Change Square who claims a member of the ruling party offered him money yesterday to attend the pro-Saleh rally.
11:13am
SYRIA Mazen Darwish, an activist in Damascus, tells Al Jazeera that protests have been held in cities including Qamishli in the mainly Kurdish region, the coastal town of Banias, Deir e-Zor in the east and Daraa in the south. He says no violence has been reported but he's heard that security forces in Daraa have been using teargas against protesters.
11:12am
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's correspondent in the Yemeni capital Sanaa said:
President Saleh addressed his supporters in Seventy Square, and made a total rejection of the offer put forward by the GCC. According to that proposal, they had called for him to stand down and hand power to a coalition of tribal leaders and other political figures. But he said 'I reject, I reject, I reject'. He singled out Qatar and Al Jazeera and said 'we dont have to follow their agenda'.
11:01am
OMAN - Heavy security has prevented fresh protests breaking out in the industrial capital Sohar. Dozens of armoured vehicles have blocked roads and worshippers attempting to enter mosques had their names checked against lists by security forces, Reuters reports.
Protesters camped out in the city for more than a month before security forces moved them out last week.
They had been attempting to demonstrate against the killing of at least one person and demanded the prosecution of ministers who have been sacked for corruption.
10:56am
YEMEN - President Saleh slammed Qatar's intervention in Yemen's affairs. He said, "We derive power and legitimacy from the people. It is a unified democratic Yemen."
10:50am
YEMEN - Addressing the country in a speech on state television, Yemen's Ali Abdullah Saleh said he rejects initiatives from any other country to resolve the current crisis there, Reuters reports.
10:46am
YEMEN - President Ali Abdullah Saleh is expected to address the country in a speech broadcast on state television shortly. Friday prayers have ended and rival pro and anti government demonstrations are expected to gather momentum.
10:41am
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Cal Perry tweets from Damascus:
Residents in #Deraa reporting that the police presence is heavy: police armed with electric batons - an attempt to quell protests. #Syria
10:26am
EGYPT - About 3,000 people have gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square. Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna, reporting from the square, says the demands of the protesters are very clear: that action needs to be taken against ousted president Mubarak and those close to him, that there must be a presidential council established so that the people can express what they want to see as Egypt's future.
Unlike on previous occasions recently, this is a fully representative gathering of EGypt's political movements, including the very powerful Muslim Brotherhood which had stayed away from recent gathering saying they would give the military council more time to meet the people's demands.
10:22am
YEMEN - Groups of both pro and anti government demonstrators are rallying in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, Al Jazeera's correspondents report.
10:03am
Another day of mass protests is planned across the Arab world after noon prayers on Friday.
Here is an overview of the expected demonstrations.
And reports from Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna in Cairo, as well as Cal Perry in Damascus.
9:34am
SYRIA Al Jazeera's Cal Perry in Damascus says yesterday's move by President Bashar al-Assad to grant citizenships to 200,000-300,000 stateless Kurds can be interpreted as a measure to "keep the Kurdish community off the streets" today, as activists are calling for fresh protests.
There is a lot of pressure on him [Assad] from people who want to see reform. They are tired of hearing the same old talk ... for the people of Daraa, who just recently buried their dead, they want to see those responsible brought to justice and until that happens, I think we'll see the situation here simmer.
9:09am
EGYPT - Thousands of Egyptians are gathering to protest in Cairo's central Tahrir Square. They are holding banners and signs demanding the prosecution of former regime officials, including ousted president Hosni Mubarak.
9:02am
YEMEN - Yemen's Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Kurbi said in a statement that the country's government is studying an initiative by Gulf Arab states to end a months-long confrontation with anti-regime protesters, the AFP news agency reported.
Concerned by the continuing unrest in Yemen, members of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) offered to mediate between Yemen's government and the opposition.
8:38am
IRAQ - At least five Iraqi soldiers and up to dozens of Iranian opposition members were wounded in overnight clashes at a base north of Baghdad after the Iraqi military moved in to part of the disputed camp, an Iraqi government spokesperson told Al Jazeera.
The account could not be independently verified.
7:53am
YEMEN - The United States froze its largest aid package for Yemen in February after popular protests broke out against the Yemeni president, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
"The first instalment of the aid package, worth a potential $1 billion or more over several years, was set to be rolled out in February, marking the White House's largest bid at securing President Ali Abdullah Saleh's allegiance in its battle against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula," the publication said.
Read more here.
7:33am
IRAQ - Robert Gates, the US Defence Secretary, has arrived in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region for talks with regional president Massud Barzani on security needs after American troops pull out this year.
[Image by AFP]
6:05am
SYRIA - Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, issued a decree granting nationality to thousands of Kurds living in the eastern al-Hasaka region as part of efforts to ease resentment over nearly five decades of strict Baathist rule.
Read the full article on our website here.
6:01am
YEMEN - Less than two years ago a Yemeni opposition party leader told a US embassy official in Sanaa about a secret plan to oust President Ali Abdullah Saleh, The Washington Post reported.
Several previously undisclosed US diplomatic cables, provided by the website WikiLeaks, revealed that US officials were aware of Yemen's political state but largely discounted the prospect that Saleh could be forced out, the newspaper's report said.
Read more on The Washington Post's website.
5:44am
YEMEN - An anti-government demonstrator attends a protest in the capital Sanaa on Thursday. [image by AFP]
4:05am
JORDAN - A Jordanian man - Mohammed Abdul-Karim- set himself on fire outside the prime minister's office, on Thursday, in the first such act since political unrest hit the country in January.
It was a similar act of self-immolation by Mohamed Bouazizi, a poor vegetable vendor in Tunisia in December, that ignited the wave of protests which have since swept through the region and seen the ousting of autocratic regimes in both Tunisia and Egypt.
Topics in this blog
PEOPLE
Adam Makary
Ali Abdullah Saleh
Bashar al-Assad
Cal Perry
Hosni Mubarak
Jane Arraf
Mike Hanna
COUNTRY
Egypt
Qatar
Syria
Yemen
CITY
Baghdad
Cairo
Damascus
Daraa
Sanaa
Taiz
ORGANIZATION
army
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Libya Live Blog - April 8
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 7th, 2011.
[Reuters]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
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(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:24pm
Gaddafi's government officials have been taking foreign journalists on various tours in past weeks to reinforce their position that they are in control of the situation in the country.
But a government-controlled trip to Misurata today instead suggested that the situation of Gaddafi's troops had grown more dire after weeks of laying siege to the enemy's stronghold, says the Associated Press news agency.
Reporters were taken to the same road junction, more than a mile from the centre of town, where government officials took them about 10 days ago. Back then, it was to show the effects of a NATO airstrike. This time, it
was simply as far as the tour could go before the sounds of gunfire and shelling forced officials to turn around.
At one point, the journalists took cover amid gunfire. A Libyan soldier, Walid Mohammed Walid, received a head wound in the shooting and was taken to a hospital.
And while Gadhafi's forces at the intersection were seen on open ground on the earlier visit, this time the few soldiers there were hiding out in buildings or on rooftops.
The scene along the road from Tripoli, dotted with burned-out tanks, anti-aircraft guns hidden by vegetation and checkpoints made of tires and sand banks, underscored the devastating struggle over Misrata. It is the most sustained conflict in the Libyan uprising and the focus of a growing international efforts to bring aid by sea to besieged residents caught in the crossfire.
Just 160km southeast of capital Tripoli, Misurata is symbolic and strategic asset for both sides, each of which holds key parts of Libya's third-largest city.
11:08am
Protesters in Egypt show solidarity with the remaining members of Al Jazeera's crew detained in Libya, courtesty of Flickr user Mosa'aberising.
10:56pm
Five people were killed and ten wounded in fighting in Misurata today, Reuters reports.
10:40pm
NATO airstrikes have hit weapons depots belonging to Gaddafi's forces near the town of Zintan, a resident told Reuters:
The depots are situated 15km southeast of Zintan. We could see buildings on fire in the distance.
First we heard aircraft and then we counted some 14 explosions. Some people used binoculars and saw
buildings on fire
Rebels believe some of the depots were destroyed but not all. We are talking about huge facilities.
10:32pm
Anti-Gaddafi fighters say they have fought off an assault on the east of Misurata by forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
The Red Cross said it expected a humanitarian vessel it had chartered to reach Misurata by midday tomorrow, but gave no details of the relief cargo it was carrying. A spokesman for the anti-Gaddafi fighters, who gave his name as Hassan al-Misrati, told Reuters:
The attack from the east has been repelled now and the (pro-Gaddafi) forces have been pushed back.
10:27pm
Getting ready for boots on the ground? The European Union says it is ready to launch "a humanitarian mission" in Libya's Misurata within several days, but only if it has United Nations backing, says the Associated Press news agency.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has reportedly contacted UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to share her concerns over Misurata, a source told the agency.
The mission might require military backing, but it would not go beyond strictly providing assistance for humanitarian action.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, say any military involvement would only come if backed by the UN.
9:49pm
Libyan government forces continue to attack anti-Gaddafi fighters in the rebel-held town of Misurata, AFP reports.
Fierce fighting is ongoing in the city, about 215km east of Tripoli - which has seen battles rage for more than 40 days since the start of the uprising.
Doctors said last week that 200 people had been killed there since fighting began.
8:07pm
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon will hold a meeting of international and regional organisations in Cairo next week - to improve coordination of the international response on Libya.
UN spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters that leaders scheduled to attend Thursday's meeting at the Arab League's headquarters include Arab League chief Amr Moussa, African Union commission chairman Jean Ping, EU foreign policy head Catherine Ashton, and Organisation of the Islamic Conference Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu.
The object of the meeting will be to exchange views and enhance coordination among the participating organisations in addressing the current crisis in Libya.
8:00pm
Algeria's National Democracy Assembly has said it "deplores" the NATO-led military operation in Libya and urged "an immediate stop to fighting".
The party, led by prime minister Ahmen Ouyahi, demanded international respect for Libya's independence and "its exclusive ownership of the riches of the country, including its hydrocarbons".
Ouyahi also warned Algerians against imitating protesters whose uprisings overthrew leaders in Tunisia and Egypt.
5:39pm
More on those targeted by the new US sanctions. They are:
• Ali al-Mahmoudi Al Baghdadi: Libya’s Prime Minister and member of Muammar Gaddafi’s inner circle.
• Shukri Ghanem: Libya’s Oil Minister and Chairman of the National Oil Company of Libya (NOC), identified by Treasury on March 15 as subject to sanctions for being owned or controlled by the Government of Libya. Ghanem has full responsibility for policies and operations of Libya’s petroleum sector.
• Abdulhafid Zlitni: Secretary of the General People’s Committee for Finance and Planning, Libya’s equivalent of Finance Minister. Zltini is currently acting as temporary head of the Central Bank of Libya. He was previously NOC Chairman.
• Tohami Khaled: Director of Libya’s Internal Security Office.
• Bashir Saleh: Head of Cabinet – or Chief of Staff – to Muammar Gaddafi. He is also the Chairman of the Libya Africa Investment Portfolio (LAIP), identified by Treasury on March 15 as subject to sanctions for being owned or controlled by the Government of Libya.
The Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation and the Waatasemu Charity Association were also designated today. The Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation is a Geneva-registered organization founded in Libya in 1998 and incorporated in Switzerland in 2004.
It was designated for being owned and controlled by Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, who is the foundation’s president and a board member.
Waatasemu Charity Association was designated for being controlled by Aisha Gaddafi, Muammar Gaddafi's daughter and Secretary General of the Libya-based organization.
5:35pm
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO secretary-general, talks to Al Jazeera about what he says is progress being made in implementing UN Security Council resolution 1973 - and about the deaths caused by NATO forces near Brega.
5:30pm
The United States has imposed financial sanctions on five further senior Libyan government officials and two entities controlled by Gaddafi's children, says the US treasury department.
Libya's prime minister, Ali al-Mahmoudi Al Baghdadi, and Gaddafi's chief of staff, Bashir Salehand, to its sanctions blacklist.
The sanctions prohibit US transactions with them and seek to freeze any assets they may have under US jurisdiction.
Also blacklisted were Libyan finance minister Abdulhafid Zlitni, the country's oil minister Shukri Ghanem and Libya's
internal security director Tohami Khaled.
A Geneva-registered organization owned by Gaddafi's son and another entity, Waatasemu Charity Association, controlled by
his daughter, were sanctioned, Treasury said.
2:09pm
US defence secretary Robert Gates says military action in Libya does not set a precedent for future intervention in other Middle Eastern countries facing uprisings or unrest. During a visit to the Marez Camp US military base in northern Iraq, he told reporters:
What has made Libya unique is first of all a request, which is unprecedented in my experience, of the Arab League actually asking for an intervention in the Middle East, to take on an Arab government mistreating its
own people ...
It's hard for me to imagine those kinds of circumstances being replicated any place else.
Gates said the Arab League request was then supported by the Gulf Cooperation Council and bolstered by the United Nations and allies such as Britain and France.
2:07pm
UN human rights investigators say their enquiries "will cover all sides involved"
1:51pm
UNICEF, the UN's agency for children, says snipers are targeting children in the besieged city of Misurata.
1:21pm
German troops could play a role in a humanitarian mission in Libya - but the country's leaders denied this was a U-turn after not supporting UN military action A spokesman said:
If a request were made to the EU, Germany would live up to its responsibilities.
Our position was always that Germany would not participate in combat
operations in Libya ... This would be about ensuring with military means that
humanitarian aid gets to those who need it.
12:21pm
Coast guards have said that a boat laden with 171 people fleeing Libya have arrived in Malta. They are expected to undergo health checks before being taken to an immigrant centre on the island. More than 1,000 refugees have arrived in Malta in the past few days, and some 150 have been lost at sea in an attempt to reach the island.
11:27am
Reuters quotes rebels as saying they are fighting Gaddafi forces trying to enter the city of Misurata from the east.
10:39am
This video posted online by Wefaq Media is said to show the air strike that killed at least four people outside Brega yesterday.
10:21am
NATO's deputy commander of Libya operations describes the alliance's strategy in Libya as coherent and says the alliance continues to target "those who harm civilians".
Regarding the two air strikes outside Brega which appear to have killed four opposition fighters, he says that before yesterday, the alliance had no information that the opposition was using tanks. He says the situation on the ground was "very fluid" and that he is "not apologising" for the strikes.
10:14am
NATO air strikes outside Brega yesterday "may have resulted in the death" of opposition fighters but the circumstances remains unclear, Russell Harding, deputy commander of NATO's Libya operations, says in a press briefing in Naples.
7:47am
Our correspondent Sue Turton reports from Tobruk, on the rebels' need of better weapons and claims that they are receiving arms from abroad.
6:19am
Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee, in Benghazi, says reports are emerging that it might not have been NATO that hit a rebel armoured unit outside Brega. He says it might instead have been a light plane used by Gaddafi forces, suggesting that they are getting arms from outside.
5:07am
The UK Telegraph newspaper says two British businessmen with no connection to the protests against Gaddafi's regime have been imprisoned in Libya for three weeks, just two of many who have reportedly disappeared since mass protests began in February.
The opposition Transitional National Council says more than 20,000 people have been rounded up, while Amnesty International has been able to confirm 30 disappearances.
4:47am
The UK military's action in Libya has prompted Prime Minister David Cameron to rethink Britain's defence budget, Sky News reports.
"Changes could include U-turns on plans to cut the number of RAF Tornados and scrap surveillance planes," the report says.
3:03am
Scottish police have interviewed Moussa Koussa, the former Libyan foreign minister who fled the country in March, regarding the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, the UK Guardian reports.
2:18am
On Thursday, Abdel Fattah Younes, the defected head of the rebel military, confirmed for the first time that the opposition forces have received foreign weapons: anti-tank guns from Qatar. The tiny but wealthy Gulf country has been at the forefront of support for Libya's anti-Gaddafi movement, offering them official recognition and to be a broker for their oil.
12:05am
Welcome to Al Jazeera's Libya live blog for April 8. You can catch our continuing coverage and the latest developments on yesterday's live blog as well as our news stories.
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Libya
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Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Libya Live Blog - April 7
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 6th, 2011.
[Reuters]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Blog: Feb17 - Feb18 - Feb19 - Feb20 - Feb21 - Feb22 - Feb23 - Feb24 - Feb25 - Feb26 - Feb27 - Feb28 - Mar1 - Mar2 - Mar3 - Mar4 - Mar5 - Mar6 - Mar7 - Mar8 - Mar9 - Mar10 - Mar11 - Mar12 - Mar13 - Mar14 - Mar15 - Mar16 - Mar17 - Mar18 - Mar19 - Mar20 - Mar21 - Mar22 - Mar23 - Mar24 - Mar25 - Mar 26 - Mar 27 - Mar 28 - Mar 29 - Mar 30 - Mar 31 - Apr 1 - Apr 2 - Apr 3 - Apr 4 - Apr 5 - Apr 6
AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Operation Odyssey Dawn - Twitter Audio - Tweeting revolutions
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
10:33pm
Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught reporting from Tripoli says Turkey feels it has a better chance because it has been in direct talks with both sides, as well as sending in aid shipments to Benghazi and moving injured Libyans to Turkish hospitals.
But the major problem is how Turkey will get both sides to accept a ceasefire when all sides still feel there is something to play for, that the cost of giving up the fight would be far too great to bear.
Both sides are fearful that if they give up fighting now they will lose everything. This is what Turkey will have to find a way through.
Turkish PM Erdogan says the roadmap for Libya is to reach a ceasefire and political reform [Reuters]
9:37pm
Sources cited by Reuters say China will buy the first oil cargo from Libya via trading house Vitol. But traders said it could take a long time before flows of crude from Libya reach substantial levels.
Trading sources told the news agency on Thursday that the Liberia-registered tanker Equator, which can carry up to one million barrels of oil, was taking Libyan crude to China.
Libya's government has cut oil output by 80 per cent while rebels and Gaddafi loyalists trade charges over attacks on oil fields in eastern Libya.
8:30pm
Media watchdog Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF) corrects its Libya report earlier about 26 journalists being expelled. A day earlier Libyab authorities posted a list of the foreign reporters they said were slated for departure on Thursday, because their visas had expired.
But on Thursday officials said there may have been an administrative error and no one on the list was expelled. It is not clear whether Libya intends to expel any of them at a later date.
6:45pm
Turkey's prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan urges pro-Gaddafi forces to withdraw from cities they are besieging in Libya, local news channel NTV said. He promised to disclose a Libyan "roadmap" on Thursday.
Wounded rebels were taken to hospital in Ajdabiya after NATO's friendly fire incident killed five [Reuters]
5:37pm
NATO promises to investigate the latest air strike on Thursday that killed at least five rebel fighters in the eastern town of Brega, less than a week after 13 people died in an alliance bombing in the same area.
It said in a statement:
NATO is looking into the specific details of an alleged strike on a column of tanks outside of Brega today.
The fighting between Brega and Ajdabiya, where the strike occurred, has been fierce for several days. The situation is unclear and fluid with mechanised weapons travelling in all directions.
The alliance reiterated it will continue to uphold the UN mandate and strike forces that threaten Libyan civilians.
5:20pm
Five journalists reported missing on Thursday in east Libya, as Gaddafi's government expels 26 foreign reporters from Tripoli, says media watchdog Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF).
It said in a statement:
Reporters without Borders has learned from a reliable source that four journalists - a South African, two Americans and a Spaniard - have been missing in the east of the country since April 4.
The names of journalists, who had all been invited to Tripoli by the [Gaddafi] government, were posted last night in the lobby of the hotel where they were staying.
The expulsions follows a series of deportations in recent weeks.
A female Syrian reporter Rana Akbani has been reported missing in Libya since March 28.
About 100 other foreign journalists are still in the Libyan capital, RSF added.
5:15pm
Al Jazeera's Sue Turton visits a weapons bunker near Tobruk to look at the ammunition pro-Gaddafi forces have had to rely on. Catch her report below:
4:30pm
Top US general, Commander of US Africa Command General Carter Ham, tells senate hearing on Thursday a stalemate is emerging in Libya between rebels and troops loyal to Gaddafi.
Nearly a dozen rebel fighters were injured in the second NATO air strike that hit a rebel position near Brega [Reuters]
1:04pm
AFP - At least five opposition fighters killed in a NATO air raid in the eastern oil town of Brega.
"It was the planes of NATO. They fired twice at our tank and blew up the tank's position," said rebel fighter Ali Sahli.
Chaotic scenes were witnessed at a rebel checkpoint on the edge of Ajdabiya, about 80km from Brega, with ambulances racing through heading for the hospital followed by a convoy of rebel military vehicles.
Civilians were ordered away from the checkpoint.
7:51am
Reuters - Libya accuses British government of damaging an oil pipeline in an air raid, hours after rebels said government attacks had halted production of oil they hope to sell to finance their uprising.
"British warplanes have attacked, have carried out an airstrike against the Sarir oilfield which killed three oilfield guards and other employees at the field were also injured," Deputy foreign minister Khaled Kaim told reporters.
There was no immediate comment from Britain's ministry of defence or from NATO, which is coordinating air raids against pro-Gaddafi forces.
Kaim said the raid damaged a pipeline connecting the oilfields to the Marsa el Hariga port.
"There is no doubt this aggression ... is against international law and is not covered by the UN resolution," he said.
7:18am
Associated Press - Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi "knows what he must do," said US secretary of state Hillary Clinton in response tohis appeal for an end to the conflict.
Gaddafi appealed directly to president Barack Obama to end what he called "an unjust war," and he wished Obama good luck in his bid for re-election next year.
Clinton, speaking at the White House, repeated U.S. and allied demands that Gaddafi's forces pull back and cease attacks.
"I don't think there is any mystery about what is expected from Mr. Gaddafi at this time," Clinton said.
6:17am
Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee, reporting from Benghazi, said that Abdel-Hafidh Ghoga, the Vice-Chairman of the Libyan National Provisional Council, continues to insist that NATO do more.
"He has certainly strengthened his language, and he even went on to call NATO a "burden", which is an extraordinary thing to say under the current circumstances."
"There is obviously agreement here among the opposition that if more military gains are to be made, international forces must step up their operations."
4:48am
Al Jazeera's Laurance Lee visited some of the pre-Gaddafi sites in rebel-held Benghazi and found signs of the city's proud history:
2:16am
The US government has provided $47 million to international and non-governmental organisations to meet humanitarian needs in Libya, according to the State Department. Though the US government, mostly via the United Nations, is able to monitor the humantarian situation in eastern Libya and along most of the borders, western Libya remains cut off by the Gaddafi regime.
Here's a breakdown, provided by the State Department, that shows where the money is going:
2:05am
The United Nations on Wednesday called for a cessation of hostilities around the Libyan city of Misurata to get help to the wounded and let people escape fighting between Muammar Gaddafi's forces and opposition rebels.
"The situation on the ground is critical for a large number of people who immediately need food, clean water and emergency medical assistance," said UN under secretary general for humanitarian affairs, Valerie Amos, who made the appeal.
1:44am
Former US Senator Curt Weldon traveled to Tripoli on Wednesday to try to convince Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to impose a cease fire on his forces and step down. Weldon led Congressional delegations to the country after Gaddafi agreed to give up its nuclear program in 2004. Check out Weldon's curriculum vitae, published on Wired magazine's website, for a glimpse of the ex-senator's history of dealings with Libya, North Korea, Russia and other lovely countries.
1:31am
Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim told the Reuters news agency that a British air strike hit the major Sarir oil field on Wednesday, killing three guards. He said the strike damaged a pipeline connected the field to Hariga port and that it violated international law.
12:07am
Welcome to Al Jazeera's Libya live blog for April 7. Catch up on all of the latest developments on our live blog for April 6, including Gaddafi's letter to Barack Obama appealing for the withdrawal of NATO air strikes.
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Libya
Possibly related posts (automatically generated)
Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Libya Live Blog - April 6
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 5th, 2011.
[EPA]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Blog: Feb17 - Feb18 - Feb19 - Feb20 - Feb21 - Feb22 - Feb23 - Feb24 - Feb25 - Feb26 - Feb27 - Feb28 - Mar1 - Mar2 - Mar3 - Mar4 - Mar5 - Mar6 - Mar7 - Mar8 - Mar9 - Mar10 - Mar11 - Mar12 - Mar13 - Mar14 - Mar15 - Mar16 - Mar17 - Mar18 - Mar19 - Mar20 - Mar21 - Mar22 - Mar23 - Mar24 - Mar25 - Mar 26 - Mar 27 - Mar 28 - Mar 29 - Mar 30 - Mar 31 - Apr 1 - Apr 2 - Apr 3 - Apr 4 - Apr 5
AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Operation Odyssey Dawn - Twitter Audio - Tweeting revolutions
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:37pm
Former Libyan energy minister Omar Fathi Shatwan says several members of Gaddafi's inner circle want to defect but are too scared to do so, fearing the safety of themselves and their families.
Those whose families are outside Libya will flee if they get a chance. But many can't leave, and all the families of ministers are under siege.
Shatwan, who left the government in 2007, says his last contact with Gaddafi was in 2006.
10:30pm
US secretary of state Hillary Clinton rebuffed a personal appeal from Gaddafi to Obama, saying the Libyan leader should impose a ceasefire, withdraw his forces and go into exile.
The White House confirmed Gaddafi had written a letter to the US president but said nothing if its contents, which was first reported by The Associated Press. The report said he had appealed to Obama for a ceasefire in a rambling, three-pages long.
8:30pm
NATO denies the pace of air strikes has abated since taking over from a coalition led by the US, Britain and France on march 31.
Speaking at NATO's southern European headquarters in Naples, Italy, Rear Admiral Russell Harding, the NATO deputy commander of operations in Libya, said:
Libya must be 800 miles [1,290km] wide and in all that air space we are dominating, so perhaps ... in one or two areas if they don't hear us or see us, I can understand how that might lead to a lack of confidence.
Rebels at the frontline scatter for cover following explosions by troops loyal to Gaddafi outside Brega [Reuters]
7:56pm
Rebel-held oilfields in Misla and the Waha oasis have been hit by Gaddafi's artillery on Tuesday and Wednesday, halting production, according to rebel spokesman Hafiz Ghoga. He said:
These oilfields are the ones that pump oil to Tobruk. They stopped pumping today.
7:45pm
The US defence department says NATO has to change its approach in Libya to keep up with changing tactics by Gaddafi's forces.
Colonel Dave Lapan, a department spokesman, said on Wednesday the situation illustrated the saying "the enemy gets a vote", and that it was up to the European alliance to adjust to Gaddafi's tactics.
Gaddafi's forces have adjusted to the environment, seeking ways to disguise forces and movements to avoid attacks.
Rebels have complained that delayed air strikes had allowed forces loyal to the Libyan leader to push them from Brega.
Libya's rebel fighters firing rockets from the desert east of Brega on Wednesday [Reuters]
7:30pm
A US official said Gaddafi had sent an appeal letter to US president Barack Obama asking to halt the NATO military campaign, according to The Associated Press. Below is the text, and the misspellings and grammatical errors are in the original letter.
Our son, Excellency,
President Obama
U.S.A
We have been hurt more morally that physically because of what had happened against us in both deeds and words by you. Despite all this you will always remain our son whatever happened. We still pray that you continue to be president of the U.S.A. We Endeavour and hope that you will gain victory in the new election campaigne. You are a man who has enough courage to annul a wrong and mistaken action. I am sure that you are able to shoulder the responsibility for that.
Enough evidence is available, Bearing in mind that you are the president of the strongest power in the world nowadays, and since Nato is waging an unjust war against a small people of a developing country. This country had already been subjected to embargo and sanctions, furthermore it also suffered a direct military armed aggression during Reagan's time. This country is Libya.
Hence, to serving world peace ... Friendship between our peoples ... and for the sake of economic, and security cooperation against terror, you are in a position to keep Nato off the Libyan affair for good. As you know too well democracy and building of civil society cannot be achieved by means of missiles and aircraft, or by backing armed member of AlQuaeda in Benghazi.
You _ yourself _ said on many occasions, one of them in the UN General Assembly, I was witness to that personally, that America is not responsible for the security of other peoples. That America helps only. This is the right logic.
Our dear son, Excellency, Baraka Hussein Abu oumama, your intervention is the name of the U.S.A. is a must, so that Nato would withdraw finally from the Libyan affair. Libya should be left to Libyans within the African union frame.
The problem now stands as follows:-
1. There is Nato intervention politically as well as military.
2. Terror conducted by AlQaueda gangs that have been armed in some cities, and by force refused to allow people to go back to their normal life, and carry on with exercising their social people's power as usual.
Mu'aumer Qaddaffi
Leader of the Revolution
Tripoli 5.4.2011
6:39pm
Libyan rebels have regained ground in a new advance on the oil port of Brega on Wednesday, after accusing NATO of mission failure in protecting civilians in Misurata.
Poorly-trained rebel fighters thrust back westwards, recovering mostly desert terrain lost during a retreat from the Libyan leader's superior firepower a day earlier.
Pro-democracy fighters returning to the tiny outpost of al-Arbaeen, midway between Brega and the frontline town of Ajdabiya, spoke of rocket duels close to Brega's port but the situation remains unclear.
5:58pm
Black African migrants have claimed that Libyan troops were turning them into "instant mercenaries" to fight the rebels, a Reuters report said, citing young men who had fled to Tunisia earlier. Click below for more:
5:23pm
NATO admitted it has to be "particularly careful" with its air strikes in Misurata as government troops were using civilians as human shields, as France pledged to open a sea corridor to the Mediterranean port.
Rear Admiral Russell Harding, the deputy commander of Libya operations, said on Wednesday NATO forces have been very careful to avoid injury to civilians "in close proximity" to the fighting.
They're trying to protect human shields when there is a tank with dozens of people round about it, of innocent civilians, the best thing at that stage is probably not to drop a bomb on the tank.
So there is a limit, a physical limit, because we are not allowed boots on the ground, there is a limit to what we are able to do in that respect.
But that doesn't mean to say we don't have the will and the intent, and the fire power and the wherewithal to take action to stop that.
Libyan government forces have increasingly shifted to non-conventional tactics, blending in with road traffic and using civilian life as a shield for their advance.
5:13pm
An oil tanker left the Libyan port of Tobruk on Wednesday with the first consignment of crude since the rebel administration that countrols the country's east from Benghazi won recognition from some countries.
The Greek-owned, Liberian-registered vessel docked a day earlier to load the oil shipment worth $100m for export. The potential buyer remains a mystery.
5:00pm
A Turkish delegation led by former ambassador to Tripoli is reportedly in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi on Wednesday to meet leaders of the National Transitional Council.
Turkish officials said representatives of the Libyan opposition are expected in Ankara later this week.
Turkey wants to explore the possibility of "any common ground" for a ceasefire and an agreement on a "roadmap" of political reform to end the conflict.
4:49pm
Gaddafi troops have reportedly shelled an oil field in Ojla, south of Ajdabiya, acording to a source from the local council in Tobruk.
Meanwhile rebel fighters tightened security measures and strenghtened military fortifications in the western district of Ajdabiya, allowing only authorised persons to enter.
In Misurata Gaddafi's troops attacked the coastal road leading to the port and tried to seize supplies and rations warehouses.
4:37pm
Britain has moved four Typhoon jets from policing the Libya no-fly zone to ground attack roles following opposition criticism that NATO forces failed to protect Misurata.
In a statement the defence ministry said the move aimed at "further bolstering NATO's ground attack capability".
The Typhoons based at Gioia del Colle in southern Italy had been policing the no-fly zone while the Royal Air Force's Tornado warplanes conduct air raids on Gaddafi's ground forces.
British Eurofighter EF-2000 Typhoon jets at Gioia del Colle NATO airbase on southern Italy [Reuters]
Britain now has 20 fighter jets committed to implementing UN Resolution 1973 aimed at protecting civilians against Gaddafi loyalists.
4:15pm
Speaking to Al Jazeera from London, Ashur Shamis, a Libyan journalist, said there seemed to be some discrepancies between the number of NATO flyovers and actual hits on the ground.
It is not hitting anything. More and more people in Benghazi are getting to the end of their tethers in relation to this situation.
As long as Gaddafi remains in Tripoli he will turn nastier and nastier, and he will produce more weapons and more tricks so that there will be more citizens dying because he has no aim or cause … he is just destroying the country, the people and causing more bloodshed.
Shamis says NATO should get its act together and show the people that it is up to task in implementing the UN resolution.
They have to show that they are doing something in Misurata and preventing Gaddafi's troops from killing civilians.
They have to do something in Tripoli … I understand there are ways there with which to get at Gaddafi's forces. Now it is slowly opening up to strikes and this will encourage people to turn against Gaddafi.
3:55pm
Libyan rebels send reinforcements and supplies towards Brega on Wednesday as former military officers, now with the opposition, were trying to keep untrained fighters from leaving Ajdabiya towards the frontline.
After several days of skirmishes, the frontlines keep moving back and forth between Brega and Ajdabiya, with neither side able to make any significant move.
Rebel fighters resting between Ajdabiya and Brega as Gaddafi forces pushed rebels back [Reuters]
10:37pm
AFP - NATO, accused by Libyan rebels of failing to protect civilians in the besieged city of Misurata, vows to do everything to protect the population.
"Misrata is our number one priority," NATO deputy spokeswoman Carmen Romero told AFP news agency adding that alliance warplanes hit Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's military assets around Libya's third largest city on Monday.
"We have a clear mandate and we will do everything to protect the civilians of Misurata," Romero said, referring to the UN Security Council resolution permitting "all necessary measures" to defend Libya's population.
6:17am
Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee, reporting from Benghazi, says the criticism of NATO from opposition forces reflects the fact they continue to struggle in their battles against pro-Gaddafi forces, and that the conflict may be prolonged.
6:01am
Associated Press - Libya's rebel leadership has apologised for the 1988 bombing of a jet over the town od Lockerbie in Scotland and pledged to cooperate with all investigations.
In a statement read by Jason McCue, a British lawyer representing victims' families, the council issued "a voluntary and sincere apology on behalf of the free people of Libya for the previous conduct of the Gaddafi regime in sanctioning and facilitating such a despicable and direct act of terrorism against the victims".
The lawyer read the statement after a meeting in the rebel-held city of Benghazi with Mustafa Abdul Jalil, the head of the opposition interim governing council, who claimed recently to have "evidence" that Gaddafi ordered the bombing.
4:26am
Libyan anti-government soldiers are reportedly being tortured and executed in an underground prison in Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte, according to one prisoner who since escaped.
Al Jazeera's Sue Turton reports that there are more and more stories emerging across the country of abuse and suffering at the hands of the Gadaffi forces.
2:57am
General Carter Ham, the chief of the United States' Africa Command, testified before American lawmakers in Washington DC.
He has reiterated that NATO is now in full command of the mission, and the US is acting only in a supporting role.
Al Jazeera's John Terret reported from Washington DC:
General Carter Ham who is the commanding general for all US forces in Africa said he still envisaged a go it alone role for the US and he said that would be if US interests were specifically targeted.
Ham also said later in his testimony that in future should there be any need for a rescue operation in Libya then the US will take the lead on that initiative.
He was asked whether he had a strong relationship with those who are now in control in NATO and he said it's like Afghanistan were NATO is in control but the US is clearly a key player.
General Carter Ham was also asked about US relations with other allies in the Middle East and Maghreb region and he said that some of the responses from those allies regarding the No-Fly Zone over Libya and the subsequent conflict have been frankly mixed.
He said going forward in future he would have one-to-one discussions with those allies to make sure they understand why the US went in and did what it did.
1:47am
Libyan opposition leaders continue to say that Gaddafi must leave before talks can take place. And that is a key dilemma in the country overcoming it's current crisis.
Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught reports from Tripoli:
The two sides are so far apart because their ultimate view of the solution to the problem is one that is completely incompatible, mutually incompatible. And it comes down basically to what Libya will look like.
Should Libya at the end of this conflict still have Colonel Gaddafi and his family in place, albeit with promises of reform. or is the only future for Libya one that does not involve Colonel Gaddafi and his family? And that is the debate that is being had in all quarters. That is the root of the various compromise solutions that are on offer.
We are hearing people talk, on the government side, of the possibility of a referendum, on the possibility of holding elections. But those promises are always made in the context of Colonel Gaddafi and his family remaining in place. and that is something that the other side simply do not find credible or believable.
1:00am
Abdul Fatah Younis, the head of the Libyan opposition's armed forces, and the former interior minister of Gaddafi's regime, spoke at a press conference in Benghazi on Tuesday. He accused NATO of acting too "slowly", or not acting at all, to protect civilians in their fight against the Libyan leader.
Read more of what he had to say on yesterday's live blog here. [Image by AFP]
12:52am
Two people were killed and 26 injured in shelling by Muammar Gaddafi's forces in the besieged city of Misurata on Tuesday, a rebel told the Reuters news agency.
12:01am
Welcome to Al Jazeera's Libya live blog for April 6 - catch up on all of the latest developments by referring to our live blog for April 5, a day when rebels lashed out at NATO for being "too slow" to act to save civilian lives, while Muammar Gaddafi's forces pushed forward to take the town of Brega, west of Ajdabiya.
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Libya Live Blog - April 5
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 4th, 2011.
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
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(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:46pm
Ahmet Davutoglu, the Turkish foreign minister, will hold talks with Mahmoud Jibril, the foreign affairs chief for the opposition Transitition National Council, in Qatar in the coming days, the Turkish news agency Anatolia reported.
11:17pm
Al Jazeera's Sue Turton has filed a report from Ajdabiya, where she met with a former Gaddafi soldier who was held in a prison in Sirte. The former solider says prisoners were being abused and tortured at the prison.
11:11pm
The Associated Press reports that rebels in towns southwest of Tripoli have banded together to fight pro-Gaddafi forces, pushing them out of the mountain town of Yefren.
Shaban Abusitta, a rebel leader from the town of Nalut, said youths from Nalut and Az Zintan infiltrated Yefren and helped their allies there to fight against government forces, who had surrounded the town. The rebels, armed with Kalashnikov rifles, attacked the armed forces' lines and pushed them away from the town.
Abusitta said at least 25 families from Yefren were now taking shelter in Nalut, and that many others were escaping towards the Tunisian border.
10:46pm
AFP reports that Abdelati al-Obeidi has been formally appointed as Libya's foreign minister, replacing Moussa Koussa, who fled the country to the United Kingdom.
10:36pm
Reuters reports, citing a rebel spokesman, that shelling in Misurata stopped at about 5:00pm local time, after beginning at 10:00am.
Misrata was shelled with tank fire, artillery and mortars, mainly (around) Tripoli street and the port area. The shelling started around 10 a.m. and stopped at 5 in the afternoon.
"The situation gets worse every day. Unfortunately NATO's operations have not been effective in Misrata. Civilians are dying every day."
9:33pm
General Carter Ham, the chief of the United States' Africa Command, has been testifying before American lawmakers in Washington DC.
He has reiterated that NATO is now in full command of the mission, and the US is acting only in a supporting role.
Regarding al-Qaeda, he says that it remains the "number one security threat" to the US, particularly in eastern Africa.
9:12pm
Some very strong words there from Abdel Fatah Younis, the military commander of the rebel army in Libya, who was particularly critical of NATO's role, which he said had let the opposition down by standing idly by while Gaddafi kills Libyan citizens.
9:10pm
The situation in the southern areas, as we said the forces that we command the regular armies are on the front line. The oil fields have some patrols and some of our rebel youths that have joined the rebellion. They have tried to shell the Sidr oil field, and there are some damages, but are working on reparing them. All of this is to deny the eastern area access to its oil. Because now the National Council has the legitimacy to sell the oil. And we have started these contacts with Qatar. And the Gaddafi regime does not want the people to enjoy their rights.
"Yesterday we intercepted a brief from their forces saying that they have destroyed the field. These Gaddafi forces have been lying so that they would not be executed by the regime. We also informed NATO about these groups that are trying to sabotage the fields. We told NATO about them, NATO says we cannot shell them when they are in the oil field.
"But these people are on tarmac, and it would not influence the oil fields, but unfortunately they were not bombed.
"The security of the oil fields have intercepted these groups and defended the oil fields. "
9:05pm
When a large force of tanks, and even 155 artillery, which is on its way to Benghazi, Ajdabiya or Brega, we always inform straight away NATO. Because we don't have such weapons. NATO's reaction is very slow. By the time the information reaches from one official to another until it reaches the field commander, it takes hours. Will these forces wait for hours to bomb? No, they will go into the city and burn it down. That is why I want NATO to stand with us and support us, otherwise I will ask the National council to address this issue at the Security Council.
"Of course NATO is helping us sometimes, but they are taking their time, and we are giving the coordinates of these forces that enter cities, but there is slow action, which allows invading forces to enter a city, burn it down, kill everybody and then leave the city.
"We have some MiGs and helicopters that we have repaired, and we ask if we can fly these warplanes. NATO forbids us. They are not letting us help, or helping themselves. Broadcast this to the world, so that people will know that NATO is not supporting us."
9:04pm
Unfortunately, and I sorry to say this, NATO has disappointed us. My staff have been in contact with the NATO envoys to direct them to targets that should protect civilians, but until now, NATO has not given us what we need...
Civilians are dying daily in Misurata because of lack of food or milk, even children are dying. Even by bombing. If NATo waits for another week, it will be a crime that NATO will have to carry. What is NATO doing? It is shelling some defined areas only."
8:59pm
Responding to a question on Misurata:
Misurata gentlemen is under the complete annihilation. It is extreme meaning of annihilation. There is no water, no electricty, no food, even children's milk this has been going on for 40 days, and daily bombing of buildings, hospitals and mosques. Heavy artillery is bombing civilian targets and when the Misurata people went to the wells that contain a lot of salt in them for drinking water, the Libyan regime closed down the black water or the sewage, and that's what led to the flooding of sewage into these wells.
"Who is talking about helping Misurata? Whether it is NATO, or even from the devil's alliance, this is Muslim people who are being annihilated, exterminated, and no population has been subjected to this since the early days.
"Who has been subjected to this treatment. These people were drinking water from wells that have been contaminated.
"These weapons [on board a ship] are for self-defence, and the international media should defend the people of Misurata. NATO which is sometimes bombing some areas and at the same time leaving Misurata's people to die under these conditions."
8:54pm
Responding to a question on whether there are divisions on the front line in the rebel army, Younis says:
"I don't know why the journalists these days are picking up on these rumours. These rumours, whether right or wrong, do not influence the position of the armed forces. There is no disagreement, no problems, between the rebel forces.
"The front line is OK, and there is opportunity for every citizen to join us at the front line."
8:51pm
Abdel Fatah Younis, the head of the pro-democracy opposition's army, is addressing a press conference in Benghazi now. Watch on AJE live!
8:19pm
Forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi have razed a mosque in Az Zawiyah that had been used by rebels as a base, as well as a graveyard in a central square where opposition fighters are buried in that city.
Gaddafi's forces are now in firm control of the city, which for weeks had fought back against siege by government troops.
8:17pm
Geoff Morell, the Pentagon' spokesman, says that no decision has yet been made on whether or not the US will be helping to arm rebels. At the moment the topic of "non-lethal" aid is being discussed, he says.
8:06pm
This video, the content of which Al Jazeera cannot independently verify, shows what appears to be a Libyan rebel weapons factory, with opposition activists hard at work decorating rocket/missile launchers taken off aircraft that are being modified and mounted on the back of pick-up trucks.
7:58pm
Antonio Guterres, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, has paid tribute to the countries bordering Libya for taking in hundreds of thousands of refugees during the current crisis in the country. He has also paid tribute to Italy and Malta for sheltering thousands of economic migrants and refugees from North Africa - even though Rome says that it wants to send many Tunisians seeking a better life in Europe back home.
7:57pm
Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, says he wants to question Moussa Koussa, the former Libyan foreign minister who has resigned and fled to London.
Moreno-Ocampo said that Koussa could have crucial information about the inner workings of Muammar Gaddafi's government.
7:56pm
Two boats carrying 600 migrants, including Eritreans and Somalians feeling Libya, arrived at Lampedusa island today.
About 800 of the 1,500 migrants already on the tiny Italian island were transferred on Monday to processing centres in Italy by air and sea.
7:50pm
Algeria is concerned by a noticeable increase in al-Qaeda presence in Libya, Abdelkader Messahel, the country's deputy foreign minister, said today.
7:08pm
A Pentagon briefing on Libya is underway at the moment. Watch live on our stream.
0:00pm
With oil tankers now docking at the eastern oil ports of Tobruk and Marsa el Hariga, and the rebels desperate for an inflow of funds, as much to prove their viability as a government as to fund their opposition, Laurence Lee reports on the state of play on Libya's oil.
6:32pm
Jordanian fighter jets are operating out of a European airbase to protect Jordanian transport aircraft that are delivering humanitarian assistance to the opposition in eastern parts of Libya.
Nasser Judeh, the Jordanian foreign minister, said at a news conference today:
The Jordanian fighters arrived at one of the military bases in Europe two days ago to protect Jordanian military aircraft carrying humanitarian aid to the Libyan people and to provide logistical support. Jordan sent a first plane carrying humanitarian aid to Benghazi yesterday [Monday]."
6:30pm
More on NATO operations near Misurata: coalition aircraft launched 14 strikes on Monday, including "a number" targetting air defence systems, tanks and armoured vehicles in the area around the besieged Western town, the alliance says.
The alliance also hit a rocket launcher near Brega on Monday., and ammunition storage facilities in other parts of the country.
6:21pm
Hundreds of Libyans evacuated from Misurata by a Turkish hospital ship have arrived in the Turkish city of Cesme, where they are now being treated.
Some 60 ambulances and two helicopters were on standby as the ferry docked on Turkey's Aegean coast.
6:16pm
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, in an interview with the BBC, says that Moussa Koussa, the former Libyan foreign minister who left Libya for the UK, is "sick and old" and may make up "funny stories" about the Lockerbie bombing to tell authorities, but would have little of consequence to tell them.
"The British and the Americans ... they know everything about Lockerbie so there are no secrets'' Koussa can reveal, Saif said.
6:15pm
Jock Stirrup, Britain's former chief of defence staff, tells Al Jazeera that in order for political efforts to erode Gaddafi's support base to suceed, there must be an understanding of the nature of support for him and the motivations of those who do back him.
He says that efforts for the political resolution of the crisis have only seriously been pursued "for the last couple of weeks", and that since these are "difficult" and "sensitive" issues, the hope is that while little is being said publically, much is being done behind closed doors.
6:04pm
The United Nations has doubled its aid appeal for Libya to $310 million, Elisabeth Byrs, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says.
The funds, she said, would be used to provide relief to over 1.5 million people affected by the conflict, including more tha 400,000 refugees.
So far, OCHA has received 70 per cent of its first appeal, which was for $160 million.
The International Organisation for Migration on Tuesday has also repeated a plea for more funding, saying that there is currently "no more money for humanitarian evacuations" from Egypt and Tunisia.
6:02pm
Mustafa Gheirani, a spokesman for the Libyan opposition's National Council, has told AFP that while the opposition has suffered "setbacks", it will fight on.
There is no revolution without setbacks. But the people will win. Gaddafi cannot rule Libya with his machine -- his militias and his mercenaries... We are committed to fighting this tyrant, and either we will drive him out or he will rule a country with no people in it."
5:57pm
The military action in Libya is costing the US Air Force $4 million a day, though those costs are likely to fall now that US fighter jets are not actively involved in sorties over Libya, the USAF says.
USAF Secretary Michael Donley put the cost of the operation so far at $75 million.
The total cost for the entire US military was estimated to be $500 million on March 28.
5:33pm
Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee has been reporting from Benghazi on the status of the conflict near Brega, as well as other stories out of the opposition stronghold.
5:30pm
Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel-Hamid has just been reporting live from Ajdabiya.
Since this morning we were trying to get as close as possible to Brega. We reached the junction on the road that would lead inside that town, but since mid-morning, opposition forces have been coming under a rolling artillery and mortar barrage that really pushed them about 20 to 30 km eastwards towards the town of Ajdabiya.
"Now we haven't seen such a push for a few days, over the past few days it actually seemed as if the opposition forces were able to hold some sort of position around the town of Brega. Well, today the situation was completely different. The Gaddafi forces were much more aggresive than they had been in the past days, it seem that maybe they had received new supplies, but certainly they have been pounding much more intensely than over the past few days."
5:05pm
These pictures were taken near Brega at various points today. [First two pictures: Reuters; Next three: EPA]
4:55pm
Libyan authorities had decided that they were prepared to kill anti-government protesters even before the opposition's movement against Gaddafi had really gotten going, International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo tells Reuters.
We have evidence that after the Tunisia and Egypt conflicts in January, people in the regime were planning how to control demonstrations inside Libya ... They were hiding that from people outside and they were planning how to manage the crowds ... the evidence we have is that the shooting of civilians was a pre-determined plan.
"The planning at the beginning was to use tear gas and [if that failed to work]..., shooting."
Moreno-Ocampo says that the court has "judicial responsibilities" to collect evidence regarding the possible prosecution of Muammar Gaddafi and his allies, but that the "political responsibilities" of deciding whether or not Gaddafi is to be offered immunity in return for leaving the country "are in the hands of the [UN] Security Council".
4:53pm
Anita McNaught, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Tripoli, reports that Libyan state television is planning to broadcast live from Brega at some point this evening.
Hoda Abdel-Hamid, our correspondent who has been reporting from the frontlines, says that it can be said with a fair degree of certainty that Gaddafi's forces have taken all of Brega, given the intensity of their assault this morning towards Ajdabiya.
4:48pm
Angelina Jolie's not the only one at Ras Ajdir, the Tunisian border crossing with Libya. The Tunisian state news agency reports that Salam Mabrouk Abdallah and Jomaa Ibrahim Ammar, external communication and international cooperation advisors of the Libyan Popular Committee entered Tunisia at Ras Ajdir on April 4th, bound for Djerba airport.
TAP, the news agency, says they took off for Bamako, in Mali.
4:42pm
NATO has termed the deaths of civilians in an airstrike on Friday an "unfortunate accident". Rebels had fired an anti-aircraft gun in celebration at seeing NATO fighter jets, who then fired on the vehicle in self-defence, the alliance said.
The assessment of the incident has now "closed", NATO says, as opposition forces "have already stated that it was their fault".
Brigadier General Mark van Uhm, NATO's commander of allied operations, said that the opposition appears to have "learned their lesson", and is now only using more experienced fighters at the front line and has strictly banned celebratory firing.
Oana Lungescu, a NATO spokesperson, said of the incident:
We take any reports of civilian casualties very seriously, but clearly if somebody fires on our aircraft, those aircraft have the right to fire, it is their right of self defence."
4:40pm
Chris Stevens, the US deputy ambassador to Libya, has arrived in Benghazi to hold talks with the opposition's national council there, according to a US official who was speaking to the Associated Press.
Stevens will be discussing humanitarian and possible financial assistance to be provided to the opposition by the US.
4:38pm
The Associated Press reports that diplomats are dangling offers of immunity from prosecution and the lifting of asset and travel freezes to members of Gaddafi's family in order to persuade them to withdraw their support for the Libyan leader.
4:34pm
A tanker has docked at the eastern Libyan oil port of Tobruk to pick up the first oil cargo to leave Libya for 18 days, says Michelle Bockmann, markets editor of shipping news and data provider Lloyd's List.
The boat is expected to be loaded on April 6.
4:21pm
Brigadier General Mark van Uhm, NATO's chief of allied operations, says that coalition airstrikes have continued apace since NATO took command of bombing operations from the US.
Van Uhm says that Misurata is the new priority for NATO. Residents of the western town report that they have come under constant bombardment from pro-Gaddafi forces, and have repeatedly called for NATO to intervene in the city.
Misurata is a number one priority because of the situation on the ground over there. We have confirmation that in Misurata tanks are being dispersed, being hidden, (and) humans being used as shields in order to prevent NATO sorties to identify targets."
Van Uhm also says that pro-Gaddafi forces are changing their tactics to cope with coalition airstrikes.
What we have seen is that pro-Gaddafi forces have changed their tactics over days, what we see is that they are more and more using trucks and light vehicles to move their personnel to the frontline. We are trying to identify where those heavy assets like tanks and armoured vehicles are because we have seen that they have chosen to hide in urban areas, even using human shields in order to not be targeted."
3:59pm
Denmark and Norway have expressed their support for an open-ended military campaign against Gaddafi, while all five Nordic nations have called for him to immediately step down.
The foreign ministers of five Nordic states met in Helsinki today to discuss the crisis in Libya.
Lene Espersen, the Danish foreign minister, said her country would will "stay there for as long as it takes to protect civilians", and that Denmark would be willing to send ships to enforce an arms embargo.
Norway, Denmark and Sweden have all sent warplanes to take part in the international military action in Libya.
Carl Bildt, the Swedish foreign minister, pointed out that the challenge going forward in Libya would be building a democracy, when and if Gaddafi left power.
3:09pm
Angelina Jolie, everyone's favourite actress-cum-UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, visited refugees from Libya at a UN-run camp on the Tunisia-Libyan border today.
More than 400,000 people have fled Libya in the last month, headed to Tunisia, Egypt, Niger, Algeria, Chad and Sudan. The majority have gone to Tunisia and Egypt, with the former receiving more than half of the outflow.
Transit facilities have been set up by the UN 7km inside Tunisia to provide temporary shelter for refugees. The UN says it has helped 70,000 people reach "home safely", but more continue to arrive, and 11,000 people are still in transit.
Jolie, the Goodwill Ambassador, said:
The outpouring of generosity from the Tunisian people says so much for the future of this country. “It is a sign of the openness sweeping across the region ... “The international community has done well to reinforce Tunisia’s remarkable relief effort. But with 2,000 people still crossing each day, we cannot let the funding dry up and need to sustain the momentum."
3:01pm
NATO says that air strikes on Gaddafi targets have destroyed nearly a third of the military power available to the Libyan leader.
"The assessment is that we have taken out 30 percent of the military capacity of Gaddafi," Brigadier General Mark van Uhm, a senior NATO staff officer, told a news briefing.
1:00pm
Reuters news agency has reported that an oil tanker has arrived at the rebel-held east Libyan port of Marsa el Hariga.
10:30am
Reuters news agency has reported that Libyan pro-democracy fighters hoped to begin their first independent oil shipment on Tuesday. The tanker Equator, which can carry 1 million barrels of crude, was due to arrive at the east Libyan port of Marsa el Hariga.
The pro-democracy leadership says Qatar agreed to market oil from east Libyan fields no longer under Gaddafi's control after the Gulf state recognized the revolutionary council in Benghazi as Libya's legitimate government.
Italy, a major investor in Libyan oil, also sided with the rebels on Monday, promising them weapons and demanding that Gaddafi and his family, who enjoyed warm ties with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, leave Libya.
9:30am
A YouTube video shows a very funny old guy cracking jokes about Gaddafi in Zawiya one day and then very disturbing images of the same old guy being beaten/taunted in the back of a vehicle by soldiers a week or so later.
Al Jazeera can not independently verify the authenticity of the video. WARNING the language is very disturbing.
9:15am
Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel Hamid reports from the town of Ajdabiya on how the opposition there says the momentum is changing.
8:15am
Al Jazeera's Sue Turton reports on how the pro-democracy fighters have managed to push Gaddafi’s troops into the old town of Brega. And how many of the residents are desperate to leave due to shortage of basic supplies.
8:00am
US fighter jets have ended their combat missions in Libya, with Nato to take full command of operations.
7:00am
Moussa Ibrahim, the Libyan government spokesman, tells reporters that they are ready for negotiations as long as it is from within Libya.
6:15am
Hani Faris, a political science professor at the University of British Colombia in Vancouver, spoke to Al Jazeera about the current situation in Libya and the way forward to solve the issues.
"We have arrived at a junction in the Libyan crisis where diplomacy needs to play a role, all parties involved in the Libya crisis have seen that they can not have their way, there needs to be a settlement the sooner the better.
"The Libyan people really need to put a stop to the war that is taken place.
"It is well known that the regime in Libya can not survive, Ghaddafi himself must go, and he will go.
We know that there is a fusion between the state and Ghaddafi, there are no autonomous state institutions. and when Ghaddafi leaves his regime will fall apart.
"The Arab world should not leave the negotiations and intervention in Libya to non Arab states, Egypt and Tunis have a very special role to play, both of them are highly regarded in the world today. Both of them are neighbors. They can both play a major role in bringing a settlement to Libya that recognizes the needs and demands for freedom and peace in the country."
4:15am
Ordinary Libyans, and those families worst affected by the fighting on the front lines, are in no mood to compromise to end Libya's crisis. Al Jazeera's James Bays reports from Benghazi, where people continue to stand resolute in their call for Gaddafi and his entire family to leave power.
4:03am
The European Union said it could provide special assistance to member countries facing a refugee crisis and ease refugees' conditions after political upheaval in north Africa.
"In case of a massive inflow of displaced persons and refugees (from Libya, Tunisia or Egypt), the European Commission would be ready to make use of the 2001 directive that provides immediate protection" to these people, said Cecilia Malstroem, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, on Monday, the AFP news agency reported.
This comes as more than 22,000 migrants, mostly from Tunisia, have landed on the Italian island of Lampedusa since theTunisian revolution in January.
3:20am
Libyan rebels fighting Gaddafi's forces are worried about their financial resources and want to start exporting both oil and natural gas, the UN special envoy to Libya said.
Abdelilah al-Khatib spoke to the Security Council about his recent visits to Libya, where he met with the rebels' Transitional National Council and members of Gaddafi's government in Tripoli.
"The council raised concerns about the lack of funds as well as issues surrounding the marketing and sale of oil and gas, stressing that the issue required urgent attention in order to enable the economy to function effectively," he told the 15-nation Security Council on Monday.
2:27am
The US Treasury is ending its freeze on former Libyan foreign minister Moussa Koussa's assets following his decision to sever ties to Gaddafi's government and flee to Britain last week, a senior US Treasury official said.
"Koussa's defection and the subsequent lifting of sanctions against him should encourage others within the Libyan government to make similar decisions to abandon the Gaddafi regime," David Cohen, the Treasury's acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a blog posting on the Treasury website.
1:05am
Maltese Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi told Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Abdelati Obeidi that Gaddafi and his family must relinquish power. Obeidi was in Malta following talks with government officials in Greece and Turkey on ways to end the Libyan conflict.
"The Prime Minister reiterated the Maltese government's position that the resolutions of the United Nations must be respected, that the Gaddafi government must step down, that Colonel Gaddafi and his family should leave and there should be an immediate ceasefire and a process to enable the Libyan people to make its democratic choices," the government said in a statement.
12:37am
The Libyan government says it's ready to hold elections, a referendum or any other reform to its political system, Reuters reports.
12:31am
Libya has said Gaddafi must stay, but the country is ready to discuss reforming its political system, Reuters reports.
The government said only Libyans themselves can decided if Gaddafi should stay or not.
12:23am
A Libyan government spokesperson said Libya is ready for a "political solution" with world powers, the Reuters news agency reports.
12:14am
Libyan state television late on Monday showed live footage of Muammar Gaddafi saluting supporters from a jeep that drove outside his fortified compound of Bab al-Aziziyah in Tripoli.
A written newsflash read: "The brother leader among his supporters."
For other updates you may have missed from yesterday, click here.
12:00am
Welcome to today's liveblog.
We'll be keeping you up to date with breaking news and reports as they emerge from Libya. You can also check out yesterday's blog by clicking here.
And don't forget, you can also tune into our live TV feed online: Watch Al Jazeera
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Libya
ORGANIZATION
Libyan government
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Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
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Recent Comments
ed red in the mid-east, mostly anything american is a no-no. that is why you see toyotas. sad but true.
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
gnirts Several billion in cash and gold reserves held in-country. More than enough to keep him going, keep paying the soldiers etc.
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
ABigStone His credibility is only judged by fact comparing his report to the facts we get.
And he is losing badly.
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
AntinaziGuy They are driving Toyota Land Cruisers of last models. Army seems as well. it is from 68k.
http://www.toyota.com/landcrui...
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
Joris Diepstraten he wont get it the people will rise
younis is easy compared to the daffys
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
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Live Blog - Libya Feb 26
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on February 25th, 2011.
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya enters its twelfth day, we keep you updated on the developing situation from our headquarters in Doha, Qatar.
Blog: Feb17 - Feb18 - Feb19 - Feb20 - Feb21 - Feb22 - Feb23 - Feb24 - Feb25
AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Twitter Audio: Voices from Libya
Benghazi Protest Radio (Arabic)
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:59pm
We continue our liveblog coverage here: February 27.
11:00pm
Jamie Doward argues in the Guardian that "Saif's desire to act as a mouthpiece for his father has lent the tragic scenes unfolding in Libya a surreal, sometimes ridiculous dimension.
His appearances in front of the television cameras suggest a man increasingly unhinged. Arms folded, jaw firmly out, Saif is a manifestation of defiance. It is clear he is very much his father's son, albeit, as one Twitter user wryly observed, someone who seems to have styled himself sartorially on Stringer Bell, the drug lord in the US cop show The Wire.
10:45pm
An atmosphere of panic and chaos has gripped Tripoli's international airport, strewn with luggage left behind by fleeing passengers and besieged by crowds on Saturday trying to escape the escalating violence. Thousands of people, many of them migrant workers from the Middle East and Africa, have camped out for days on little more than bread and water in the hope of leaving.
10:25pm
AJE source says that "security officials were at Tripoli medical centre all day today ... the injured did not go in for help". He estimates that 70 were killed last night alone.
"They were left to drown in their own blood ... the blood banks are empty ... last night (Friday) Tripoli medical centre was over run with the wounded"
10:20pm
The first Indian evacuees from #Libya have arrived in New Delhi, describing looting and narrow escapes from violence reports AFP. The Air India flight carrying around 300 evacuees from Libya arrived in New Delhi and was greeted by India's Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao.
10:05pm
Reuters reports that UN Security Council diplomats clashed on Saturday over a proposal to refer the deadly crackdown against anti-government demonstrators in Libya to the International Criminal Court.
9:50pm
According to Reuters, Libyan Ex-Justice minister leads formation of an interim government based in Benghazi. It is further reported that Gaddafi 'alone' bears responsibility for crimes in the country.
9:30pm
Al Jazeera talks to Ibrahim Sharqieh of the Brookings Center in Doha about the possibilities for Libya
9:10pm
Screen shot of Saif al-Islam
7:45pm
Blackout. No international journalists. No network cameras. And yet the story of Libya's revolution has poured out on twitter, facebook and other online platforms. It's a story that has been raw, uncut and shocking. Read on here.
7:30pm
The UN Security Council has begun urgent deliberations to consider imposing sanctions against Libya for violent attacks against protesters. The sanctions under consideration at Saturday's session include an arms
embargo against the Libyan government and a travel ban and asset freeze against Gadhafi, his relatives and key regime members.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is urging council members to take concrete action to protect civilians in Libya where some estimates indicate more than 1,000 people have been killed in less than two weeks.
7:15pm
The New York Times reports that Qaddafi forces were seen shooting from ambulances and using antiaircraft weapons against crowds, as protesters recount brutal tactics of Libyan regime.
They shoot people from the ambulances,” said one terrified resident, Omar, by telephone as he recalled an episode during the protests on Friday when one protester was wounded. “We thought they’d take him to the hospital,” he said, but the militiamen “shot him dead and left with a squeal.
7:05pm
AJE correspondent reports that anti-government protesters have attacked black Africans in Libya, taking them for mercenaries.
Seidou Boubaker Jallou and his friend, both from Mali, fled for their lives by night to the Tunisian border. They said the roads out of the West are still in the hands of those loyal to Gaddafi. Jallou says:
The situation is very dangerous - every day there are more than a hundred who die - every day - every day there are shootings - the most dangerous situation is for foreigners like us - and also us black people - Because Gaddafi brought soldiers from Chad from Niger - they are black and they are killing Arabs.
7:00pm
Al Jazeera's Inside Story: What would a new Libya look like?
6:55pm
A British warship and a Chinese-chartered ferry docked in the Mediterranean island of Malta loaded with 2,500 people from Libya's vast multinational workforce including domestic helpers.
6:52pm
Families and relatives of expatriate Bangladeshis now trapped in Libya blocked a road near Dhaka on Saturday to demand their quick repatriation. The protesters called upon the government to quickly bring
the expatriate workers home. More than 50,000 Bangladeshi workers are believed to be employed in different Libyan and international firms operating at different areas mainly in Bengazi.
6:30pm
'Free Libya' protests in Tokyo by flickr user: jetalone
5:25pm
An anti-government security man waves to migrant Tunisian nationals and expatriates from other countries before they leave Libya on board a Tunisian ship leaving for Tunisia, from the Libyan harbour in Benghazi. Photo from Reuters.
5:50pm
Map illustrating which cities in Libya have fallen into the hands of pro-reform demonstrators. Details via Reuters.
View Libya in a larger map
4:20pm
South African cartoonist, satirist and social commentator Zapiro charts an alternate Oscar ceremony.
4:15pm
The leaders of Britain, Germany, Italy and Turkey have agreed that the actions of the Libyan regime are "totally unacceptable", a spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron said on Saturday.
3:50pm
Richard Pithouse argues in the latest edition of Pambazuka Online, that the revolts in North Africa and the Middle East might be towards advancing democratic values but the struggles do not seek to replicate American or European values. Pithouse argues that considering the relationship the United States and Europe have had with despots in the region, "they have no claim of moral leadership in this world"
We cannot know the trajectories of the uprisings that have swept North Africa and the Middle East. But one thing is for sure. Whatever pompous claims to the contrary come out of Washington and Brussels, these are not revolts for American or European values. On the contrary they are a direct challenge to those values. They are revolts against a global power structure that is formed by an international alliance of elites with one of its key principles being the idea, the racist idea, that Arabs are ‘not yet ready’ for democracy.
3:40pm
The British Prime Minister chaired a ministerial meeting of the Cabinet Office Briefing Room (COBR) to discuss the latest situation in Libya. According to the spokesperson:
The Prime Minister was clear that the Libyan regime would face the consequences of its actions. He agreed with counterparts that urgent action was needed through the EU and UN including a tough sanctions package targeting the regime directly. The Prime Minister stressed that there can be no impunity for the blatant and inhuman disregard for basic rights that is taking place in Libya.
3:10pm
The US State department says that there maybe Americans still in Libya who "might need assistance departing the country"Philip Crowley, department spokesperson:
In order to help, our task force will remain up and running to make sure that if there are any Americans remaining, we can assist them
2:54pm
The New Middle East? Via Imgur.com
1:50pm
Gaddafi's strongest European ally has weighed in on the situation in Libya too. At a political meeting in Rome, Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi said:
It appears that, effectively, Gaddafi no longer controls the situation in Libya.
1:30pm
Libya's ex-interior minister has told Al Jazeera that Tripoli is the only major city in Muammar Gaddafi's hands.
"Now there is only Tripoli and a few other towns (In Gaddafi's hands). that is why I urge the Libyan people that there is no going back."
1:15pm
The UN Security Council is set to meet today to consider a sanctions resolution against Gaddafi.
Britain, France, Germany and the US have drawn up a resolution that says the attacks on civilians in Libya could amount to crimes against humanity.
The resolution calls for an arms embargo and a travel ban and assets freeze against the Libyan leader.
12:15pm
Our correspondent Hoda Abdel-Hamid, reporting from the eastern Libyan city of al-Baida, says that while many parts of the country's east are no longer under government control, local residents do not want to separate from the rest of Libya.
"They still want a united Libya, and want Tripoli to remain its capital," she said.
She added that many in the country's east have felt abandoned by the Gaddafi government, despite the vast oil wealth located in the region, and said that they feel they have no future in the country.
11:11am
The Maldives has apparently joined France in calling on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to step down, according to the Haveeru Daily, a newspaper in the island nation.
It said Iruthisham Adam, the permanent representative of the Maldives to the UN in Geneva , told the UN Human Rights Council that Libyan authorities have shown brute force and clear disdain for people's rights and well-being.
“The Maldives, a fellow Muslim country which itself recently began the transition to democracy, refuses to remain silent as hundreds of Muslim brothers and sisters are abused and killed,” she asserted.
10:56am
The website Buzzfeed has compiled a list of the Top 40 Best Libyan Protest Signs from around the world. This photo, taken and owned by Collin David Anderson at a protest in Washington, DC, shows one of Buzzfeed's winning signs.
10:00am
Witnesses tell Al Jazeera Arabic, our sister station, that Libyan protesters have taken control of a number of areas in the capital, Tripoli.
They also said at least seven people were killed in Tripoli yesterday when security brigades opened fire on protesters. It was not immediately possible to verify their accounts however.
9:28am
In the Libyan city of Az Zawiyah, about 50km away from the capital Tripoli, amateur video appears to show soldiers switching sides and joining anti-government protesters. Al Jazeera's Tarek Bazley reports:
9:00am
According to this Global Voices piece, which cites Malta.cc, a Maltese blog, Serbian military pilots reportedly took part in the bombing of anti-government protesters in the Libyan cities of Tripoli and Benghazi.
Two Libyan pilots made the claim upon fleeing to Malta, the blog said. Al Jazeera can't confirm the authenticity of the report - but you can read it for yourself here.
8:19am
A resident of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, just left this voice note posted on Twitter by @Feb17voices. She says:
"We are afraid. We are afraid because we are women, I have daughters here. Every house is armed only by knives. We have nothing else, but we have God. ... We are not very much afraid of death."
Listen to part one of her note below and click here for part two.
5:23am
Ashraf Tulti, director of the Justice and Democracy for Libya group based in Washington, DC, told Al Jazeera that sanctions go against people; they will not affect the Libyan regime.
Instead, he asked for immediate action to stop the killings of Libyan people.
5:22am
Details of the US sanctions are emerging. They are:
Freeze of assets held by Gaddafi and four of his children inside US, all US banks have been put on notice for sudden movement of funds from Libya and all military assistance cut off.
5:02am
A picture of a group of peaceful Libyan protestors outside Hyde Park, London twitted by @ellsun.
Protests have also been held in the British city of Manchester.
4:57am:
The UN Security Council agrees to urgently consider sanctions against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime to try to end its bloody crackdown against anti-government protesters.
Under pressure from Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General, to take "concrete action" to protect civilians, the council decided to meet again on Saturday morning to discuss options.
4:40am:
A rally has been planned in San Fransisco, US, in solidarity with Libyans on Saturday, Febraury 26, 2011 at UN Plaza Market between 1:00pm-4:00pm [local time]
3:35am:
Barack Obama, the U.S. president, has imposed sanctions on Libya's government for its violent repression of a popular uprising, signing an executive order blocking property and transactions related to the country.
3:31am:
Obama says Libyan sanctions target Gaddafi's government while protecting Libyan people's assets.
3:30am:
Obama says Gaddafi's government has violated international norms and common decency and must be held accountable.
3:20am:
A charter aircraft dispatched by the Canadian government on Friday to pick up its citizens fleeing the violence in Libya left Tripoli with only its crew aboard after it could not find any Canadians waiting at the airport.
3:10am:
Muammar Gaddafi's allies in Latin America should follow Peru's example and suspend diplomatic relations with the North African nation's regime, the representative of a leading Jewish organization said on Friday.
Sergio Widder, the Latin American representative of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, strongly criticized the governments of Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela for failing to condemn Gaddafi's violent crackdown on a popular uprising.
2:35am:
Mark Goldberg, Managing Editor, UN Dispatch, told Al Jazeera that the Libyan regime has become isolated and the targeted sanctions against Libyan government might encourage further defections.
2:20am:
After the UN security council meeting, Al Jazeera’s Scott Heidler, reporting from UN headquarters, said that the most important point right now is how to stop the killings in Libya. However, the UN chief told our correspondent that military action was not in the cards.
1:50am
Dozens of US diplomats and their families were among the US-chartered ship's estimated 300 passengers, two of whom had to be taken off the vessel on stretchers by paramedics after crossing over from Tripoli in 20-foot waves.
1:09am:
12:58am
Twitter user @AnnSaid posted this picture.
12:46am
Libya's ambassador to the United Nations, Mohammed Shalgham, has defected, following in the footsteps of his deputy Ibrahim Dabbashi, a diplomat said on Friday.
12:35am
A son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi said on Friday that his forces were holding back in fighting with rebels in western Libya and hoped that a negotiated ceasefire could be in place by Saturday, according to Reuters.
12:20am
After three days of delays, a U.S.-chartered ferry carrying Americans and other foreigners out of the chaos of Libya finally arrived on Friday at the Mediterranean island of Malta.
12:10am
After 41 years of ruthless rule by Muammar Gaddafi, Libyans are suddenly free to rule themselves. Here's a picture gallery from boston.com on the lives of Libyans in the liberated areas of the country.
11:45pm
Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam says army holding back and hopes for peaceful settlement "by tomorrow", according to Reuters.
10:25pm
In Chad, Foreign Ministry's General Secretary Moussa Mahamat Dago rejected allegations that citizens of his African country were amongst those reportedly recruited by Gaddafi to crack down on protesters
10:15pm
An Italian navy assault ship, the San Giorgio, has loaded up 245 evacuees in the Libyan port of Misrata and has set sail for Sicily.
10:04pm
The United States has suspended embassy operations in Libya and is moving forward with unilateral sanctions.
Topics in this blog
PEOPLE
Ban Ki-Moon
Ibrahim Sharqieh
Muammar Gaddafi
Saif al-Islam
COUNTRY
Chad
Libya
United States
CITY
Benghazi
Tripoli
ORGANIZATION
Libyan government
UN security council
United Nations
Possibly related posts (automatically generated)
Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Libya Live Blog - April 10
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 10th, 2011.
A rebel fighter carries his food on the road between Ajdabiya and Brega on Saturday. [AFP/Odd Andersen]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Blog: Feb17 - Feb18 - Feb19 - Feb20 - Feb21 - Feb22 - Feb23 - Feb24 - Feb25 - Feb26 - Feb27 - Feb28 - Mar1 - Mar2 - Mar3 - Mar4 - Mar5 - Mar6 - Mar7 - Mar8 - Mar9 - Mar10 - Mar11 - Mar12 - Mar13 - Mar14 - Mar15 - Mar16 - Mar17 - Mar18 - Mar19 - Mar20 - Mar21 - Mar22 - Mar23 - Mar24 - Mar25 - Mar 26 - Mar 27 - Mar 28 - Mar 29 - Mar 30 - Mar 31 - Apr 1 - Apr 2 - Apr 3 - Apr 4 - Apr 5 - Apr 6 - Apr 7 - Apr 8
AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Operation Odyssey Dawn - Twitter Audio - Tweeting revolutions
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
12:41am
African Union mediators have left Mauritania for Libya to attempt to negotiate a ceasefire.
Presidents Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania, Amadou Toumani Toure of Mali, Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo and Jacob Zuma of South Africa, left mid-morning, travelling separately to Tripoli, then Benghazi.
"They have just left, each in his own plane," a Mauritanian official told AFP.
Meanwhile, Nabila Ramdani, a French journalist and Middle East expert,told Al Jazeera that she was questioning the AU's involvement in mediation.
Unfortunately, my view about the African Union is that it will appear as not being a credible group of people to be in a position to broker a deal on behalf of [Muammar] Gaddafi.
"They're a group of dictators themselves and they won't be taken very seriously given that they're from very brutal regimes which are in many ways far worse than the Gaddafi regime."
9:50am
Gaddafi's forces have clashed with opposition fighters in Ajdabiya, according to rebels quoted by Reuters.
A witness at Ajdabiya's eastern gate heard shooting and artillery fire and saw plumes of black smoke, suggesting Gaddafi's forces had pushed towards the centre of the town.
"There is resistance inside the city. Gaddafi forces are fighting with rebels. They have a presence inside."
7:58am
North Korea has ordered its citizens in Libya not to return home in an apparent bid to block news of civil uprisings in the Arab World from reaching the isolated state, according to Yonhap news agency.
The report says Pyongyang sent a message to its embassy in Libya telling about 200 North Korean workers not to return.
Pyongyang and Tripoli have maintained close diplomatic ties, with Gaddafi described in the North as a "revolutionary comrade" of leader Kim Jong-Il, according to defectors from the North.
7:30am
Here's a longer version of the footage Al Jazeera has obtained of government forces in the battlefield. It's filmed in mid-March and shows young men being taken into custody and beaten up by Gaddafi forces roaming the streets of Ajdabiya.
3:10am
To catch up on all of the events in Libya from Saturday, check out our April 9 live blog.
2:59am
Here's some of that exclusive Ajdabiya video Al Jazeera has received, with some discussion from our correspondent Hoda Abdel Hamid:
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Libya
Possibly related posts (automatically generated)
Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Live Blog: Middle East Protests April 10
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Middle East
on April 10th, 2011.
A burned military truck in Tahrir Square in Cairo after security forces dispersed protesters. [AFP/ Khaled Desouki]
Show oldest updates on top
As the unrest in the Middle East continues, we update you with the latest developments from Syria, Yemen and across the region.
Read on for the latest from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe.
Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Region in turmoil - Syria Unrest - Yemen's Uprising - Battle for Libya - Egypt's Revolution - Bahrain Protests
(All times are in GMT)
10:48am
SYRIA Sources tell Al Jazeera that Daraa, where dozens of people were killed in Friday's protests, is 80 per cent paralysed. Children were sent back home from schools and most government buildings are not operational.
There are checkpoints between the old city and the new city.
10:10am
EGYPT Several hundred protesters stayed in Cairo's Tahrir Square overnight and have barricaded the square with a burnt-out army vehicle, barbed wire and beams.
"The people demand the toppling of the Field Marshal," they chanted, referring to military chief Hussein
Tantawi who was handed power after former president Hosni Mubarak was ousted.
10:00am
SYRIA Watch Cal Perry's report from Syria, where rights groups say 37 protesters were killed on Friday.
7:05am
SYRIA An resident in the coastal city of Banias tells Al Jazeera that military has been deployed there after protests yesterday and that gunfire can be heard.
"No one can leave or enter. Schools are closed," she says, adding that people are not going to work.
She says about 6,000 people were protesting in the city yesterday. Cars were set on fire and shops destroyed.
3:00am
SYRIA - Al Jazeer has obtained video from Daraa, the scene of the Syrian protests' worst violence, showing Friday's protests and the security forces' heavy handed response. The government has sought to prevent journalists from visiting Daraa.
2:37am
EGYPT - Despite a warning from the ruling military council that protesters who remained in Tahrir Square would be cleared out with "firmness and force," security forces apparantly have not acted against hundreds who remained in the square for a second straight night. With just a few minutes to go before the military's curfew ends, there have been no reports of violence.
Check out our story on the violent dispersal of protesters on Friday night.
1:18am
BAHRAIN - The Interior Ministry has confirmed the deaths on Saturday of two people being held in its detention centers (one death had earlier been reported by the Associated Press).
According to the ministry, Ali Isa Saqer, 31, "created chaos at the detention center and that led to the interference of security forces to bring situation to normal, but he resisted them and sustained various injuries in the process. He was referred to the hospital and died later."
Zakaroya Rashid Hassan, 40, died of complications from sickle cell anemia, the ministry said. This is the second time Bahraini authorities have said a detainee died of sickle cell anemia.
1:14am
SYRIA - Two witnesses told the Reuters news agency that Syrian security forces fired on mourners near a mosque in Deraa on Saturday, but our team on the ground says not gunshots were fired during the funeral procession. A sources says state security did, however, fire on protesters near Deraa's customs building.
12:50am
To catch up with Saturday's events from Yemen, Bahrain, Syria and elsewhere, check our April 9 live blog.
12:42am
EGYPT - Hundreds of protesters remain in central Cairo's Tahrir Square despite the military curfew, which began nearly an hour ago. People in the square are reporting a tense atmosphere on Twitter and, in the last few minutes, that some protesters have been whistling and banging on metal railings in apparent warning.
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Syria
Yemen
Possibly related posts (automatically generated)
Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Live Blog: Middle East Protests April 9
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Middle East
on April 9th, 2011.
Yemeni anti-government protesters shout slogans in Sanaa [AFP]
Show oldest updates on top
As the unrest in the Middle East continues, we update you with the latest developments from Syria, Yemen and across the region.
Read on for the latest from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe.
Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Region in turmoil - Syria Unrest - Yemen's Uprising - Battle for Libya - Egypt's Revolution - Bahrain Protests
(All times are in GMT)
12:49am
That's it for our Middle East protest blog for April 9. You can continue following events on Sunday on our April 10 live blog.
9:45pm
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's correspondent in Sanaa reports:
"We are hearing that there have been at least 200 injured [in Sanaa] according to one medical source, and around 15 of those injuries are form live ammunition."
"We have reports [in Taiz] of over 500 people injured, 40 of those from live ammunition and at least five people are in critical condition. "
9:04pm
EGYPT - More than 1,000 protesters in Tahrir Square vowed on Saturday to stay overnight in defiance of the military after a protester was killed the night before when soldiers dispersed a similar sit-in.
8:04pm
YEMEN - President Ali Abdullah Saleh is facing increased protests at home, and additional pressure from the international community, after some countries have also called for change in Yemen.
Al Jazeera's Caroline Malone reports:
8:02pm
BAHRAIN - A supporter of Bahrain's anti-government movement, Rashid Zakaria Hassan, was found dead in police custody on Saturday, the AP reported.
He was detained April 2 on charges of "inciting hatred, publishing false news, promoting sectarianism and calling for overthrowing of the regime".
His body was found in a detention facility and a medical examiner determined that he died of complications from sickle-cell anemia.
The opposition party, Al-Wefaq, said the death occcured in "mysterious circumstances".
8:00pm
EGYPT - At the news conference in Cairo, given by Egypt's ruling military council, army members spoke about Friday's violence at Tahrir Square.
General Adel Emara, a member of the Armed Forces Supreme Council said:
We would like to confirm to all of you that we didn't shoot a single shot .. didn't shoot a single shot from any of the armed forces that were present at Tahrir Square.
General Ismail Etman, also a member of the Armed Forces Supreme Council said:
Most of the injuries were due to stone throwing because some of our forces mingled in the midst of the people but we did not hit anybody. We didn't use force. And all the films and filming that has been on screens didn't prove any involvement from the armed forces against the civilians.
7:35pm
EGYPT - The ruling military council held a news conference, following renewed protests that overtook Cairo's Tahrir square on Friday and Saturday.
They said the army had dispersed the protesters peacefully and did not fire a singe live shot. They acknowledged that one person had been killed.
The army spokesman said more than 40 people had been detained from Tahrir Square, including four foreigners and eight who were dressed in military uniform.
Our correspondent in Cairo, Mike Hanna, said:
The assumption here that these [eight in military uniform] were in fact the army officers who had joined the demonstration on Friday and who had sought refuge in the square overnight and who would have been the main aim of the army operation overnight.
7:14pm
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's special correspondent in Sanaa has said that riot police with batons were out in force in the capital.
The streets were littered with rocks and gas canisters, as police confrontations with tens of thousands of anti-government protestors continue in the capital.
7:00pm
EGYPT - The country's health ministry has confirmed the death of at least one person following clashes between protesters and the military. And hundreds of soldiers stormed Tahrir square, after demonstrators formed a human chain to protect several army officers who had joined them.
Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna has this report from Cairo:
6:39pm
EGYPT - The country's ruling military council has decided to change some of the provincial governors appointed by deposed President Hosni Mubarak, state television reported on Saturday, in a concession to reformist demands for more change.
6:18pm
YEMEN - Anti-government Yemenis women pray during a demonstration in Sanaa.
[Image by AFP]
6:09pm
EGYPT - At a news conference in the capital. Egypt's ruling military council said it would clear protesters from a central Tahrir square with "firmness and force" to allow life to return to normal.
6:05pm
YEMEN - Read our latest news report from Syria on the Al Jazeera website here
4:30pm
EGYPT - Two people were killed and 18 wounded when troops and police stormed Cairo's Tahrir Square to break up a demonstration demanding the ouster of the country's de facto military ruler, medics said.
4:24pm
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's special correspondent in the capital Sanaa was stopped and searched in the midst of the ongoing protests there:
It has just been absolute chaos in the last few few hours here in the capital. We were just - me and the team - out in the streets, not far from the the [Change] Square probably between the main square and the presidential palace. There were hundreds of people who had left the square, pro-democracy protesters and they were just marching in the street and out of nowhere tens of police and men who had their heads covered with balaclavas and in army unifrom began to fire tear gas at the crowd, a lot and lot of teargas.The crowds as we could witness it were just chanting they were just walking through the street, it was a peaceful demonstration, there were no rocks being thrown. It just seemed to come out of nowhere.
We were trying to film some of this going on, some of the teargas going on.. and then lots of men holding guns and lots of other people just wearing civilian clothes came towards me. They took my phone, they started shouting saying that I was a spy, and that i was filming..the soldiers told me that I was not allow to film. They took things off me, they searched me, they held the gun to my stomach. and it was a very threatening environment. Then eventually after about 10 minutes of searching me and taking my phones, they let me go and we were able to get to a safer location now.
4:15pm
SYRIA - Read our latest news report from Syria on the Al Jazeera website here.
3:41pm
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Rula Amin reports from the capital, Damascus:
Yesterday (Friday) was a big day and probably the protests yesterday were the most widespread since they began less than a month ago.
In Daraa there is heavy security and army presence. People are telling us thousands are expected to take part in the funerals of those who were killed and they insist on their version of events that it was the security forces who shot at their sons. what the government is saying is that it has its own forces being shot at.They say about 19 policeman and security members were killed during the clashes in Daraa and they accuse armed gangs..
The government has been clear in asking people not to help these armed gangs, and to tell the security forces on their hide-abouts. They made it very clear, they warned people that there won't be any tolerance for any kind of attempt to shoot at the security forces.
2:03pm
SYRIA - Syrian security forces opened fire on mourners near the old Omari mosque in the southern border city of Daraa following a mass funeral for dead pro-democracy protestors, witnesses told Reuters.
Security forces also used live ammunition in the early hours of Saturday to disperse a pro-democracy protest in Latakia, residents said.
2:01pm
EGYPT - Protesters in cairo's Tahrir Square yesterday held (L-R) Yemeni, Syrian and Egyptian flags in support of anti-regime uprisings sweeping the region:
[Image by AFP]
1:50pm
SYRIA - The editor of Syrian government daily Tishrin said she had been sacked over remarks to Al Jazeera criticising security forces for firing on anti-regime protesters.
Samira al-Masalma told the AFP she had been replaced by the paper's business editor, Munir al-Wadi.
On Friday, she told Al Jazeera there had been a "violation of the rules barring the forces of order from firing on protesters," and that anyone who had done so "should be punished."
1:46pm
SYRIA - A local rights group, the National Organisation for Human Rights, said in a statement that 30 people were killed in the southern city of Deraa, the epicentre of protests.
Three others were also killed in the central city of Homs and another three in Harasta, a Damascus suburb, as well as one in Douma.
12:08pm
OMAN An activist who "instigated riots" in the city of Sohar earlir this month will face trial with 25 others for violent conduct, the chief prosecutor says.
yesterday, security forces sealed off the site of violent clashes that left one dead on April 1 and stopped worshippers from attending Friday prayers to prevent another protest.
11:39am
EGYPT The health ministry says one person was killed and 71 injured after the army dispersed a protest in Cairo's Tahrir Square yesterday. Activists have been reporting a higher death toll.
11:25am
BAHRAIN There have been renewed calls for protests in the Gulf nation, when the majority Shias are complaining of discrimination by the ruling Sunni dynasty. As part of a government crackdown on dissident, security forces have arrested Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, a prominent human rights activist.
Zeinab Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, his daughter, told Al Jazeera that police took him from her house at around 2am this morning.
They broke the door of the apartment. My father didn't resist at all, he went to them calmly but straight away a policeman told him, 'Down, down, get on the floor' ... They dragged him down the stairs and started beating him.
"They did not give any reason ... They were beating him very severely, on the ground, maybe four or five of them, kicking him and hitting him in the face.
10:43am
EGYPT One of the lorries set ablaze overnight in Tahrir Square:
[Reuters]
10:15am
EGYPT Our correspondent in Tahrir Square, Mike Hanna, says the crowds there are swelling. There's no presence of security forces at the moment. Regarding the reports of two deaths in the overnight violence, he says one rumour being floated is that those killed were actually soldiers attempting to make arrests.
10:09am
SYRIA Thousands are expected to attend funerals later today for those killed in Daraa yesterday. There's a high presence of security forces in the city, according to residents.
9:46am
EGYPT Hospital sources say two people were killed in Tahrir Square yesterday. However, an army's spokesman told Al Jazeera there were "no deaths. We as armed forces didn't receive any reports from hospitals or any official source that anyone was killed."
9:00am
EGYPT The armed forces are accusing tycoon Ibrahim Kamel, a senior member of the former ruling party NDP, of orchestrating yesterday's violence in Tahrir Square. In a statement, they're demanding the arrest of him and his aides over "incitement and thuggery".
8:40am
SYRIA Activists on social network sites are calling for daily protests after yesterday's violence. Until now, demonstrations have largely been confined to Fridays.
8:15am
YEMEN Sanaa has called home its ambassador from Qatar for consultation after Qatar's prime minister said Gulf states had a plan for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down.
"The ambassador is being withdrawn for consultations," a foreign ministry official told Reuters.
Saleh initially accepted an offer by Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states to hold talks with the opposition but on Friday, he told tens of thousands of supporters in the capital: "We don't get our legitimacy from Qatar or from anyone else ... we reject this belligerent intervention."
Five protesters were killed in clashes with security forces in the southern city of Taiz on Friday.
8:00am
EGYPT The military says in a statement on Facebook that there were no deaths in last night's violence in Tahrir Square. However, protesters tell Al Jazeera's Adam Makary that at least one or two were killed.
7:24am
EGYPT Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna gave this update from Cairo's Tahrir Square about the clashes which happened overnight:
There were some few thousand people in the square overnight ... They had with them a number of army officers who had joined the demonstrations, against the instructions of the military authorities. Protesters attempted to protect these officers when the military police and other army units moved in overnight. They were dispersed by tear gas, and perhaps rubber coated steel bullets. The exact details of what happened cannot be confirmed, neither can the number of injuries.
"However, those army officers were taken away, we do not know where they are being detained at the moment.
"What added fuel to the flames as far as the military is concerned is the fact that seven of its officers were with the demonstrators in the square. It clearly took this as a direct challenge, having issued orders that no soldier were to take part in the demonstration, this scene was a particularly affront to the military, and clearly this added an edge to whatever actions they did."
7:14am
SYRIA The official SANA news agency says 19 members of the security forces were killed by "armed groups" in Daraa yesterday, while activists say dozens of protesters were killed by security forces.
Our correspondent Rula Amin in Damascus says there are rumours that some family members of people killed in protests could have carried guns and aimed at security forces. Al Jazeera can't verify these reports at the moment as access to information is limited and it's hard for journalists to get into Daraa.
5:40am
EGYPT Al Jazeera's Adam Makary in Tahrir says thousands of people have now gathered in the square, saying they won't leave until they've "reclaimed the square". Makary says he's seen some protesters with injuries from the clashes earlier this morning but no casualties have been confirmed.
5:00am
EGYPT Twitter user yj787 has posted this picture from Tahrir Square this morning. Cars have been set ablaze nearby, that's probably where the smoke in the background is coming from.
4:36am
EGYPT Photographer David Degner posted pictures from Tahrir this morning.
4:30am
EGYPT A witness tells Al Jazeera that a few hundred protesters have re-gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square this morning after military police dispersed a demonstration at around 3am local time.
4:15am
SYRIA US President Barack Obama has criticised the the Syrian government's latest crackdown in which at least 27 people were killed in the southern city of Daraa yesterday.
I strongly condemn the abhorrent violence committed against peaceful protesters by the Syrian government today and over the past few weeks. I also condemn any use of violence by protesters.
"Furthermore, the arbitrary arrests, detention, and torture of prisoners that has been reported must end now, and the free flow of information must be permitted so that there can be independent verification of events."
4:00am
To find out what happened yesterday, check out Friday's live blog.
Topics in this blog
PEOPLE
Abdulhadi Alkhawaja
Mike Hanna
CITY
Cairo
Daraa
ORGANIZATION
army
Possibly related posts (automatically generated)
Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Libya Live Blog - April 9
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 8th, 2011.
An anti-Gaddafi fighter stands on a tank destroyed near Ajdabiya's western gate [Picture: Reuters]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Blog: Feb17 - Feb18 - Feb19 - Feb20 - Feb21 - Feb22 - Feb23 - Feb24 - Feb25 - Feb26 - Feb27 - Feb28 - Mar1 - Mar2 - Mar3 - Mar4 - Mar5 - Mar6 - Mar7 - Mar8 - Mar9 - Mar10 - Mar11 - Mar12 - Mar13 - Mar14 - Mar15 - Mar16 - Mar17 - Mar18 - Mar19 - Mar20 - Mar21 - Mar22 - Mar23 - Mar24 - Mar25 - Mar 26 - Mar 27 - Mar 28 - Mar 29 - Mar 30 - Mar 31 - Apr 1 - Apr 2 - Apr 3 - Apr 4 - Apr 5 - Apr 6 - Apr 7 - Apr 8
AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Operation Odyssey Dawn - Twitter Audio - Tweeting revolutions
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:55pm
Al Jazeera has obtained exclusive, undated footage showing Gaddafi's forces in Libya, and being seen for the first time inside Ajdabiya, a hotly-contested battleground.
The men are seen going from house to house questioning people to find out if they belong to the opposition.
The video also shows a glimpse of some of the heavy artillery such as rocket launchers, on the highway just outside of town.
For more on this, please go to our Libya live blog for April 10.
10:43pm
NATO commander of the Libya operation Lieutenant-General Charles Bouchard says air strikes hit armored vehicles firing on civilians near both Misurata and Ajdabiya. He said NATO jets also struck ammunition stockpiles east of Tripoli being used in attacks on Misurata and other populated areas.
An unnamed NATO official told The Associated Press that warplanes destroyed 17 tanks and damaged nine more.
8:41pm
NATO warplanes intercept a MiG-23 fighter jet operated by a rebel pilot , forcing him to land after he violated the no-fly zone. An unnamed NATO official said the jet took off from an airfield near Benghazi and was intercepted within minutes.
No aggressive action was displayed by the MiG-23 and the NATO fighters proceeded to force it to land back at the Benina airfield.
8:13pm
A Libyan official says a NATO attack has hit the southern outskirts of Misurata, adding that it was unclear what the target was. Referring to a plume of black smoke rising from the south of the city, the unnamed official said:
This smoke is from a NATO air strike which hit today.
A Reuters witness claimed to have seen a warplane sweeping across the sky.
8:00pm
A group of activists claiming to be part of the February 17 youth revolution organises a small protest at dawn in Tripoli. It declared its main objectives to be - to support efforts to oust Gaddafi, to lift morale in the silenced capital, to resist attempts to silence dissent and to show solidarity with pro-democracy fighters across Libya.
Below the video is the unedited English version of the protest statement, as provided by the group:
In the name of Allah most merciful...
Here we are the city of Tripoli Revolutionaries, we say again ... We are here ... We are standing.
At a time when we protest again, after the loss of hundreds of martyrs amongst us from Tajurah, Suq El Jumma, Mizran, Fashloum, and Martyr square.
And at a time when Gaddaffi’s battalions continue to persecute and apprehend thousands of revolutionaries in every district of Tripoli and without discrimination, from Tajura to Saraj, and from Suq El Jumma and Arrada to Al Seyahiya to Ghout El shaal and Abu Nawas to 2 Maris, and from Gergarish and Hay Al andalus and Dredi and Hadabah to Furnaj, Zanata ,Ben Ashour and Dahra, and from Sidi Khalifa and Almansura to Ain Zara and Airport Road and to all other areas without exceptions.
These are our streets, and these are our alleys , for we vow to you shameful and disgraceful Gaddafi, not you nor your battalions, nor your snipers, nor your mercenaries however many they are, will not terrify us anymore, and we will not back down on our revolution and up rise no matter how greater the sacrifice.
For this city with its students and professors and universities and businessmen and fishermen and doctors and those who witnessed you crimes on February 20th , the day that your revenge reached the highest limits of murdering the injured of those who did not die on site during the demonstrations on Martyrs Square, where those who did not fall from your machine guns in the streets were pursued by your gunmen in the emergency rooms and intensive care units of the hospitals in Tripoli. This city will not allow you to make it weak, easy nor vulnerable ever again.
The Libyans may have been tolerant to the exploitation and abuse of this insane system, in fear of its tyranny and infinite madness, but now that the fear barrier has been broken and shrivelled in the events of the last few weeks, we are thus continuing in the path of freedom and Tripoli will remain a burning flame under his feet and those who follow him.
We will not shout, nor will we tense up as Gaddaffi did in the utmost level of his weakness and vulnerability, but we will maintain our composure and the confidence of the strong, convinced of the nearness of victory and triumph god willing.
The dictator has polluted the language of speech with his cheap synonyms and pitiful descriptions, as he sees people from his point of view, and where we only see him as insolvent, desperate and defeated, becoming himself the terrified rat , spending his days in tunnels and his nights between cellars.
He destroyed the safe country with his ruining alleged leadership, which only led to war, underdevelopment, disability and a country under siege... But now we will take control of the leadership, and we have identified his demise, and we have planned the way for our salvation with no return.
A salute and tribute of respect and glory to the free Libyan revolutionaries everywhere, those who gave an example of gallantry and courage.
We put our hands together with, and renew our support and solidarity to the National Transitional Council, and affirm our support on all its blessed steps and actions.
Glory to Tripoli the capital and eternal glory to our honourable martyrs.
6:24pm
South Africa says its PM Jacob Zuma will be meeting Gaddafi, The Associated Press said, citing a foreign ministry statement on Friday.
But a day later ministry spokesman Clayson Monyela said the only certainty was Zuma's attendance at an African Union meeting on Libya. Monyela said Africans want to mediate talks between Libya's political rivals, but that no date has been set yet.
6:16pm
Gaddafi seen on state-run TV being welcomed in a school in Tripoli, reportedly on Saturday [AFP/Libya TV]
6:03pm
A Libyan opposition group wants the US to grant immediate access to Gaddafi's frozen assets to pay for humanitarian needs in rebel-held areas.
Ali Aujali, who resigned as Libyan envoy to the US in February and now heads the National Transitional Council, wrote to US treasury secretary Timothy Geithner saying the humanitarian conditions were getting worse.
The US has frozen more than $34bn in assets as part of sanctions against Gaddafi and his top aides.
5:50pm
NATO denies its warplanes conducted any air strikes on Ajdabiya, refuting claims by residents that a huge explosion may have been caused by an alliance attack. A NATO official told AFP:
We can confirm that there were no NATO strikes in the city of Ajdabiya. We continue to engage government forces throughout the country. We have verified that the alleged air strike in Ajdabiya city was not the result [of a NATO strike].
The official said NATO was also trying to verify if there was any violation of the UN-mandated no-fly zone, following reports that a military helicopter bearing a rebel flag was flying towards the frontline near Ajdabiya.
5:43pm
A military helicopter with the Libyan rebel flag reportedly seen flying towards the fontline around Ajdabiya on Saturday despite a UN-imposed no-fly zone, the AFP new agency said.
The military helicopter had the rebel flag painted on its side was seen flying very low near Ajdabiya [AFP]
5:20pm
Two rebels reportedly wounded in a crossfire near Ajdabiya, forcing others to retreat following confrontations with Gaddafi's forces on Saturday.
An injured rebel fighter being wheeled into a hospital in Ajdabiya following Saturday's fighting [Reuters]
3:15pm
State-run television runs footage of Gaddafi wearing brown burnous and sunglasses visiting a school in Tripoli reportedly on Saturday morning, with pupils shown shouting anti-Western slogans. He could be seen entering the school surrounded by bodyguards, Reuters said, citing Libyan TV.
12:37pm
Gaddafi's forces have shelled the western outskirts of the opposition-held town of Ajdabiya. Reuters correspondent Michael Georgy reported he heard blasts and machinegun fire for around 30 minutes from the western boundary of the town.
11:58am
Opposition fighters say they have pushed deeper towards the oil port of Brega. They say they took two prisoners after a clash with soldiers near Brega's university.
The eastern Libyan port has changed hands more than five times since the uprising against Gaddafi's rule began in February.
11:05am
The Red Cross says it's extending it aid activities to western Libya. A ship carrying medical supplies has docked in the besieged town of Misurata and aid workers were on the way to Zawiyah.
"We are sending the ship to support Misrata's main hospital, by delivering enough medical supplies to treat 300 patients with weapon injuries on the spot," Jean-Michel Monod, a Red Cross official in Tripoli, said.
The statement came more than a week after the agency began negotiations with Libyan government officials on access to western areas under its control.
8:43am
Our correspondent Hoda Abdel-Hamid sent this report from Brega on how poorly trained opposition fighters are struggling to hold their ground, as Gaddafi's forces continue to have the upper hand on the battlefield.
12:02am
Hello and welcome to today's live blog. We'll keep you updated all day with breaking news and reports from Libya, right here. But if you feel you may have missed out on something, check out yesterday's blog, by clicking here.
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Libya
Possibly related posts (automatically generated)
Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Live Blog: Friday protests across Middle East
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Middle East
on April 8th, 2011.
File picture of protesters in Amman, Jordan [AFP]
Show oldest updates on top
As the unrest in the Middle East continues, we update you with the latest developments from Syria, Yemen and across the region.
Read on for the latest from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe.
Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Region in turmoil - Syria Unrest - Yemen's Uprising - Battle for Libya - Egypt's Revolution - Bahrain Protests
(All times are in GMT)
11:44pm
As the Middle East goes to sleep, we close down our live blog for this Friday, April 8th. Thanks for tuning in, folks.
9:44pm
YEMEN - Online activist group Avaaz have collated footage put online from Taiz and Sanaa, which you can see on their page by clicking here.
9:17pm
SYRIA - In a statement read out on state TV (and repeated three times), the government says:
Over the past Fridays there were a lot of demonstrations in which armed groups used weapons to kill people and security forces - and though we understand that protesting is a right of the population, we can no longer allow chaos to take place and official buildings to be destroyed. So we will use all the means to stop the chaos from taking place.
Note - the above is a rough translation only.
9:06pm
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Cal Perry tells us that people in Daraa are afraid of going to hospitals in case they are kidnapped by secret police. With a large military contingent on its way to Daraa, it is likely the town will be surrounded by tomorrow morning, he says.
8:47pm
SYRIA - The state TV building in Deraa has been burned down, tweets Al Jazeera's Cal Perry.
8:44pm
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Cal Perry, reporting from Damascus, tweets:
Sources confirm to #AJE that the Army has been deployed in large numbers to the Southern City of #Deraa. #Syria
You can follow Cal, too: @calperryAJ
8:17pm
EGYPT - The Muslim Brotherhood has steered clear of recent demonstrations in Cairo's Tahrir Square, but joined protesters on Friday, calling for the prosecution of former president Hosni Mubarak.
Islam Lotfy, who represents the brotherhood and the Youth Coalition, speaks to Al Jazeera from Cairo and explains why his organisation joined today's gathering.
7:45pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Adam Makary (@adamakary) tweets:
The number of army officers joining protesters in #tahrir is growing, they r calling for a sit-in, insisting ppl 2 camp the night with them
7:37pm
SYRIA - More footage of today’s protest in Latakia. The description of this video says: "To all those who question the demands of the Syrian people – A clear message to overthrow the regime"
7:25pm
EGYPT - Thousands gathered today in Tahrir Square, central Cairo, showing a unity unseen since the ousting of former president Hosni Mubarak, to demand the country's new military rulers take action against its former leaders.
Threatening to march to Sharm el-Sheikh, where Mubarak is reportedly holed up, even a small group of soldiers joined the protest - risking courts martial.
Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna has more from Cairo.
7:12pm
SYRIA - More amateur video uploaded to YouTube purportedly shows wounded protesters being treated in the local Omari mosque in Daraa:
6:20pm
YEMEN - Our special correspondent tells us that government officials may be attempting to backtrack on some of President Saleh's defiant remarks this afternoon.
The state news agency is quoting an "informed source" saying Saleh was rejecting "Qatar's meddling in Yemeni affairs" - but still welcomes the efforts of the Gulf countries to find a solution to the crisis. The Saba news agency said:
[The] president welcomed the good efforts of the Gulf countries, particularly the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in order to solve the crisis between the Yemeni parties, the source said - adding that president rejects what was mentioned in a statement by Qatar's Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Hamad bin Jasim Al Thani and regarded it as intervention in the Yemeni domestic affairs which is unacceptable.
5:54pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Adam Makary says thousands of protesters have left Cairo's Tahrir Square following nightfall - and headed to the Israeli embassy.
They are demanding the flag be taken down and the gas supply from Egypt to Israel to be blocked.
5:52pm
SYRIA - The death toll among pro-reform demonstrators in Daraa has climbed to 27, a source told Al Jazeera. Twenty bodies are at the morgue, seven others were released to their families. Four people are still unaccounted for.
5:46pm
YEMEN - Our special correspondent tells us that violence is continuing outside the governor's office in the southern city of Taiz. Police are shooting tear gas and using live ammunition.
She has just confirmed two people have been killed, and 30 are in a critical condition.
A further 100 people have been shot with live ammunition, medical sources tell her, with 1,000 people suffering the results of tear gas inhalation.
5:45pm
SYRIA - State-run Syrian television says 19 police officers and members of the security forces have been killed in Daraa. Witnesses in the southern border town earlier said there were 17 people killed there - all of them anti-government protesters. The discrepancy could not immediately be reconciled.
Daraa was the site of a mass demonstration today by thousands of anti-government protesters. Witnesses and human rights groups said security forces opened fire to disperse the gathering. A nurse at the city's hospital said hundreds of wounded had overwhelmed the facility.
5:33pm
SYRIA - The latest on the nation-wide protests from Al Jazeera's Gerald Tan:
5:10pm
YEMEN - The country's longtime leader, Ali Abdullah Saleh, addressed a crowd of thousands in capital Sanaa, defiantly rejecting international calls for him to step down.
But on the other side of the city, a second demonstration called for his immediate resignation. One man there told our correspondent he had been offered money to attend the pro-Saleh demonstration, but wanted to protest.
Al Jazeera's special correspondent, who is not being named for security reasons, has more from Sanaa.
4:36pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Adam Makary (@adamakary) tweets:
The sun sets over #tahrir and still thousands of people protesting #april8 #jan25 #egyptrocks
4:15pm
IRAQ - More details on the 25 deaths in the crackdown on the MEK - an Iranian opposition group sheltered by Saddam Hussein which has refused to disband. Al Jazeera's Jane Arraf, reporting from Baghdad, speaks to Adrian Fineghan in our Doha newsroom.
4:09pm
SYRIA - State television aired footage of several masked gunmen who could be seen shooting in what it said was the city of Daraa. The news anchor said the gunmen were firing at protesters and police:
A peaceful demonstration which vandals infiltrated ... attacked the electricity company and started shooting and opened fire on the television (station). Some of the gunmen were firing live bullets on protesters and security forces. This expresses clearly and openly that there are some people who wish evil on Syria.
The Syrian government has blamed killings during weeks of pro-democracy protests on armed groups shooting at random, while protesters say they have been targeted by security forces.
3:52pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Adam Makary tweets:
More walking space in #tahrir then there has been over the past six hours and some banners are being removed
You can follow him for yourself @adamakary
3:22pm
SYRIA - More footage emerges of the protests that erupted after prayer today. This video shows a scene in Homs where demonstrators were dispersed with heavy gunfire, water cannons and teargas:
3:12pm
IRAQ - At least 25 killed and 320 wounded in clashes between Iraqi troops and members of an Iranian opposition group, the MEK, given shelter by Saddam Hussein. Protests against ongoing US military presence continue in Baghdad.
3:12pm
SYRIA - The death toll in Daraa rose to 17, a hospital source and an activist said, after residents reported security forces opened fire on thousands of protesters.
3:05pm
YEMEN - Doctors tell our special correspondent: "The number of injured just keeps rising"
2:59pm
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Cal Perry tweets that cell phone connections in Douma and Homs seem completely shut down.
2:43pm
SYRIA - More footage of the unprecedented unrest emerges online. This YouTube clip, published by Sham news agency, shows demonstrations in the northwestern town of Edlib:
2:37pm
SYRIA - Protesters in Daraa set fire to a Baath Party outpost and smashed a stone statue of Basil al-Assad, President Bashar al-Assad's late brother, witnesses said. One of them told Reuters news agency by telephone:
The statue of Basil al-Assad is just a pile of stones. The protesters also set fire to a Baath Party outpost in the el-Mahatta area.
2:28pm
YEMEN - Our special correspondent confirms one man died a few minutes ago in Taiz, as a result of a gunshot to the head. Two others are in a very serious condition, she tells us.
2:23pm
SYRIA - More amateur video published by Sham news agency appears on YouTube. This one is from demonstrations in the coastal city of Tartus:
2:06pm
SYRIA - Videos from today's protests are emerging online. This one, published by the Sham News Agency, purports to show injured protesters being treated in the Omari mosque in Daraa. [Sham - الشام - is another name for Damascus]
2:03pm
SYRIA - At least 10 people were killed in Daraa, a hospital source said, after witnesses reported security forces opened fire to disperse demonstrators.
The state news agency SANA reported shooting in Daraa, but it said "vandals" had opened fire on mass gatherings, killing a policeman and an ambulance driver and wounding dozens of police and residents.
1:55pm
YEMEN - Update from Taiz - our special correspondent tells us that hundreds have now been injured - mostly from tear gas inhalation.
1:50pm
IRAQ - Protesters in Tahrir Square, Baghdad, have been talking to Al Jazeera's Jane Arraf. Many are angry about the continued oresence of US military troops in the country. One who preferred not to give their name said:
They have no credibility. They said, "By the end of 2011 we will be out of Iraq," and yesterday, Gates came here and said that there are hints about keeping the US forces, although they denied this before.
They are not going to leave Iraq, and if they don’t leave Iraq by the end of 2011, then there will be no peaceful demonstrations, there will be something else.
1:41pm
YEMEN - Two protesters shot dead among dozens wounded in the southern city of Taiz, says the AFP news agency.
1:38pm
EGYPT - "The army and the people are one hand" is the same chant raised in Tahrir Square during the uprising against Mubarak, when protesters wanted the army to join their cause.
1:37pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna, reporting from Cairo, said the crowd was also calling for the immediate resignation of the army chief, following what they see as a lack of action on the part of the military. He told us:
There were very strong orders that if any soldier took part in today's protests he would face immediate court martial.
We saw a group of five soldiers, at least one of which was a senior officer, actually join the demonstration and address a portion of the crowd, which was chanting "The army and the people are one hand".
Although they were only five soldiers, it is a very significant development - given the military's specific instructions.
1:29pm
YEMEN - Our special correspondent says, according to medical sources, more than 50 people have been injured as a result of tear gas in Taiz. Ten others were injured by batons or knives. One person has been shot with live ammunition, and is in critical condition.
1:20pm
YEMEN - Police reported to be shooting tear gas and live ammunition in Taiz - our special correspondent, who we aren't naming for security reasons, isn't yet sure if it's being fired in the air or at crowds. Watch this space for an update.
1:14pm
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's special correspendent tells us:
Saleh had at the beginning said he had accepted the offer to go to Saudi Arabia for mediation, but he is now saying he doesn't want anyone meddling in his own affairs.
I just spoke to opposition leaders and they said this strengthens their own position, as it shows Saleh is isolated more and more in the international community - but it does lead to this stalemate.
In Change Square, everwhere we looked we couldn't see the end of the lines of people, there are tens of thousands of people there. It is difficult to believe there is anyone left in their homes today in Sanaa, with the huge turnouts at both demonstrations.
1:02pm
SYRIA - An eyewitness told Al Jazeera that at least seven people were killed by security forces in the southern border town of Daraa.
12:18pm
SYRIA - Reuters quotes opposition activists in Damascus saying that automatic weapons fire rang out during a pro-democracy rally confronted by Syrian security forces in a suburb there.
12:03pm
YEMEN - Read more about the latest updates from Yemen on our website here.
12:02pm
SYRIA - This video on YouTube is said to show a protest in the Damascus suburb of Harasta today.
12:00pm
YEMEN - Embattled President Saleh rejected an exit plan by Gulf states trying to broker an end to bloody unrest in Yemen. Here is some of what he said on his address broadcast on state TV:
11:49am
EGYPT - Thousands gather in Cairo's Tahrir Square, calling for prosecution of the ousted president and his regime. Read out latest news report here.
11:43am
SYRIA Reuters quotes witnesses as saying security forces use live ammunition against protesters in Daraa.
11:37am
YEMEN - Crowds of pro-Saleh supporters shown on Yemeni television during his address:
11:29am
IRAQ - Amnesty International will release a report on April 12, urging the Iraqi authoritie to address attacks on protesters. In a statement, the group said:
Forces deployed against demonstrators have used lived ammunition, killing and injuring protesters and bystanders.
Amnesty International also found disturbing evidence of targeted attacks on political activists, torture and other ill-treatment of people arrested in connection with the protests, and attacks or threats against journalists, media outlets, government critics, academics and students.
Amnesty International will call on Iraqi and Kurdistan Regional authorities to investigate the attacks and killings, torture and other ill-treatment, and hold the perpetrators to account.
11:24am
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna reports from Cairo's Tahrir square, where Friday prayers have ended and massive crowds have gathered:
Within the crowd, there is no sign of political division, or political banners, just the egyptian flag waving
Here, there is anger at military authorities for not taking action against the Mubarak regime. This is a crowd very angry, a crowd questioning the army and a crowd united about its concerns
11:19am
YEMEN - In his address to supporters in Sanaa, President Saleh said:
Our power comes from the power of our great people, not from Qatar, not from anyone else. This is blatant interference in Yemeni affairs...
We were born free, and we have free will, and they have to respect our wishes. We reject any coup against democracy, the constitution and our freedom.
11:16am
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's correspondent in Sanaa reported that there are tens of thousands of people gathered in Change Square, still demanding that President saleh leaves power. "they feel it is important to show solidarity and to show their resolve, no matter what happens to them," our correspondent said.
She added:
We met a university professor at Change Square who claims a member of the ruling party offered him money yesterday to attend the pro-Saleh rally.
11:13am
SYRIA Mazen Darwish, an activist in Damascus, tells Al Jazeera that protests have been held in cities including Qamishli in the mainly Kurdish region, the coastal town of Banias, Deir e-Zor in the east and Daraa in the south. He says no violence has been reported but he's heard that security forces in Daraa have been using teargas against protesters.
11:12am
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's correspondent in the Yemeni capital Sanaa said:
President Saleh addressed his supporters in Seventy Square, and made a total rejection of the offer put forward by the GCC. According to that proposal, they had called for him to stand down and hand power to a coalition of tribal leaders and other political figures. But he said 'I reject, I reject, I reject'. He singled out Qatar and Al Jazeera and said 'we dont have to follow their agenda'.
11:01am
OMAN - Heavy security has prevented fresh protests breaking out in the industrial capital Sohar. Dozens of armoured vehicles have blocked roads and worshippers attempting to enter mosques had their names checked against lists by security forces, Reuters reports.
Protesters camped out in the city for more than a month before security forces moved them out last week.
They had been attempting to demonstrate against the killing of at least one person and demanded the prosecution of ministers who have been sacked for corruption.
10:56am
YEMEN - President Saleh slammed Qatar's intervention in Yemen's affairs. He said, "We derive power and legitimacy from the people. It is a unified democratic Yemen."
10:50am
YEMEN - Addressing the country in a speech on state television, Yemen's Ali Abdullah Saleh said he rejects initiatives from any other country to resolve the current crisis there, Reuters reports.
10:46am
YEMEN - President Ali Abdullah Saleh is expected to address the country in a speech broadcast on state television shortly. Friday prayers have ended and rival pro and anti government demonstrations are expected to gather momentum.
10:41am
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Cal Perry tweets from Damascus:
Residents in #Deraa reporting that the police presence is heavy: police armed with electric batons - an attempt to quell protests. #Syria
10:26am
EGYPT - About 3,000 people have gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square. Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna, reporting from the square, says the demands of the protesters are very clear: that action needs to be taken against ousted president Mubarak and those close to him, that there must be a presidential council established so that the people can express what they want to see as Egypt's future.
Unlike on previous occasions recently, this is a fully representative gathering of EGypt's political movements, including the very powerful Muslim Brotherhood which had stayed away from recent gathering saying they would give the military council more time to meet the people's demands.
10:22am
YEMEN - Groups of both pro and anti government demonstrators are rallying in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, Al Jazeera's correspondents report.
10:03am
Another day of mass protests is planned across the Arab world after noon prayers on Friday.
Here is an overview of the expected demonstrations.
And reports from Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna in Cairo, as well as Cal Perry in Damascus.
9:34am
SYRIA Al Jazeera's Cal Perry in Damascus says yesterday's move by President Bashar al-Assad to grant citizenships to 200,000-300,000 stateless Kurds can be interpreted as a measure to "keep the Kurdish community off the streets" today, as activists are calling for fresh protests.
There is a lot of pressure on him [Assad] from people who want to see reform. They are tired of hearing the same old talk ... for the people of Daraa, who just recently buried their dead, they want to see those responsible brought to justice and until that happens, I think we'll see the situation here simmer.
9:09am
EGYPT - Thousands of Egyptians are gathering to protest in Cairo's central Tahrir Square. They are holding banners and signs demanding the prosecution of former regime officials, including ousted president Hosni Mubarak.
9:02am
YEMEN - Yemen's Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Kurbi said in a statement that the country's government is studying an initiative by Gulf Arab states to end a months-long confrontation with anti-regime protesters, the AFP news agency reported.
Concerned by the continuing unrest in Yemen, members of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) offered to mediate between Yemen's government and the opposition.
8:38am
IRAQ - At least five Iraqi soldiers and up to dozens of Iranian opposition members were wounded in overnight clashes at a base north of Baghdad after the Iraqi military moved in to part of the disputed camp, an Iraqi government spokesperson told Al Jazeera.
The account could not be independently verified.
7:53am
YEMEN - The United States froze its largest aid package for Yemen in February after popular protests broke out against the Yemeni president, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
"The first instalment of the aid package, worth a potential $1 billion or more over several years, was set to be rolled out in February, marking the White House's largest bid at securing President Ali Abdullah Saleh's allegiance in its battle against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula," the publication said.
Read more here.
7:33am
IRAQ - Robert Gates, the US Defence Secretary, has arrived in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region for talks with regional president Massud Barzani on security needs after American troops pull out this year.
[Image by AFP]
6:05am
SYRIA - Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, issued a decree granting nationality to thousands of Kurds living in the eastern al-Hasaka region as part of efforts to ease resentment over nearly five decades of strict Baathist rule.
Read the full article on our website here.
6:01am
YEMEN - Less than two years ago a Yemeni opposition party leader told a US embassy official in Sanaa about a secret plan to oust President Ali Abdullah Saleh, The Washington Post reported.
Several previously undisclosed US diplomatic cables, provided by the website WikiLeaks, revealed that US officials were aware of Yemen's political state but largely discounted the prospect that Saleh could be forced out, the newspaper's report said.
Read more on The Washington Post's website.
5:44am
YEMEN - An anti-government demonstrator attends a protest in the capital Sanaa on Thursday. [image by AFP]
4:05am
JORDAN - A Jordanian man - Mohammed Abdul-Karim- set himself on fire outside the prime minister's office, on Thursday, in the first such act since political unrest hit the country in January.
It was a similar act of self-immolation by Mohamed Bouazizi, a poor vegetable vendor in Tunisia in December, that ignited the wave of protests which have since swept through the region and seen the ousting of autocratic regimes in both Tunisia and Egypt.
Topics in this blog
PEOPLE
Adam Makary
Ali Abdullah Saleh
Bashar al-Assad
Cal Perry
Hosni Mubarak
Jane Arraf
Mike Hanna
COUNTRY
Egypt
Qatar
Syria
Yemen
CITY
Baghdad
Cairo
Damascus
Daraa
Sanaa
Taiz
ORGANIZATION
army
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Libya Live Blog - April 8
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 7th, 2011.
[Reuters]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
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(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:24pm
Gaddafi's government officials have been taking foreign journalists on various tours in past weeks to reinforce their position that they are in control of the situation in the country.
But a government-controlled trip to Misurata today instead suggested that the situation of Gaddafi's troops had grown more dire after weeks of laying siege to the enemy's stronghold, says the Associated Press news agency.
Reporters were taken to the same road junction, more than a mile from the centre of town, where government officials took them about 10 days ago. Back then, it was to show the effects of a NATO airstrike. This time, it
was simply as far as the tour could go before the sounds of gunfire and shelling forced officials to turn around.
At one point, the journalists took cover amid gunfire. A Libyan soldier, Walid Mohammed Walid, received a head wound in the shooting and was taken to a hospital.
And while Gadhafi's forces at the intersection were seen on open ground on the earlier visit, this time the few soldiers there were hiding out in buildings or on rooftops.
The scene along the road from Tripoli, dotted with burned-out tanks, anti-aircraft guns hidden by vegetation and checkpoints made of tires and sand banks, underscored the devastating struggle over Misrata. It is the most sustained conflict in the Libyan uprising and the focus of a growing international efforts to bring aid by sea to besieged residents caught in the crossfire.
Just 160km southeast of capital Tripoli, Misurata is symbolic and strategic asset for both sides, each of which holds key parts of Libya's third-largest city.
11:08am
Protesters in Egypt show solidarity with the remaining members of Al Jazeera's crew detained in Libya, courtesty of Flickr user Mosa'aberising.
10:56pm
Five people were killed and ten wounded in fighting in Misurata today, Reuters reports.
10:40pm
NATO airstrikes have hit weapons depots belonging to Gaddafi's forces near the town of Zintan, a resident told Reuters:
The depots are situated 15km southeast of Zintan. We could see buildings on fire in the distance.
First we heard aircraft and then we counted some 14 explosions. Some people used binoculars and saw
buildings on fire
Rebels believe some of the depots were destroyed but not all. We are talking about huge facilities.
10:32pm
Anti-Gaddafi fighters say they have fought off an assault on the east of Misurata by forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
The Red Cross said it expected a humanitarian vessel it had chartered to reach Misurata by midday tomorrow, but gave no details of the relief cargo it was carrying. A spokesman for the anti-Gaddafi fighters, who gave his name as Hassan al-Misrati, told Reuters:
The attack from the east has been repelled now and the (pro-Gaddafi) forces have been pushed back.
10:27pm
Getting ready for boots on the ground? The European Union says it is ready to launch "a humanitarian mission" in Libya's Misurata within several days, but only if it has United Nations backing, says the Associated Press news agency.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has reportedly contacted UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to share her concerns over Misurata, a source told the agency.
The mission might require military backing, but it would not go beyond strictly providing assistance for humanitarian action.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, say any military involvement would only come if backed by the UN.
9:49pm
Libyan government forces continue to attack anti-Gaddafi fighters in the rebel-held town of Misurata, AFP reports.
Fierce fighting is ongoing in the city, about 215km east of Tripoli - which has seen battles rage for more than 40 days since the start of the uprising.
Doctors said last week that 200 people had been killed there since fighting began.
8:07pm
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon will hold a meeting of international and regional organisations in Cairo next week - to improve coordination of the international response on Libya.
UN spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters that leaders scheduled to attend Thursday's meeting at the Arab League's headquarters include Arab League chief Amr Moussa, African Union commission chairman Jean Ping, EU foreign policy head Catherine Ashton, and Organisation of the Islamic Conference Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu.
The object of the meeting will be to exchange views and enhance coordination among the participating organisations in addressing the current crisis in Libya.
8:00pm
Algeria's National Democracy Assembly has said it "deplores" the NATO-led military operation in Libya and urged "an immediate stop to fighting".
The party, led by prime minister Ahmen Ouyahi, demanded international respect for Libya's independence and "its exclusive ownership of the riches of the country, including its hydrocarbons".
Ouyahi also warned Algerians against imitating protesters whose uprisings overthrew leaders in Tunisia and Egypt.
5:39pm
More on those targeted by the new US sanctions. They are:
• Ali al-Mahmoudi Al Baghdadi: Libya’s Prime Minister and member of Muammar Gaddafi’s inner circle.
• Shukri Ghanem: Libya’s Oil Minister and Chairman of the National Oil Company of Libya (NOC), identified by Treasury on March 15 as subject to sanctions for being owned or controlled by the Government of Libya. Ghanem has full responsibility for policies and operations of Libya’s petroleum sector.
• Abdulhafid Zlitni: Secretary of the General People’s Committee for Finance and Planning, Libya’s equivalent of Finance Minister. Zltini is currently acting as temporary head of the Central Bank of Libya. He was previously NOC Chairman.
• Tohami Khaled: Director of Libya’s Internal Security Office.
• Bashir Saleh: Head of Cabinet – or Chief of Staff – to Muammar Gaddafi. He is also the Chairman of the Libya Africa Investment Portfolio (LAIP), identified by Treasury on March 15 as subject to sanctions for being owned or controlled by the Government of Libya.
The Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation and the Waatasemu Charity Association were also designated today. The Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation is a Geneva-registered organization founded in Libya in 1998 and incorporated in Switzerland in 2004.
It was designated for being owned and controlled by Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, who is the foundation’s president and a board member.
Waatasemu Charity Association was designated for being controlled by Aisha Gaddafi, Muammar Gaddafi's daughter and Secretary General of the Libya-based organization.
5:35pm
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO secretary-general, talks to Al Jazeera about what he says is progress being made in implementing UN Security Council resolution 1973 - and about the deaths caused by NATO forces near Brega.
5:30pm
The United States has imposed financial sanctions on five further senior Libyan government officials and two entities controlled by Gaddafi's children, says the US treasury department.
Libya's prime minister, Ali al-Mahmoudi Al Baghdadi, and Gaddafi's chief of staff, Bashir Salehand, to its sanctions blacklist.
The sanctions prohibit US transactions with them and seek to freeze any assets they may have under US jurisdiction.
Also blacklisted were Libyan finance minister Abdulhafid Zlitni, the country's oil minister Shukri Ghanem and Libya's
internal security director Tohami Khaled.
A Geneva-registered organization owned by Gaddafi's son and another entity, Waatasemu Charity Association, controlled by
his daughter, were sanctioned, Treasury said.
2:09pm
US defence secretary Robert Gates says military action in Libya does not set a precedent for future intervention in other Middle Eastern countries facing uprisings or unrest. During a visit to the Marez Camp US military base in northern Iraq, he told reporters:
What has made Libya unique is first of all a request, which is unprecedented in my experience, of the Arab League actually asking for an intervention in the Middle East, to take on an Arab government mistreating its
own people ...
It's hard for me to imagine those kinds of circumstances being replicated any place else.
Gates said the Arab League request was then supported by the Gulf Cooperation Council and bolstered by the United Nations and allies such as Britain and France.
2:07pm
UN human rights investigators say their enquiries "will cover all sides involved"
1:51pm
UNICEF, the UN's agency for children, says snipers are targeting children in the besieged city of Misurata.
1:21pm
German troops could play a role in a humanitarian mission in Libya - but the country's leaders denied this was a U-turn after not supporting UN military action A spokesman said:
If a request were made to the EU, Germany would live up to its responsibilities.
Our position was always that Germany would not participate in combat
operations in Libya ... This would be about ensuring with military means that
humanitarian aid gets to those who need it.
12:21pm
Coast guards have said that a boat laden with 171 people fleeing Libya have arrived in Malta. They are expected to undergo health checks before being taken to an immigrant centre on the island. More than 1,000 refugees have arrived in Malta in the past few days, and some 150 have been lost at sea in an attempt to reach the island.
11:27am
Reuters quotes rebels as saying they are fighting Gaddafi forces trying to enter the city of Misurata from the east.
10:39am
This video posted online by Wefaq Media is said to show the air strike that killed at least four people outside Brega yesterday.
10:21am
NATO's deputy commander of Libya operations describes the alliance's strategy in Libya as coherent and says the alliance continues to target "those who harm civilians".
Regarding the two air strikes outside Brega which appear to have killed four opposition fighters, he says that before yesterday, the alliance had no information that the opposition was using tanks. He says the situation on the ground was "very fluid" and that he is "not apologising" for the strikes.
10:14am
NATO air strikes outside Brega yesterday "may have resulted in the death" of opposition fighters but the circumstances remains unclear, Russell Harding, deputy commander of NATO's Libya operations, says in a press briefing in Naples.
7:47am
Our correspondent Sue Turton reports from Tobruk, on the rebels' need of better weapons and claims that they are receiving arms from abroad.
6:19am
Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee, in Benghazi, says reports are emerging that it might not have been NATO that hit a rebel armoured unit outside Brega. He says it might instead have been a light plane used by Gaddafi forces, suggesting that they are getting arms from outside.
5:07am
The UK Telegraph newspaper says two British businessmen with no connection to the protests against Gaddafi's regime have been imprisoned in Libya for three weeks, just two of many who have reportedly disappeared since mass protests began in February.
The opposition Transitional National Council says more than 20,000 people have been rounded up, while Amnesty International has been able to confirm 30 disappearances.
4:47am
The UK military's action in Libya has prompted Prime Minister David Cameron to rethink Britain's defence budget, Sky News reports.
"Changes could include U-turns on plans to cut the number of RAF Tornados and scrap surveillance planes," the report says.
3:03am
Scottish police have interviewed Moussa Koussa, the former Libyan foreign minister who fled the country in March, regarding the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, the UK Guardian reports.
2:18am
On Thursday, Abdel Fattah Younes, the defected head of the rebel military, confirmed for the first time that the opposition forces have received foreign weapons: anti-tank guns from Qatar. The tiny but wealthy Gulf country has been at the forefront of support for Libya's anti-Gaddafi movement, offering them official recognition and to be a broker for their oil.
12:05am
Welcome to Al Jazeera's Libya live blog for April 8. You can catch our continuing coverage and the latest developments on yesterday's live blog as well as our news stories.
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Libya
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Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Libya Live Blog - April 7
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 6th, 2011.
[Reuters]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Blog: Feb17 - Feb18 - Feb19 - Feb20 - Feb21 - Feb22 - Feb23 - Feb24 - Feb25 - Feb26 - Feb27 - Feb28 - Mar1 - Mar2 - Mar3 - Mar4 - Mar5 - Mar6 - Mar7 - Mar8 - Mar9 - Mar10 - Mar11 - Mar12 - Mar13 - Mar14 - Mar15 - Mar16 - Mar17 - Mar18 - Mar19 - Mar20 - Mar21 - Mar22 - Mar23 - Mar24 - Mar25 - Mar 26 - Mar 27 - Mar 28 - Mar 29 - Mar 30 - Mar 31 - Apr 1 - Apr 2 - Apr 3 - Apr 4 - Apr 5 - Apr 6
AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Operation Odyssey Dawn - Twitter Audio - Tweeting revolutions
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
10:33pm
Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught reporting from Tripoli says Turkey feels it has a better chance because it has been in direct talks with both sides, as well as sending in aid shipments to Benghazi and moving injured Libyans to Turkish hospitals.
But the major problem is how Turkey will get both sides to accept a ceasefire when all sides still feel there is something to play for, that the cost of giving up the fight would be far too great to bear.
Both sides are fearful that if they give up fighting now they will lose everything. This is what Turkey will have to find a way through.
Turkish PM Erdogan says the roadmap for Libya is to reach a ceasefire and political reform [Reuters]
9:37pm
Sources cited by Reuters say China will buy the first oil cargo from Libya via trading house Vitol. But traders said it could take a long time before flows of crude from Libya reach substantial levels.
Trading sources told the news agency on Thursday that the Liberia-registered tanker Equator, which can carry up to one million barrels of oil, was taking Libyan crude to China.
Libya's government has cut oil output by 80 per cent while rebels and Gaddafi loyalists trade charges over attacks on oil fields in eastern Libya.
8:30pm
Media watchdog Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF) corrects its Libya report earlier about 26 journalists being expelled. A day earlier Libyab authorities posted a list of the foreign reporters they said were slated for departure on Thursday, because their visas had expired.
But on Thursday officials said there may have been an administrative error and no one on the list was expelled. It is not clear whether Libya intends to expel any of them at a later date.
6:45pm
Turkey's prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan urges pro-Gaddafi forces to withdraw from cities they are besieging in Libya, local news channel NTV said. He promised to disclose a Libyan "roadmap" on Thursday.
Wounded rebels were taken to hospital in Ajdabiya after NATO's friendly fire incident killed five [Reuters]
5:37pm
NATO promises to investigate the latest air strike on Thursday that killed at least five rebel fighters in the eastern town of Brega, less than a week after 13 people died in an alliance bombing in the same area.
It said in a statement:
NATO is looking into the specific details of an alleged strike on a column of tanks outside of Brega today.
The fighting between Brega and Ajdabiya, where the strike occurred, has been fierce for several days. The situation is unclear and fluid with mechanised weapons travelling in all directions.
The alliance reiterated it will continue to uphold the UN mandate and strike forces that threaten Libyan civilians.
5:20pm
Five journalists reported missing on Thursday in east Libya, as Gaddafi's government expels 26 foreign reporters from Tripoli, says media watchdog Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF).
It said in a statement:
Reporters without Borders has learned from a reliable source that four journalists - a South African, two Americans and a Spaniard - have been missing in the east of the country since April 4.
The names of journalists, who had all been invited to Tripoli by the [Gaddafi] government, were posted last night in the lobby of the hotel where they were staying.
The expulsions follows a series of deportations in recent weeks.
A female Syrian reporter Rana Akbani has been reported missing in Libya since March 28.
About 100 other foreign journalists are still in the Libyan capital, RSF added.
5:15pm
Al Jazeera's Sue Turton visits a weapons bunker near Tobruk to look at the ammunition pro-Gaddafi forces have had to rely on. Catch her report below:
4:30pm
Top US general, Commander of US Africa Command General Carter Ham, tells senate hearing on Thursday a stalemate is emerging in Libya between rebels and troops loyal to Gaddafi.
Nearly a dozen rebel fighters were injured in the second NATO air strike that hit a rebel position near Brega [Reuters]
1:04pm
AFP - At least five opposition fighters killed in a NATO air raid in the eastern oil town of Brega.
"It was the planes of NATO. They fired twice at our tank and blew up the tank's position," said rebel fighter Ali Sahli.
Chaotic scenes were witnessed at a rebel checkpoint on the edge of Ajdabiya, about 80km from Brega, with ambulances racing through heading for the hospital followed by a convoy of rebel military vehicles.
Civilians were ordered away from the checkpoint.
7:51am
Reuters - Libya accuses British government of damaging an oil pipeline in an air raid, hours after rebels said government attacks had halted production of oil they hope to sell to finance their uprising.
"British warplanes have attacked, have carried out an airstrike against the Sarir oilfield which killed three oilfield guards and other employees at the field were also injured," Deputy foreign minister Khaled Kaim told reporters.
There was no immediate comment from Britain's ministry of defence or from NATO, which is coordinating air raids against pro-Gaddafi forces.
Kaim said the raid damaged a pipeline connecting the oilfields to the Marsa el Hariga port.
"There is no doubt this aggression ... is against international law and is not covered by the UN resolution," he said.
7:18am
Associated Press - Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi "knows what he must do," said US secretary of state Hillary Clinton in response tohis appeal for an end to the conflict.
Gaddafi appealed directly to president Barack Obama to end what he called "an unjust war," and he wished Obama good luck in his bid for re-election next year.
Clinton, speaking at the White House, repeated U.S. and allied demands that Gaddafi's forces pull back and cease attacks.
"I don't think there is any mystery about what is expected from Mr. Gaddafi at this time," Clinton said.
6:17am
Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee, reporting from Benghazi, said that Abdel-Hafidh Ghoga, the Vice-Chairman of the Libyan National Provisional Council, continues to insist that NATO do more.
"He has certainly strengthened his language, and he even went on to call NATO a "burden", which is an extraordinary thing to say under the current circumstances."
"There is obviously agreement here among the opposition that if more military gains are to be made, international forces must step up their operations."
4:48am
Al Jazeera's Laurance Lee visited some of the pre-Gaddafi sites in rebel-held Benghazi and found signs of the city's proud history:
2:16am
The US government has provided $47 million to international and non-governmental organisations to meet humanitarian needs in Libya, according to the State Department. Though the US government, mostly via the United Nations, is able to monitor the humantarian situation in eastern Libya and along most of the borders, western Libya remains cut off by the Gaddafi regime.
Here's a breakdown, provided by the State Department, that shows where the money is going:
2:05am
The United Nations on Wednesday called for a cessation of hostilities around the Libyan city of Misurata to get help to the wounded and let people escape fighting between Muammar Gaddafi's forces and opposition rebels.
"The situation on the ground is critical for a large number of people who immediately need food, clean water and emergency medical assistance," said UN under secretary general for humanitarian affairs, Valerie Amos, who made the appeal.
1:44am
Former US Senator Curt Weldon traveled to Tripoli on Wednesday to try to convince Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to impose a cease fire on his forces and step down. Weldon led Congressional delegations to the country after Gaddafi agreed to give up its nuclear program in 2004. Check out Weldon's curriculum vitae, published on Wired magazine's website, for a glimpse of the ex-senator's history of dealings with Libya, North Korea, Russia and other lovely countries.
1:31am
Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim told the Reuters news agency that a British air strike hit the major Sarir oil field on Wednesday, killing three guards. He said the strike damaged a pipeline connected the field to Hariga port and that it violated international law.
12:07am
Welcome to Al Jazeera's Libya live blog for April 7. Catch up on all of the latest developments on our live blog for April 6, including Gaddafi's letter to Barack Obama appealing for the withdrawal of NATO air strikes.
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Libya
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Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Libya Live Blog - April 6
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 5th, 2011.
[EPA]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
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(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:37pm
Former Libyan energy minister Omar Fathi Shatwan says several members of Gaddafi's inner circle want to defect but are too scared to do so, fearing the safety of themselves and their families.
Those whose families are outside Libya will flee if they get a chance. But many can't leave, and all the families of ministers are under siege.
Shatwan, who left the government in 2007, says his last contact with Gaddafi was in 2006.
10:30pm
US secretary of state Hillary Clinton rebuffed a personal appeal from Gaddafi to Obama, saying the Libyan leader should impose a ceasefire, withdraw his forces and go into exile.
The White House confirmed Gaddafi had written a letter to the US president but said nothing if its contents, which was first reported by The Associated Press. The report said he had appealed to Obama for a ceasefire in a rambling, three-pages long.
8:30pm
NATO denies the pace of air strikes has abated since taking over from a coalition led by the US, Britain and France on march 31.
Speaking at NATO's southern European headquarters in Naples, Italy, Rear Admiral Russell Harding, the NATO deputy commander of operations in Libya, said:
Libya must be 800 miles [1,290km] wide and in all that air space we are dominating, so perhaps ... in one or two areas if they don't hear us or see us, I can understand how that might lead to a lack of confidence.
Rebels at the frontline scatter for cover following explosions by troops loyal to Gaddafi outside Brega [Reuters]
7:56pm
Rebel-held oilfields in Misla and the Waha oasis have been hit by Gaddafi's artillery on Tuesday and Wednesday, halting production, according to rebel spokesman Hafiz Ghoga. He said:
These oilfields are the ones that pump oil to Tobruk. They stopped pumping today.
7:45pm
The US defence department says NATO has to change its approach in Libya to keep up with changing tactics by Gaddafi's forces.
Colonel Dave Lapan, a department spokesman, said on Wednesday the situation illustrated the saying "the enemy gets a vote", and that it was up to the European alliance to adjust to Gaddafi's tactics.
Gaddafi's forces have adjusted to the environment, seeking ways to disguise forces and movements to avoid attacks.
Rebels have complained that delayed air strikes had allowed forces loyal to the Libyan leader to push them from Brega.
Libya's rebel fighters firing rockets from the desert east of Brega on Wednesday [Reuters]
7:30pm
A US official said Gaddafi had sent an appeal letter to US president Barack Obama asking to halt the NATO military campaign, according to The Associated Press. Below is the text, and the misspellings and grammatical errors are in the original letter.
Our son, Excellency,
President Obama
U.S.A
We have been hurt more morally that physically because of what had happened against us in both deeds and words by you. Despite all this you will always remain our son whatever happened. We still pray that you continue to be president of the U.S.A. We Endeavour and hope that you will gain victory in the new election campaigne. You are a man who has enough courage to annul a wrong and mistaken action. I am sure that you are able to shoulder the responsibility for that.
Enough evidence is available, Bearing in mind that you are the president of the strongest power in the world nowadays, and since Nato is waging an unjust war against a small people of a developing country. This country had already been subjected to embargo and sanctions, furthermore it also suffered a direct military armed aggression during Reagan's time. This country is Libya.
Hence, to serving world peace ... Friendship between our peoples ... and for the sake of economic, and security cooperation against terror, you are in a position to keep Nato off the Libyan affair for good. As you know too well democracy and building of civil society cannot be achieved by means of missiles and aircraft, or by backing armed member of AlQuaeda in Benghazi.
You _ yourself _ said on many occasions, one of them in the UN General Assembly, I was witness to that personally, that America is not responsible for the security of other peoples. That America helps only. This is the right logic.
Our dear son, Excellency, Baraka Hussein Abu oumama, your intervention is the name of the U.S.A. is a must, so that Nato would withdraw finally from the Libyan affair. Libya should be left to Libyans within the African union frame.
The problem now stands as follows:-
1. There is Nato intervention politically as well as military.
2. Terror conducted by AlQaueda gangs that have been armed in some cities, and by force refused to allow people to go back to their normal life, and carry on with exercising their social people's power as usual.
Mu'aumer Qaddaffi
Leader of the Revolution
Tripoli 5.4.2011
6:39pm
Libyan rebels have regained ground in a new advance on the oil port of Brega on Wednesday, after accusing NATO of mission failure in protecting civilians in Misurata.
Poorly-trained rebel fighters thrust back westwards, recovering mostly desert terrain lost during a retreat from the Libyan leader's superior firepower a day earlier.
Pro-democracy fighters returning to the tiny outpost of al-Arbaeen, midway between Brega and the frontline town of Ajdabiya, spoke of rocket duels close to Brega's port but the situation remains unclear.
5:58pm
Black African migrants have claimed that Libyan troops were turning them into "instant mercenaries" to fight the rebels, a Reuters report said, citing young men who had fled to Tunisia earlier. Click below for more:
5:23pm
NATO admitted it has to be "particularly careful" with its air strikes in Misurata as government troops were using civilians as human shields, as France pledged to open a sea corridor to the Mediterranean port.
Rear Admiral Russell Harding, the deputy commander of Libya operations, said on Wednesday NATO forces have been very careful to avoid injury to civilians "in close proximity" to the fighting.
They're trying to protect human shields when there is a tank with dozens of people round about it, of innocent civilians, the best thing at that stage is probably not to drop a bomb on the tank.
So there is a limit, a physical limit, because we are not allowed boots on the ground, there is a limit to what we are able to do in that respect.
But that doesn't mean to say we don't have the will and the intent, and the fire power and the wherewithal to take action to stop that.
Libyan government forces have increasingly shifted to non-conventional tactics, blending in with road traffic and using civilian life as a shield for their advance.
5:13pm
An oil tanker left the Libyan port of Tobruk on Wednesday with the first consignment of crude since the rebel administration that countrols the country's east from Benghazi won recognition from some countries.
The Greek-owned, Liberian-registered vessel docked a day earlier to load the oil shipment worth $100m for export. The potential buyer remains a mystery.
5:00pm
A Turkish delegation led by former ambassador to Tripoli is reportedly in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi on Wednesday to meet leaders of the National Transitional Council.
Turkish officials said representatives of the Libyan opposition are expected in Ankara later this week.
Turkey wants to explore the possibility of "any common ground" for a ceasefire and an agreement on a "roadmap" of political reform to end the conflict.
4:49pm
Gaddafi troops have reportedly shelled an oil field in Ojla, south of Ajdabiya, acording to a source from the local council in Tobruk.
Meanwhile rebel fighters tightened security measures and strenghtened military fortifications in the western district of Ajdabiya, allowing only authorised persons to enter.
In Misurata Gaddafi's troops attacked the coastal road leading to the port and tried to seize supplies and rations warehouses.
4:37pm
Britain has moved four Typhoon jets from policing the Libya no-fly zone to ground attack roles following opposition criticism that NATO forces failed to protect Misurata.
In a statement the defence ministry said the move aimed at "further bolstering NATO's ground attack capability".
The Typhoons based at Gioia del Colle in southern Italy had been policing the no-fly zone while the Royal Air Force's Tornado warplanes conduct air raids on Gaddafi's ground forces.
British Eurofighter EF-2000 Typhoon jets at Gioia del Colle NATO airbase on southern Italy [Reuters]
Britain now has 20 fighter jets committed to implementing UN Resolution 1973 aimed at protecting civilians against Gaddafi loyalists.
4:15pm
Speaking to Al Jazeera from London, Ashur Shamis, a Libyan journalist, said there seemed to be some discrepancies between the number of NATO flyovers and actual hits on the ground.
It is not hitting anything. More and more people in Benghazi are getting to the end of their tethers in relation to this situation.
As long as Gaddafi remains in Tripoli he will turn nastier and nastier, and he will produce more weapons and more tricks so that there will be more citizens dying because he has no aim or cause … he is just destroying the country, the people and causing more bloodshed.
Shamis says NATO should get its act together and show the people that it is up to task in implementing the UN resolution.
They have to show that they are doing something in Misurata and preventing Gaddafi's troops from killing civilians.
They have to do something in Tripoli … I understand there are ways there with which to get at Gaddafi's forces. Now it is slowly opening up to strikes and this will encourage people to turn against Gaddafi.
3:55pm
Libyan rebels send reinforcements and supplies towards Brega on Wednesday as former military officers, now with the opposition, were trying to keep untrained fighters from leaving Ajdabiya towards the frontline.
After several days of skirmishes, the frontlines keep moving back and forth between Brega and Ajdabiya, with neither side able to make any significant move.
Rebel fighters resting between Ajdabiya and Brega as Gaddafi forces pushed rebels back [Reuters]
10:37pm
AFP - NATO, accused by Libyan rebels of failing to protect civilians in the besieged city of Misurata, vows to do everything to protect the population.
"Misrata is our number one priority," NATO deputy spokeswoman Carmen Romero told AFP news agency adding that alliance warplanes hit Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's military assets around Libya's third largest city on Monday.
"We have a clear mandate and we will do everything to protect the civilians of Misurata," Romero said, referring to the UN Security Council resolution permitting "all necessary measures" to defend Libya's population.
6:17am
Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee, reporting from Benghazi, says the criticism of NATO from opposition forces reflects the fact they continue to struggle in their battles against pro-Gaddafi forces, and that the conflict may be prolonged.
6:01am
Associated Press - Libya's rebel leadership has apologised for the 1988 bombing of a jet over the town od Lockerbie in Scotland and pledged to cooperate with all investigations.
In a statement read by Jason McCue, a British lawyer representing victims' families, the council issued "a voluntary and sincere apology on behalf of the free people of Libya for the previous conduct of the Gaddafi regime in sanctioning and facilitating such a despicable and direct act of terrorism against the victims".
The lawyer read the statement after a meeting in the rebel-held city of Benghazi with Mustafa Abdul Jalil, the head of the opposition interim governing council, who claimed recently to have "evidence" that Gaddafi ordered the bombing.
4:26am
Libyan anti-government soldiers are reportedly being tortured and executed in an underground prison in Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte, according to one prisoner who since escaped.
Al Jazeera's Sue Turton reports that there are more and more stories emerging across the country of abuse and suffering at the hands of the Gadaffi forces.
2:57am
General Carter Ham, the chief of the United States' Africa Command, testified before American lawmakers in Washington DC.
He has reiterated that NATO is now in full command of the mission, and the US is acting only in a supporting role.
Al Jazeera's John Terret reported from Washington DC:
General Carter Ham who is the commanding general for all US forces in Africa said he still envisaged a go it alone role for the US and he said that would be if US interests were specifically targeted.
Ham also said later in his testimony that in future should there be any need for a rescue operation in Libya then the US will take the lead on that initiative.
He was asked whether he had a strong relationship with those who are now in control in NATO and he said it's like Afghanistan were NATO is in control but the US is clearly a key player.
General Carter Ham was also asked about US relations with other allies in the Middle East and Maghreb region and he said that some of the responses from those allies regarding the No-Fly Zone over Libya and the subsequent conflict have been frankly mixed.
He said going forward in future he would have one-to-one discussions with those allies to make sure they understand why the US went in and did what it did.
1:47am
Libyan opposition leaders continue to say that Gaddafi must leave before talks can take place. And that is a key dilemma in the country overcoming it's current crisis.
Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught reports from Tripoli:
The two sides are so far apart because their ultimate view of the solution to the problem is one that is completely incompatible, mutually incompatible. And it comes down basically to what Libya will look like.
Should Libya at the end of this conflict still have Colonel Gaddafi and his family in place, albeit with promises of reform. or is the only future for Libya one that does not involve Colonel Gaddafi and his family? And that is the debate that is being had in all quarters. That is the root of the various compromise solutions that are on offer.
We are hearing people talk, on the government side, of the possibility of a referendum, on the possibility of holding elections. But those promises are always made in the context of Colonel Gaddafi and his family remaining in place. and that is something that the other side simply do not find credible or believable.
1:00am
Abdul Fatah Younis, the head of the Libyan opposition's armed forces, and the former interior minister of Gaddafi's regime, spoke at a press conference in Benghazi on Tuesday. He accused NATO of acting too "slowly", or not acting at all, to protect civilians in their fight against the Libyan leader.
Read more of what he had to say on yesterday's live blog here. [Image by AFP]
12:52am
Two people were killed and 26 injured in shelling by Muammar Gaddafi's forces in the besieged city of Misurata on Tuesday, a rebel told the Reuters news agency.
12:01am
Welcome to Al Jazeera's Libya live blog for April 6 - catch up on all of the latest developments by referring to our live blog for April 5, a day when rebels lashed out at NATO for being "too slow" to act to save civilian lives, while Muammar Gaddafi's forces pushed forward to take the town of Brega, west of Ajdabiya.
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Libya
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Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Libya Live Blog - April 5
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 4th, 2011.
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
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(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:46pm
Ahmet Davutoglu, the Turkish foreign minister, will hold talks with Mahmoud Jibril, the foreign affairs chief for the opposition Transitition National Council, in Qatar in the coming days, the Turkish news agency Anatolia reported.
11:17pm
Al Jazeera's Sue Turton has filed a report from Ajdabiya, where she met with a former Gaddafi soldier who was held in a prison in Sirte. The former solider says prisoners were being abused and tortured at the prison.
11:11pm
The Associated Press reports that rebels in towns southwest of Tripoli have banded together to fight pro-Gaddafi forces, pushing them out of the mountain town of Yefren.
Shaban Abusitta, a rebel leader from the town of Nalut, said youths from Nalut and Az Zintan infiltrated Yefren and helped their allies there to fight against government forces, who had surrounded the town. The rebels, armed with Kalashnikov rifles, attacked the armed forces' lines and pushed them away from the town.
Abusitta said at least 25 families from Yefren were now taking shelter in Nalut, and that many others were escaping towards the Tunisian border.
10:46pm
AFP reports that Abdelati al-Obeidi has been formally appointed as Libya's foreign minister, replacing Moussa Koussa, who fled the country to the United Kingdom.
10:36pm
Reuters reports, citing a rebel spokesman, that shelling in Misurata stopped at about 5:00pm local time, after beginning at 10:00am.
Misrata was shelled with tank fire, artillery and mortars, mainly (around) Tripoli street and the port area. The shelling started around 10 a.m. and stopped at 5 in the afternoon.
"The situation gets worse every day. Unfortunately NATO's operations have not been effective in Misrata. Civilians are dying every day."
9:33pm
General Carter Ham, the chief of the United States' Africa Command, has been testifying before American lawmakers in Washington DC.
He has reiterated that NATO is now in full command of the mission, and the US is acting only in a supporting role.
Regarding al-Qaeda, he says that it remains the "number one security threat" to the US, particularly in eastern Africa.
9:12pm
Some very strong words there from Abdel Fatah Younis, the military commander of the rebel army in Libya, who was particularly critical of NATO's role, which he said had let the opposition down by standing idly by while Gaddafi kills Libyan citizens.
9:10pm
The situation in the southern areas, as we said the forces that we command the regular armies are on the front line. The oil fields have some patrols and some of our rebel youths that have joined the rebellion. They have tried to shell the Sidr oil field, and there are some damages, but are working on reparing them. All of this is to deny the eastern area access to its oil. Because now the National Council has the legitimacy to sell the oil. And we have started these contacts with Qatar. And the Gaddafi regime does not want the people to enjoy their rights.
"Yesterday we intercepted a brief from their forces saying that they have destroyed the field. These Gaddafi forces have been lying so that they would not be executed by the regime. We also informed NATO about these groups that are trying to sabotage the fields. We told NATO about them, NATO says we cannot shell them when they are in the oil field.
"But these people are on tarmac, and it would not influence the oil fields, but unfortunately they were not bombed.
"The security of the oil fields have intercepted these groups and defended the oil fields. "
9:05pm
When a large force of tanks, and even 155 artillery, which is on its way to Benghazi, Ajdabiya or Brega, we always inform straight away NATO. Because we don't have such weapons. NATO's reaction is very slow. By the time the information reaches from one official to another until it reaches the field commander, it takes hours. Will these forces wait for hours to bomb? No, they will go into the city and burn it down. That is why I want NATO to stand with us and support us, otherwise I will ask the National council to address this issue at the Security Council.
"Of course NATO is helping us sometimes, but they are taking their time, and we are giving the coordinates of these forces that enter cities, but there is slow action, which allows invading forces to enter a city, burn it down, kill everybody and then leave the city.
"We have some MiGs and helicopters that we have repaired, and we ask if we can fly these warplanes. NATO forbids us. They are not letting us help, or helping themselves. Broadcast this to the world, so that people will know that NATO is not supporting us."
9:04pm
Unfortunately, and I sorry to say this, NATO has disappointed us. My staff have been in contact with the NATO envoys to direct them to targets that should protect civilians, but until now, NATO has not given us what we need...
Civilians are dying daily in Misurata because of lack of food or milk, even children are dying. Even by bombing. If NATo waits for another week, it will be a crime that NATO will have to carry. What is NATO doing? It is shelling some defined areas only."
8:59pm
Responding to a question on Misurata:
Misurata gentlemen is under the complete annihilation. It is extreme meaning of annihilation. There is no water, no electricty, no food, even children's milk this has been going on for 40 days, and daily bombing of buildings, hospitals and mosques. Heavy artillery is bombing civilian targets and when the Misurata people went to the wells that contain a lot of salt in them for drinking water, the Libyan regime closed down the black water or the sewage, and that's what led to the flooding of sewage into these wells.
"Who is talking about helping Misurata? Whether it is NATO, or even from the devil's alliance, this is Muslim people who are being annihilated, exterminated, and no population has been subjected to this since the early days.
"Who has been subjected to this treatment. These people were drinking water from wells that have been contaminated.
"These weapons [on board a ship] are for self-defence, and the international media should defend the people of Misurata. NATO which is sometimes bombing some areas and at the same time leaving Misurata's people to die under these conditions."
8:54pm
Responding to a question on whether there are divisions on the front line in the rebel army, Younis says:
"I don't know why the journalists these days are picking up on these rumours. These rumours, whether right or wrong, do not influence the position of the armed forces. There is no disagreement, no problems, between the rebel forces.
"The front line is OK, and there is opportunity for every citizen to join us at the front line."
8:51pm
Abdel Fatah Younis, the head of the pro-democracy opposition's army, is addressing a press conference in Benghazi now. Watch on AJE live!
8:19pm
Forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi have razed a mosque in Az Zawiyah that had been used by rebels as a base, as well as a graveyard in a central square where opposition fighters are buried in that city.
Gaddafi's forces are now in firm control of the city, which for weeks had fought back against siege by government troops.
8:17pm
Geoff Morell, the Pentagon' spokesman, says that no decision has yet been made on whether or not the US will be helping to arm rebels. At the moment the topic of "non-lethal" aid is being discussed, he says.
8:06pm
This video, the content of which Al Jazeera cannot independently verify, shows what appears to be a Libyan rebel weapons factory, with opposition activists hard at work decorating rocket/missile launchers taken off aircraft that are being modified and mounted on the back of pick-up trucks.
7:58pm
Antonio Guterres, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, has paid tribute to the countries bordering Libya for taking in hundreds of thousands of refugees during the current crisis in the country. He has also paid tribute to Italy and Malta for sheltering thousands of economic migrants and refugees from North Africa - even though Rome says that it wants to send many Tunisians seeking a better life in Europe back home.
7:57pm
Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, says he wants to question Moussa Koussa, the former Libyan foreign minister who has resigned and fled to London.
Moreno-Ocampo said that Koussa could have crucial information about the inner workings of Muammar Gaddafi's government.
7:56pm
Two boats carrying 600 migrants, including Eritreans and Somalians feeling Libya, arrived at Lampedusa island today.
About 800 of the 1,500 migrants already on the tiny Italian island were transferred on Monday to processing centres in Italy by air and sea.
7:50pm
Algeria is concerned by a noticeable increase in al-Qaeda presence in Libya, Abdelkader Messahel, the country's deputy foreign minister, said today.
7:08pm
A Pentagon briefing on Libya is underway at the moment. Watch live on our stream.
0:00pm
With oil tankers now docking at the eastern oil ports of Tobruk and Marsa el Hariga, and the rebels desperate for an inflow of funds, as much to prove their viability as a government as to fund their opposition, Laurence Lee reports on the state of play on Libya's oil.
6:32pm
Jordanian fighter jets are operating out of a European airbase to protect Jordanian transport aircraft that are delivering humanitarian assistance to the opposition in eastern parts of Libya.
Nasser Judeh, the Jordanian foreign minister, said at a news conference today:
The Jordanian fighters arrived at one of the military bases in Europe two days ago to protect Jordanian military aircraft carrying humanitarian aid to the Libyan people and to provide logistical support. Jordan sent a first plane carrying humanitarian aid to Benghazi yesterday [Monday]."
6:30pm
More on NATO operations near Misurata: coalition aircraft launched 14 strikes on Monday, including "a number" targetting air defence systems, tanks and armoured vehicles in the area around the besieged Western town, the alliance says.
The alliance also hit a rocket launcher near Brega on Monday., and ammunition storage facilities in other parts of the country.
6:21pm
Hundreds of Libyans evacuated from Misurata by a Turkish hospital ship have arrived in the Turkish city of Cesme, where they are now being treated.
Some 60 ambulances and two helicopters were on standby as the ferry docked on Turkey's Aegean coast.
6:16pm
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, in an interview with the BBC, says that Moussa Koussa, the former Libyan foreign minister who left Libya for the UK, is "sick and old" and may make up "funny stories" about the Lockerbie bombing to tell authorities, but would have little of consequence to tell them.
"The British and the Americans ... they know everything about Lockerbie so there are no secrets'' Koussa can reveal, Saif said.
6:15pm
Jock Stirrup, Britain's former chief of defence staff, tells Al Jazeera that in order for political efforts to erode Gaddafi's support base to suceed, there must be an understanding of the nature of support for him and the motivations of those who do back him.
He says that efforts for the political resolution of the crisis have only seriously been pursued "for the last couple of weeks", and that since these are "difficult" and "sensitive" issues, the hope is that while little is being said publically, much is being done behind closed doors.
6:04pm
The United Nations has doubled its aid appeal for Libya to $310 million, Elisabeth Byrs, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says.
The funds, she said, would be used to provide relief to over 1.5 million people affected by the conflict, including more tha 400,000 refugees.
So far, OCHA has received 70 per cent of its first appeal, which was for $160 million.
The International Organisation for Migration on Tuesday has also repeated a plea for more funding, saying that there is currently "no more money for humanitarian evacuations" from Egypt and Tunisia.
6:02pm
Mustafa Gheirani, a spokesman for the Libyan opposition's National Council, has told AFP that while the opposition has suffered "setbacks", it will fight on.
There is no revolution without setbacks. But the people will win. Gaddafi cannot rule Libya with his machine -- his militias and his mercenaries... We are committed to fighting this tyrant, and either we will drive him out or he will rule a country with no people in it."
5:57pm
The military action in Libya is costing the US Air Force $4 million a day, though those costs are likely to fall now that US fighter jets are not actively involved in sorties over Libya, the USAF says.
USAF Secretary Michael Donley put the cost of the operation so far at $75 million.
The total cost for the entire US military was estimated to be $500 million on March 28.
5:33pm
Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee has been reporting from Benghazi on the status of the conflict near Brega, as well as other stories out of the opposition stronghold.
5:30pm
Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel-Hamid has just been reporting live from Ajdabiya.
Since this morning we were trying to get as close as possible to Brega. We reached the junction on the road that would lead inside that town, but since mid-morning, opposition forces have been coming under a rolling artillery and mortar barrage that really pushed them about 20 to 30 km eastwards towards the town of Ajdabiya.
"Now we haven't seen such a push for a few days, over the past few days it actually seemed as if the opposition forces were able to hold some sort of position around the town of Brega. Well, today the situation was completely different. The Gaddafi forces were much more aggresive than they had been in the past days, it seem that maybe they had received new supplies, but certainly they have been pounding much more intensely than over the past few days."
5:05pm
These pictures were taken near Brega at various points today. [First two pictures: Reuters; Next three: EPA]
4:55pm
Libyan authorities had decided that they were prepared to kill anti-government protesters even before the opposition's movement against Gaddafi had really gotten going, International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo tells Reuters.
We have evidence that after the Tunisia and Egypt conflicts in January, people in the regime were planning how to control demonstrations inside Libya ... They were hiding that from people outside and they were planning how to manage the crowds ... the evidence we have is that the shooting of civilians was a pre-determined plan.
"The planning at the beginning was to use tear gas and [if that failed to work]..., shooting."
Moreno-Ocampo says that the court has "judicial responsibilities" to collect evidence regarding the possible prosecution of Muammar Gaddafi and his allies, but that the "political responsibilities" of deciding whether or not Gaddafi is to be offered immunity in return for leaving the country "are in the hands of the [UN] Security Council".
4:53pm
Anita McNaught, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Tripoli, reports that Libyan state television is planning to broadcast live from Brega at some point this evening.
Hoda Abdel-Hamid, our correspondent who has been reporting from the frontlines, says that it can be said with a fair degree of certainty that Gaddafi's forces have taken all of Brega, given the intensity of their assault this morning towards Ajdabiya.
4:48pm
Angelina Jolie's not the only one at Ras Ajdir, the Tunisian border crossing with Libya. The Tunisian state news agency reports that Salam Mabrouk Abdallah and Jomaa Ibrahim Ammar, external communication and international cooperation advisors of the Libyan Popular Committee entered Tunisia at Ras Ajdir on April 4th, bound for Djerba airport.
TAP, the news agency, says they took off for Bamako, in Mali.
4:42pm
NATO has termed the deaths of civilians in an airstrike on Friday an "unfortunate accident". Rebels had fired an anti-aircraft gun in celebration at seeing NATO fighter jets, who then fired on the vehicle in self-defence, the alliance said.
The assessment of the incident has now "closed", NATO says, as opposition forces "have already stated that it was their fault".
Brigadier General Mark van Uhm, NATO's commander of allied operations, said that the opposition appears to have "learned their lesson", and is now only using more experienced fighters at the front line and has strictly banned celebratory firing.
Oana Lungescu, a NATO spokesperson, said of the incident:
We take any reports of civilian casualties very seriously, but clearly if somebody fires on our aircraft, those aircraft have the right to fire, it is their right of self defence."
4:40pm
Chris Stevens, the US deputy ambassador to Libya, has arrived in Benghazi to hold talks with the opposition's national council there, according to a US official who was speaking to the Associated Press.
Stevens will be discussing humanitarian and possible financial assistance to be provided to the opposition by the US.
4:38pm
The Associated Press reports that diplomats are dangling offers of immunity from prosecution and the lifting of asset and travel freezes to members of Gaddafi's family in order to persuade them to withdraw their support for the Libyan leader.
4:34pm
A tanker has docked at the eastern Libyan oil port of Tobruk to pick up the first oil cargo to leave Libya for 18 days, says Michelle Bockmann, markets editor of shipping news and data provider Lloyd's List.
The boat is expected to be loaded on April 6.
4:21pm
Brigadier General Mark van Uhm, NATO's chief of allied operations, says that coalition airstrikes have continued apace since NATO took command of bombing operations from the US.
Van Uhm says that Misurata is the new priority for NATO. Residents of the western town report that they have come under constant bombardment from pro-Gaddafi forces, and have repeatedly called for NATO to intervene in the city.
Misurata is a number one priority because of the situation on the ground over there. We have confirmation that in Misurata tanks are being dispersed, being hidden, (and) humans being used as shields in order to prevent NATO sorties to identify targets."
Van Uhm also says that pro-Gaddafi forces are changing their tactics to cope with coalition airstrikes.
What we have seen is that pro-Gaddafi forces have changed their tactics over days, what we see is that they are more and more using trucks and light vehicles to move their personnel to the frontline. We are trying to identify where those heavy assets like tanks and armoured vehicles are because we have seen that they have chosen to hide in urban areas, even using human shields in order to not be targeted."
3:59pm
Denmark and Norway have expressed their support for an open-ended military campaign against Gaddafi, while all five Nordic nations have called for him to immediately step down.
The foreign ministers of five Nordic states met in Helsinki today to discuss the crisis in Libya.
Lene Espersen, the Danish foreign minister, said her country would will "stay there for as long as it takes to protect civilians", and that Denmark would be willing to send ships to enforce an arms embargo.
Norway, Denmark and Sweden have all sent warplanes to take part in the international military action in Libya.
Carl Bildt, the Swedish foreign minister, pointed out that the challenge going forward in Libya would be building a democracy, when and if Gaddafi left power.
3:09pm
Angelina Jolie, everyone's favourite actress-cum-UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, visited refugees from Libya at a UN-run camp on the Tunisia-Libyan border today.
More than 400,000 people have fled Libya in the last month, headed to Tunisia, Egypt, Niger, Algeria, Chad and Sudan. The majority have gone to Tunisia and Egypt, with the former receiving more than half of the outflow.
Transit facilities have been set up by the UN 7km inside Tunisia to provide temporary shelter for refugees. The UN says it has helped 70,000 people reach "home safely", but more continue to arrive, and 11,000 people are still in transit.
Jolie, the Goodwill Ambassador, said:
The outpouring of generosity from the Tunisian people says so much for the future of this country. “It is a sign of the openness sweeping across the region ... “The international community has done well to reinforce Tunisia’s remarkable relief effort. But with 2,000 people still crossing each day, we cannot let the funding dry up and need to sustain the momentum."
3:01pm
NATO says that air strikes on Gaddafi targets have destroyed nearly a third of the military power available to the Libyan leader.
"The assessment is that we have taken out 30 percent of the military capacity of Gaddafi," Brigadier General Mark van Uhm, a senior NATO staff officer, told a news briefing.
1:00pm
Reuters news agency has reported that an oil tanker has arrived at the rebel-held east Libyan port of Marsa el Hariga.
10:30am
Reuters news agency has reported that Libyan pro-democracy fighters hoped to begin their first independent oil shipment on Tuesday. The tanker Equator, which can carry 1 million barrels of crude, was due to arrive at the east Libyan port of Marsa el Hariga.
The pro-democracy leadership says Qatar agreed to market oil from east Libyan fields no longer under Gaddafi's control after the Gulf state recognized the revolutionary council in Benghazi as Libya's legitimate government.
Italy, a major investor in Libyan oil, also sided with the rebels on Monday, promising them weapons and demanding that Gaddafi and his family, who enjoyed warm ties with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, leave Libya.
9:30am
A YouTube video shows a very funny old guy cracking jokes about Gaddafi in Zawiya one day and then very disturbing images of the same old guy being beaten/taunted in the back of a vehicle by soldiers a week or so later.
Al Jazeera can not independently verify the authenticity of the video. WARNING the language is very disturbing.
9:15am
Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel Hamid reports from the town of Ajdabiya on how the opposition there says the momentum is changing.
8:15am
Al Jazeera's Sue Turton reports on how the pro-democracy fighters have managed to push Gaddafi’s troops into the old town of Brega. And how many of the residents are desperate to leave due to shortage of basic supplies.
8:00am
US fighter jets have ended their combat missions in Libya, with Nato to take full command of operations.
7:00am
Moussa Ibrahim, the Libyan government spokesman, tells reporters that they are ready for negotiations as long as it is from within Libya.
6:15am
Hani Faris, a political science professor at the University of British Colombia in Vancouver, spoke to Al Jazeera about the current situation in Libya and the way forward to solve the issues.
"We have arrived at a junction in the Libyan crisis where diplomacy needs to play a role, all parties involved in the Libya crisis have seen that they can not have their way, there needs to be a settlement the sooner the better.
"The Libyan people really need to put a stop to the war that is taken place.
"It is well known that the regime in Libya can not survive, Ghaddafi himself must go, and he will go.
We know that there is a fusion between the state and Ghaddafi, there are no autonomous state institutions. and when Ghaddafi leaves his regime will fall apart.
"The Arab world should not leave the negotiations and intervention in Libya to non Arab states, Egypt and Tunis have a very special role to play, both of them are highly regarded in the world today. Both of them are neighbors. They can both play a major role in bringing a settlement to Libya that recognizes the needs and demands for freedom and peace in the country."
4:15am
Ordinary Libyans, and those families worst affected by the fighting on the front lines, are in no mood to compromise to end Libya's crisis. Al Jazeera's James Bays reports from Benghazi, where people continue to stand resolute in their call for Gaddafi and his entire family to leave power.
4:03am
The European Union said it could provide special assistance to member countries facing a refugee crisis and ease refugees' conditions after political upheaval in north Africa.
"In case of a massive inflow of displaced persons and refugees (from Libya, Tunisia or Egypt), the European Commission would be ready to make use of the 2001 directive that provides immediate protection" to these people, said Cecilia Malstroem, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, on Monday, the AFP news agency reported.
This comes as more than 22,000 migrants, mostly from Tunisia, have landed on the Italian island of Lampedusa since theTunisian revolution in January.
3:20am
Libyan rebels fighting Gaddafi's forces are worried about their financial resources and want to start exporting both oil and natural gas, the UN special envoy to Libya said.
Abdelilah al-Khatib spoke to the Security Council about his recent visits to Libya, where he met with the rebels' Transitional National Council and members of Gaddafi's government in Tripoli.
"The council raised concerns about the lack of funds as well as issues surrounding the marketing and sale of oil and gas, stressing that the issue required urgent attention in order to enable the economy to function effectively," he told the 15-nation Security Council on Monday.
2:27am
The US Treasury is ending its freeze on former Libyan foreign minister Moussa Koussa's assets following his decision to sever ties to Gaddafi's government and flee to Britain last week, a senior US Treasury official said.
"Koussa's defection and the subsequent lifting of sanctions against him should encourage others within the Libyan government to make similar decisions to abandon the Gaddafi regime," David Cohen, the Treasury's acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a blog posting on the Treasury website.
1:05am
Maltese Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi told Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Abdelati Obeidi that Gaddafi and his family must relinquish power. Obeidi was in Malta following talks with government officials in Greece and Turkey on ways to end the Libyan conflict.
"The Prime Minister reiterated the Maltese government's position that the resolutions of the United Nations must be respected, that the Gaddafi government must step down, that Colonel Gaddafi and his family should leave and there should be an immediate ceasefire and a process to enable the Libyan people to make its democratic choices," the government said in a statement.
12:37am
The Libyan government says it's ready to hold elections, a referendum or any other reform to its political system, Reuters reports.
12:31am
Libya has said Gaddafi must stay, but the country is ready to discuss reforming its political system, Reuters reports.
The government said only Libyans themselves can decided if Gaddafi should stay or not.
12:23am
A Libyan government spokesperson said Libya is ready for a "political solution" with world powers, the Reuters news agency reports.
12:14am
Libyan state television late on Monday showed live footage of Muammar Gaddafi saluting supporters from a jeep that drove outside his fortified compound of Bab al-Aziziyah in Tripoli.
A written newsflash read: "The brother leader among his supporters."
For other updates you may have missed from yesterday, click here.
12:00am
Welcome to today's liveblog.
We'll be keeping you up to date with breaking news and reports as they emerge from Libya. You can also check out yesterday's blog by clicking here.
And don't forget, you can also tune into our live TV feed online: Watch Al Jazeera
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Recent Comments
ed red in the mid-east, mostly anything american is a no-no. that is why you see toyotas. sad but true.
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
gnirts Several billion in cash and gold reserves held in-country. More than enough to keep him going, keep paying the soldiers etc.
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
ABigStone His credibility is only judged by fact comparing his report to the facts we get.
And he is losing badly.
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
AntinaziGuy They are driving Toyota Land Cruisers of last models. Army seems as well. it is from 68k.
http://www.toyota.com/landcrui...
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
Joris Diepstraten he wont get it the people will rise
younis is easy compared to the daffys
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
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Live Blog - Libya Feb 26
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on February 25th, 2011.
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya enters its twelfth day, we keep you updated on the developing situation from our headquarters in Doha, Qatar.
Blog: Feb17 - Feb18 - Feb19 - Feb20 - Feb21 - Feb22 - Feb23 - Feb24 - Feb25
AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Twitter Audio: Voices from Libya
Benghazi Protest Radio (Arabic)
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:59pm
We continue our liveblog coverage here: February 27.
11:00pm
Jamie Doward argues in the Guardian that "Saif's desire to act as a mouthpiece for his father has lent the tragic scenes unfolding in Libya a surreal, sometimes ridiculous dimension.
His appearances in front of the television cameras suggest a man increasingly unhinged. Arms folded, jaw firmly out, Saif is a manifestation of defiance. It is clear he is very much his father's son, albeit, as one Twitter user wryly observed, someone who seems to have styled himself sartorially on Stringer Bell, the drug lord in the US cop show The Wire.
10:45pm
An atmosphere of panic and chaos has gripped Tripoli's international airport, strewn with luggage left behind by fleeing passengers and besieged by crowds on Saturday trying to escape the escalating violence. Thousands of people, many of them migrant workers from the Middle East and Africa, have camped out for days on little more than bread and water in the hope of leaving.
10:25pm
AJE source says that "security officials were at Tripoli medical centre all day today ... the injured did not go in for help". He estimates that 70 were killed last night alone.
"They were left to drown in their own blood ... the blood banks are empty ... last night (Friday) Tripoli medical centre was over run with the wounded"
10:20pm
The first Indian evacuees from #Libya have arrived in New Delhi, describing looting and narrow escapes from violence reports AFP. The Air India flight carrying around 300 evacuees from Libya arrived in New Delhi and was greeted by India's Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao.
10:05pm
Reuters reports that UN Security Council diplomats clashed on Saturday over a proposal to refer the deadly crackdown against anti-government demonstrators in Libya to the International Criminal Court.
9:50pm
According to Reuters, Libyan Ex-Justice minister leads formation of an interim government based in Benghazi. It is further reported that Gaddafi 'alone' bears responsibility for crimes in the country.
9:30pm
Al Jazeera talks to Ibrahim Sharqieh of the Brookings Center in Doha about the possibilities for Libya
9:10pm
Screen shot of Saif al-Islam
7:45pm
Blackout. No international journalists. No network cameras. And yet the story of Libya's revolution has poured out on twitter, facebook and other online platforms. It's a story that has been raw, uncut and shocking. Read on here.
7:30pm
The UN Security Council has begun urgent deliberations to consider imposing sanctions against Libya for violent attacks against protesters. The sanctions under consideration at Saturday's session include an arms
embargo against the Libyan government and a travel ban and asset freeze against Gadhafi, his relatives and key regime members.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is urging council members to take concrete action to protect civilians in Libya where some estimates indicate more than 1,000 people have been killed in less than two weeks.
7:15pm
The New York Times reports that Qaddafi forces were seen shooting from ambulances and using antiaircraft weapons against crowds, as protesters recount brutal tactics of Libyan regime.
They shoot people from the ambulances,” said one terrified resident, Omar, by telephone as he recalled an episode during the protests on Friday when one protester was wounded. “We thought they’d take him to the hospital,” he said, but the militiamen “shot him dead and left with a squeal.
7:05pm
AJE correspondent reports that anti-government protesters have attacked black Africans in Libya, taking them for mercenaries.
Seidou Boubaker Jallou and his friend, both from Mali, fled for their lives by night to the Tunisian border. They said the roads out of the West are still in the hands of those loyal to Gaddafi. Jallou says:
The situation is very dangerous - every day there are more than a hundred who die - every day - every day there are shootings - the most dangerous situation is for foreigners like us - and also us black people - Because Gaddafi brought soldiers from Chad from Niger - they are black and they are killing Arabs.
7:00pm
Al Jazeera's Inside Story: What would a new Libya look like?
6:55pm
A British warship and a Chinese-chartered ferry docked in the Mediterranean island of Malta loaded with 2,500 people from Libya's vast multinational workforce including domestic helpers.
6:52pm
Families and relatives of expatriate Bangladeshis now trapped in Libya blocked a road near Dhaka on Saturday to demand their quick repatriation. The protesters called upon the government to quickly bring
the expatriate workers home. More than 50,000 Bangladeshi workers are believed to be employed in different Libyan and international firms operating at different areas mainly in Bengazi.
6:30pm
'Free Libya' protests in Tokyo by flickr user: jetalone
5:25pm
An anti-government security man waves to migrant Tunisian nationals and expatriates from other countries before they leave Libya on board a Tunisian ship leaving for Tunisia, from the Libyan harbour in Benghazi. Photo from Reuters.
5:50pm
Map illustrating which cities in Libya have fallen into the hands of pro-reform demonstrators. Details via Reuters.
View Libya in a larger map
4:20pm
South African cartoonist, satirist and social commentator Zapiro charts an alternate Oscar ceremony.
4:15pm
The leaders of Britain, Germany, Italy and Turkey have agreed that the actions of the Libyan regime are "totally unacceptable", a spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron said on Saturday.
3:50pm
Richard Pithouse argues in the latest edition of Pambazuka Online, that the revolts in North Africa and the Middle East might be towards advancing democratic values but the struggles do not seek to replicate American or European values. Pithouse argues that considering the relationship the United States and Europe have had with despots in the region, "they have no claim of moral leadership in this world"
We cannot know the trajectories of the uprisings that have swept North Africa and the Middle East. But one thing is for sure. Whatever pompous claims to the contrary come out of Washington and Brussels, these are not revolts for American or European values. On the contrary they are a direct challenge to those values. They are revolts against a global power structure that is formed by an international alliance of elites with one of its key principles being the idea, the racist idea, that Arabs are ‘not yet ready’ for democracy.
3:40pm
The British Prime Minister chaired a ministerial meeting of the Cabinet Office Briefing Room (COBR) to discuss the latest situation in Libya. According to the spokesperson:
The Prime Minister was clear that the Libyan regime would face the consequences of its actions. He agreed with counterparts that urgent action was needed through the EU and UN including a tough sanctions package targeting the regime directly. The Prime Minister stressed that there can be no impunity for the blatant and inhuman disregard for basic rights that is taking place in Libya.
3:10pm
The US State department says that there maybe Americans still in Libya who "might need assistance departing the country"Philip Crowley, department spokesperson:
In order to help, our task force will remain up and running to make sure that if there are any Americans remaining, we can assist them
2:54pm
The New Middle East? Via Imgur.com
1:50pm
Gaddafi's strongest European ally has weighed in on the situation in Libya too. At a political meeting in Rome, Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi said:
It appears that, effectively, Gaddafi no longer controls the situation in Libya.
1:30pm
Libya's ex-interior minister has told Al Jazeera that Tripoli is the only major city in Muammar Gaddafi's hands.
"Now there is only Tripoli and a few other towns (In Gaddafi's hands). that is why I urge the Libyan people that there is no going back."
1:15pm
The UN Security Council is set to meet today to consider a sanctions resolution against Gaddafi.
Britain, France, Germany and the US have drawn up a resolution that says the attacks on civilians in Libya could amount to crimes against humanity.
The resolution calls for an arms embargo and a travel ban and assets freeze against the Libyan leader.
12:15pm
Our correspondent Hoda Abdel-Hamid, reporting from the eastern Libyan city of al-Baida, says that while many parts of the country's east are no longer under government control, local residents do not want to separate from the rest of Libya.
"They still want a united Libya, and want Tripoli to remain its capital," she said.
She added that many in the country's east have felt abandoned by the Gaddafi government, despite the vast oil wealth located in the region, and said that they feel they have no future in the country.
11:11am
The Maldives has apparently joined France in calling on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to step down, according to the Haveeru Daily, a newspaper in the island nation.
It said Iruthisham Adam, the permanent representative of the Maldives to the UN in Geneva , told the UN Human Rights Council that Libyan authorities have shown brute force and clear disdain for people's rights and well-being.
“The Maldives, a fellow Muslim country which itself recently began the transition to democracy, refuses to remain silent as hundreds of Muslim brothers and sisters are abused and killed,” she asserted.
10:56am
The website Buzzfeed has compiled a list of the Top 40 Best Libyan Protest Signs from around the world. This photo, taken and owned by Collin David Anderson at a protest in Washington, DC, shows one of Buzzfeed's winning signs.
10:00am
Witnesses tell Al Jazeera Arabic, our sister station, that Libyan protesters have taken control of a number of areas in the capital, Tripoli.
They also said at least seven people were killed in Tripoli yesterday when security brigades opened fire on protesters. It was not immediately possible to verify their accounts however.
9:28am
In the Libyan city of Az Zawiyah, about 50km away from the capital Tripoli, amateur video appears to show soldiers switching sides and joining anti-government protesters. Al Jazeera's Tarek Bazley reports:
9:00am
According to this Global Voices piece, which cites Malta.cc, a Maltese blog, Serbian military pilots reportedly took part in the bombing of anti-government protesters in the Libyan cities of Tripoli and Benghazi.
Two Libyan pilots made the claim upon fleeing to Malta, the blog said. Al Jazeera can't confirm the authenticity of the report - but you can read it for yourself here.
8:19am
A resident of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, just left this voice note posted on Twitter by @Feb17voices. She says:
"We are afraid. We are afraid because we are women, I have daughters here. Every house is armed only by knives. We have nothing else, but we have God. ... We are not very much afraid of death."
Listen to part one of her note below and click here for part two.
5:23am
Ashraf Tulti, director of the Justice and Democracy for Libya group based in Washington, DC, told Al Jazeera that sanctions go against people; they will not affect the Libyan regime.
Instead, he asked for immediate action to stop the killings of Libyan people.
5:22am
Details of the US sanctions are emerging. They are:
Freeze of assets held by Gaddafi and four of his children inside US, all US banks have been put on notice for sudden movement of funds from Libya and all military assistance cut off.
5:02am
A picture of a group of peaceful Libyan protestors outside Hyde Park, London twitted by @ellsun.
Protests have also been held in the British city of Manchester.
4:57am:
The UN Security Council agrees to urgently consider sanctions against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime to try to end its bloody crackdown against anti-government protesters.
Under pressure from Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General, to take "concrete action" to protect civilians, the council decided to meet again on Saturday morning to discuss options.
4:40am:
A rally has been planned in San Fransisco, US, in solidarity with Libyans on Saturday, Febraury 26, 2011 at UN Plaza Market between 1:00pm-4:00pm [local time]
3:35am:
Barack Obama, the U.S. president, has imposed sanctions on Libya's government for its violent repression of a popular uprising, signing an executive order blocking property and transactions related to the country.
3:31am:
Obama says Libyan sanctions target Gaddafi's government while protecting Libyan people's assets.
3:30am:
Obama says Gaddafi's government has violated international norms and common decency and must be held accountable.
3:20am:
A charter aircraft dispatched by the Canadian government on Friday to pick up its citizens fleeing the violence in Libya left Tripoli with only its crew aboard after it could not find any Canadians waiting at the airport.
3:10am:
Muammar Gaddafi's allies in Latin America should follow Peru's example and suspend diplomatic relations with the North African nation's regime, the representative of a leading Jewish organization said on Friday.
Sergio Widder, the Latin American representative of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, strongly criticized the governments of Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela for failing to condemn Gaddafi's violent crackdown on a popular uprising.
2:35am:
Mark Goldberg, Managing Editor, UN Dispatch, told Al Jazeera that the Libyan regime has become isolated and the targeted sanctions against Libyan government might encourage further defections.
2:20am:
After the UN security council meeting, Al Jazeera’s Scott Heidler, reporting from UN headquarters, said that the most important point right now is how to stop the killings in Libya. However, the UN chief told our correspondent that military action was not in the cards.
1:50am
Dozens of US diplomats and their families were among the US-chartered ship's estimated 300 passengers, two of whom had to be taken off the vessel on stretchers by paramedics after crossing over from Tripoli in 20-foot waves.
1:09am:
12:58am
Twitter user @AnnSaid posted this picture.
12:46am
Libya's ambassador to the United Nations, Mohammed Shalgham, has defected, following in the footsteps of his deputy Ibrahim Dabbashi, a diplomat said on Friday.
12:35am
A son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi said on Friday that his forces were holding back in fighting with rebels in western Libya and hoped that a negotiated ceasefire could be in place by Saturday, according to Reuters.
12:20am
After three days of delays, a U.S.-chartered ferry carrying Americans and other foreigners out of the chaos of Libya finally arrived on Friday at the Mediterranean island of Malta.
12:10am
After 41 years of ruthless rule by Muammar Gaddafi, Libyans are suddenly free to rule themselves. Here's a picture gallery from boston.com on the lives of Libyans in the liberated areas of the country.
11:45pm
Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam says army holding back and hopes for peaceful settlement "by tomorrow", according to Reuters.
10:25pm
In Chad, Foreign Ministry's General Secretary Moussa Mahamat Dago rejected allegations that citizens of his African country were amongst those reportedly recruited by Gaddafi to crack down on protesters
10:15pm
An Italian navy assault ship, the San Giorgio, has loaded up 245 evacuees in the Libyan port of Misrata and has set sail for Sicily.
10:04pm
The United States has suspended embassy operations in Libya and is moving forward with unilateral sanctions.
Topics in this blog
PEOPLE
Ban Ki-Moon
Ibrahim Sharqieh
Muammar Gaddafi
Saif al-Islam
COUNTRY
Chad
Libya
United States
CITY
Benghazi
Tripoli
ORGANIZATION
Libyan government
UN security council
United Nations
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Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Libya Live Blog - April 10
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 10th, 2011.
A rebel fighter carries his food on the road between Ajdabiya and Brega on Saturday. [AFP/Odd Andersen]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Blog: Feb17 - Feb18 - Feb19 - Feb20 - Feb21 - Feb22 - Feb23 - Feb24 - Feb25 - Feb26 - Feb27 - Feb28 - Mar1 - Mar2 - Mar3 - Mar4 - Mar5 - Mar6 - Mar7 - Mar8 - Mar9 - Mar10 - Mar11 - Mar12 - Mar13 - Mar14 - Mar15 - Mar16 - Mar17 - Mar18 - Mar19 - Mar20 - Mar21 - Mar22 - Mar23 - Mar24 - Mar25 - Mar 26 - Mar 27 - Mar 28 - Mar 29 - Mar 30 - Mar 31 - Apr 1 - Apr 2 - Apr 3 - Apr 4 - Apr 5 - Apr 6 - Apr 7 - Apr 8
AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Operation Odyssey Dawn - Twitter Audio - Tweeting revolutions
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
12:41am
African Union mediators have left Mauritania for Libya to attempt to negotiate a ceasefire.
Presidents Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania, Amadou Toumani Toure of Mali, Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo and Jacob Zuma of South Africa, left mid-morning, travelling separately to Tripoli, then Benghazi.
"They have just left, each in his own plane," a Mauritanian official told AFP.
Meanwhile, Nabila Ramdani, a French journalist and Middle East expert,told Al Jazeera that she was questioning the AU's involvement in mediation.
Unfortunately, my view about the African Union is that it will appear as not being a credible group of people to be in a position to broker a deal on behalf of [Muammar] Gaddafi.
"They're a group of dictators themselves and they won't be taken very seriously given that they're from very brutal regimes which are in many ways far worse than the Gaddafi regime."
9:50am
Gaddafi's forces have clashed with opposition fighters in Ajdabiya, according to rebels quoted by Reuters.
A witness at Ajdabiya's eastern gate heard shooting and artillery fire and saw plumes of black smoke, suggesting Gaddafi's forces had pushed towards the centre of the town.
"There is resistance inside the city. Gaddafi forces are fighting with rebels. They have a presence inside."
7:58am
North Korea has ordered its citizens in Libya not to return home in an apparent bid to block news of civil uprisings in the Arab World from reaching the isolated state, according to Yonhap news agency.
The report says Pyongyang sent a message to its embassy in Libya telling about 200 North Korean workers not to return.
Pyongyang and Tripoli have maintained close diplomatic ties, with Gaddafi described in the North as a "revolutionary comrade" of leader Kim Jong-Il, according to defectors from the North.
7:30am
Here's a longer version of the footage Al Jazeera has obtained of government forces in the battlefield. It's filmed in mid-March and shows young men being taken into custody and beaten up by Gaddafi forces roaming the streets of Ajdabiya.
3:10am
To catch up on all of the events in Libya from Saturday, check out our April 9 live blog.
2:59am
Here's some of that exclusive Ajdabiya video Al Jazeera has received, with some discussion from our correspondent Hoda Abdel Hamid:
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Libya
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Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Live Blog: Middle East Protests April 10
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Middle East
on April 10th, 2011.
A burned military truck in Tahrir Square in Cairo after security forces dispersed protesters. [AFP/ Khaled Desouki]
Show oldest updates on top
As the unrest in the Middle East continues, we update you with the latest developments from Syria, Yemen and across the region.
Read on for the latest from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe.
Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Region in turmoil - Syria Unrest - Yemen's Uprising - Battle for Libya - Egypt's Revolution - Bahrain Protests
(All times are in GMT)
10:48am
SYRIA Sources tell Al Jazeera that Daraa, where dozens of people were killed in Friday's protests, is 80 per cent paralysed. Children were sent back home from schools and most government buildings are not operational.
There are checkpoints between the old city and the new city.
10:10am
EGYPT Several hundred protesters stayed in Cairo's Tahrir Square overnight and have barricaded the square with a burnt-out army vehicle, barbed wire and beams.
"The people demand the toppling of the Field Marshal," they chanted, referring to military chief Hussein
Tantawi who was handed power after former president Hosni Mubarak was ousted.
10:00am
SYRIA Watch Cal Perry's report from Syria, where rights groups say 37 protesters were killed on Friday.
7:05am
SYRIA An resident in the coastal city of Banias tells Al Jazeera that military has been deployed there after protests yesterday and that gunfire can be heard.
"No one can leave or enter. Schools are closed," she says, adding that people are not going to work.
She says about 6,000 people were protesting in the city yesterday. Cars were set on fire and shops destroyed.
3:00am
SYRIA - Al Jazeer has obtained video from Daraa, the scene of the Syrian protests' worst violence, showing Friday's protests and the security forces' heavy handed response. The government has sought to prevent journalists from visiting Daraa.
2:37am
EGYPT - Despite a warning from the ruling military council that protesters who remained in Tahrir Square would be cleared out with "firmness and force," security forces apparantly have not acted against hundreds who remained in the square for a second straight night. With just a few minutes to go before the military's curfew ends, there have been no reports of violence.
Check out our story on the violent dispersal of protesters on Friday night.
1:18am
BAHRAIN - The Interior Ministry has confirmed the deaths on Saturday of two people being held in its detention centers (one death had earlier been reported by the Associated Press).
According to the ministry, Ali Isa Saqer, 31, "created chaos at the detention center and that led to the interference of security forces to bring situation to normal, but he resisted them and sustained various injuries in the process. He was referred to the hospital and died later."
Zakaroya Rashid Hassan, 40, died of complications from sickle cell anemia, the ministry said. This is the second time Bahraini authorities have said a detainee died of sickle cell anemia.
1:14am
SYRIA - Two witnesses told the Reuters news agency that Syrian security forces fired on mourners near a mosque in Deraa on Saturday, but our team on the ground says not gunshots were fired during the funeral procession. A sources says state security did, however, fire on protesters near Deraa's customs building.
12:50am
To catch up with Saturday's events from Yemen, Bahrain, Syria and elsewhere, check our April 9 live blog.
12:42am
EGYPT - Hundreds of protesters remain in central Cairo's Tahrir Square despite the military curfew, which began nearly an hour ago. People in the square are reporting a tense atmosphere on Twitter and, in the last few minutes, that some protesters have been whistling and banging on metal railings in apparent warning.
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Syria
Yemen
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Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Live Blog: Middle East Protests April 9
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Middle East
on April 9th, 2011.
Yemeni anti-government protesters shout slogans in Sanaa [AFP]
Show oldest updates on top
As the unrest in the Middle East continues, we update you with the latest developments from Syria, Yemen and across the region.
Read on for the latest from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe.
Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Region in turmoil - Syria Unrest - Yemen's Uprising - Battle for Libya - Egypt's Revolution - Bahrain Protests
(All times are in GMT)
12:49am
That's it for our Middle East protest blog for April 9. You can continue following events on Sunday on our April 10 live blog.
9:45pm
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's correspondent in Sanaa reports:
"We are hearing that there have been at least 200 injured [in Sanaa] according to one medical source, and around 15 of those injuries are form live ammunition."
"We have reports [in Taiz] of over 500 people injured, 40 of those from live ammunition and at least five people are in critical condition. "
9:04pm
EGYPT - More than 1,000 protesters in Tahrir Square vowed on Saturday to stay overnight in defiance of the military after a protester was killed the night before when soldiers dispersed a similar sit-in.
8:04pm
YEMEN - President Ali Abdullah Saleh is facing increased protests at home, and additional pressure from the international community, after some countries have also called for change in Yemen.
Al Jazeera's Caroline Malone reports:
8:02pm
BAHRAIN - A supporter of Bahrain's anti-government movement, Rashid Zakaria Hassan, was found dead in police custody on Saturday, the AP reported.
He was detained April 2 on charges of "inciting hatred, publishing false news, promoting sectarianism and calling for overthrowing of the regime".
His body was found in a detention facility and a medical examiner determined that he died of complications from sickle-cell anemia.
The opposition party, Al-Wefaq, said the death occcured in "mysterious circumstances".
8:00pm
EGYPT - At the news conference in Cairo, given by Egypt's ruling military council, army members spoke about Friday's violence at Tahrir Square.
General Adel Emara, a member of the Armed Forces Supreme Council said:
We would like to confirm to all of you that we didn't shoot a single shot .. didn't shoot a single shot from any of the armed forces that were present at Tahrir Square.
General Ismail Etman, also a member of the Armed Forces Supreme Council said:
Most of the injuries were due to stone throwing because some of our forces mingled in the midst of the people but we did not hit anybody. We didn't use force. And all the films and filming that has been on screens didn't prove any involvement from the armed forces against the civilians.
7:35pm
EGYPT - The ruling military council held a news conference, following renewed protests that overtook Cairo's Tahrir square on Friday and Saturday.
They said the army had dispersed the protesters peacefully and did not fire a singe live shot. They acknowledged that one person had been killed.
The army spokesman said more than 40 people had been detained from Tahrir Square, including four foreigners and eight who were dressed in military uniform.
Our correspondent in Cairo, Mike Hanna, said:
The assumption here that these [eight in military uniform] were in fact the army officers who had joined the demonstration on Friday and who had sought refuge in the square overnight and who would have been the main aim of the army operation overnight.
7:14pm
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's special correspondent in Sanaa has said that riot police with batons were out in force in the capital.
The streets were littered with rocks and gas canisters, as police confrontations with tens of thousands of anti-government protestors continue in the capital.
7:00pm
EGYPT - The country's health ministry has confirmed the death of at least one person following clashes between protesters and the military. And hundreds of soldiers stormed Tahrir square, after demonstrators formed a human chain to protect several army officers who had joined them.
Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna has this report from Cairo:
6:39pm
EGYPT - The country's ruling military council has decided to change some of the provincial governors appointed by deposed President Hosni Mubarak, state television reported on Saturday, in a concession to reformist demands for more change.
6:18pm
YEMEN - Anti-government Yemenis women pray during a demonstration in Sanaa.
[Image by AFP]
6:09pm
EGYPT - At a news conference in the capital. Egypt's ruling military council said it would clear protesters from a central Tahrir square with "firmness and force" to allow life to return to normal.
6:05pm
YEMEN - Read our latest news report from Syria on the Al Jazeera website here
4:30pm
EGYPT - Two people were killed and 18 wounded when troops and police stormed Cairo's Tahrir Square to break up a demonstration demanding the ouster of the country's de facto military ruler, medics said.
4:24pm
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's special correspondent in the capital Sanaa was stopped and searched in the midst of the ongoing protests there:
It has just been absolute chaos in the last few few hours here in the capital. We were just - me and the team - out in the streets, not far from the the [Change] Square probably between the main square and the presidential palace. There were hundreds of people who had left the square, pro-democracy protesters and they were just marching in the street and out of nowhere tens of police and men who had their heads covered with balaclavas and in army unifrom began to fire tear gas at the crowd, a lot and lot of teargas.The crowds as we could witness it were just chanting they were just walking through the street, it was a peaceful demonstration, there were no rocks being thrown. It just seemed to come out of nowhere.
We were trying to film some of this going on, some of the teargas going on.. and then lots of men holding guns and lots of other people just wearing civilian clothes came towards me. They took my phone, they started shouting saying that I was a spy, and that i was filming..the soldiers told me that I was not allow to film. They took things off me, they searched me, they held the gun to my stomach. and it was a very threatening environment. Then eventually after about 10 minutes of searching me and taking my phones, they let me go and we were able to get to a safer location now.
4:15pm
SYRIA - Read our latest news report from Syria on the Al Jazeera website here.
3:41pm
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Rula Amin reports from the capital, Damascus:
Yesterday (Friday) was a big day and probably the protests yesterday were the most widespread since they began less than a month ago.
In Daraa there is heavy security and army presence. People are telling us thousands are expected to take part in the funerals of those who were killed and they insist on their version of events that it was the security forces who shot at their sons. what the government is saying is that it has its own forces being shot at.They say about 19 policeman and security members were killed during the clashes in Daraa and they accuse armed gangs..
The government has been clear in asking people not to help these armed gangs, and to tell the security forces on their hide-abouts. They made it very clear, they warned people that there won't be any tolerance for any kind of attempt to shoot at the security forces.
2:03pm
SYRIA - Syrian security forces opened fire on mourners near the old Omari mosque in the southern border city of Daraa following a mass funeral for dead pro-democracy protestors, witnesses told Reuters.
Security forces also used live ammunition in the early hours of Saturday to disperse a pro-democracy protest in Latakia, residents said.
2:01pm
EGYPT - Protesters in cairo's Tahrir Square yesterday held (L-R) Yemeni, Syrian and Egyptian flags in support of anti-regime uprisings sweeping the region:
[Image by AFP]
1:50pm
SYRIA - The editor of Syrian government daily Tishrin said she had been sacked over remarks to Al Jazeera criticising security forces for firing on anti-regime protesters.
Samira al-Masalma told the AFP she had been replaced by the paper's business editor, Munir al-Wadi.
On Friday, she told Al Jazeera there had been a "violation of the rules barring the forces of order from firing on protesters," and that anyone who had done so "should be punished."
1:46pm
SYRIA - A local rights group, the National Organisation for Human Rights, said in a statement that 30 people were killed in the southern city of Deraa, the epicentre of protests.
Three others were also killed in the central city of Homs and another three in Harasta, a Damascus suburb, as well as one in Douma.
12:08pm
OMAN An activist who "instigated riots" in the city of Sohar earlir this month will face trial with 25 others for violent conduct, the chief prosecutor says.
yesterday, security forces sealed off the site of violent clashes that left one dead on April 1 and stopped worshippers from attending Friday prayers to prevent another protest.
11:39am
EGYPT The health ministry says one person was killed and 71 injured after the army dispersed a protest in Cairo's Tahrir Square yesterday. Activists have been reporting a higher death toll.
11:25am
BAHRAIN There have been renewed calls for protests in the Gulf nation, when the majority Shias are complaining of discrimination by the ruling Sunni dynasty. As part of a government crackdown on dissident, security forces have arrested Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, a prominent human rights activist.
Zeinab Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, his daughter, told Al Jazeera that police took him from her house at around 2am this morning.
They broke the door of the apartment. My father didn't resist at all, he went to them calmly but straight away a policeman told him, 'Down, down, get on the floor' ... They dragged him down the stairs and started beating him.
"They did not give any reason ... They were beating him very severely, on the ground, maybe four or five of them, kicking him and hitting him in the face.
10:43am
EGYPT One of the lorries set ablaze overnight in Tahrir Square:
[Reuters]
10:15am
EGYPT Our correspondent in Tahrir Square, Mike Hanna, says the crowds there are swelling. There's no presence of security forces at the moment. Regarding the reports of two deaths in the overnight violence, he says one rumour being floated is that those killed were actually soldiers attempting to make arrests.
10:09am
SYRIA Thousands are expected to attend funerals later today for those killed in Daraa yesterday. There's a high presence of security forces in the city, according to residents.
9:46am
EGYPT Hospital sources say two people were killed in Tahrir Square yesterday. However, an army's spokesman told Al Jazeera there were "no deaths. We as armed forces didn't receive any reports from hospitals or any official source that anyone was killed."
9:00am
EGYPT The armed forces are accusing tycoon Ibrahim Kamel, a senior member of the former ruling party NDP, of orchestrating yesterday's violence in Tahrir Square. In a statement, they're demanding the arrest of him and his aides over "incitement and thuggery".
8:40am
SYRIA Activists on social network sites are calling for daily protests after yesterday's violence. Until now, demonstrations have largely been confined to Fridays.
8:15am
YEMEN Sanaa has called home its ambassador from Qatar for consultation after Qatar's prime minister said Gulf states had a plan for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down.
"The ambassador is being withdrawn for consultations," a foreign ministry official told Reuters.
Saleh initially accepted an offer by Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states to hold talks with the opposition but on Friday, he told tens of thousands of supporters in the capital: "We don't get our legitimacy from Qatar or from anyone else ... we reject this belligerent intervention."
Five protesters were killed in clashes with security forces in the southern city of Taiz on Friday.
8:00am
EGYPT The military says in a statement on Facebook that there were no deaths in last night's violence in Tahrir Square. However, protesters tell Al Jazeera's Adam Makary that at least one or two were killed.
7:24am
EGYPT Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna gave this update from Cairo's Tahrir Square about the clashes which happened overnight:
There were some few thousand people in the square overnight ... They had with them a number of army officers who had joined the demonstrations, against the instructions of the military authorities. Protesters attempted to protect these officers when the military police and other army units moved in overnight. They were dispersed by tear gas, and perhaps rubber coated steel bullets. The exact details of what happened cannot be confirmed, neither can the number of injuries.
"However, those army officers were taken away, we do not know where they are being detained at the moment.
"What added fuel to the flames as far as the military is concerned is the fact that seven of its officers were with the demonstrators in the square. It clearly took this as a direct challenge, having issued orders that no soldier were to take part in the demonstration, this scene was a particularly affront to the military, and clearly this added an edge to whatever actions they did."
7:14am
SYRIA The official SANA news agency says 19 members of the security forces were killed by "armed groups" in Daraa yesterday, while activists say dozens of protesters were killed by security forces.
Our correspondent Rula Amin in Damascus says there are rumours that some family members of people killed in protests could have carried guns and aimed at security forces. Al Jazeera can't verify these reports at the moment as access to information is limited and it's hard for journalists to get into Daraa.
5:40am
EGYPT Al Jazeera's Adam Makary in Tahrir says thousands of people have now gathered in the square, saying they won't leave until they've "reclaimed the square". Makary says he's seen some protesters with injuries from the clashes earlier this morning but no casualties have been confirmed.
5:00am
EGYPT Twitter user yj787 has posted this picture from Tahrir Square this morning. Cars have been set ablaze nearby, that's probably where the smoke in the background is coming from.
4:36am
EGYPT Photographer David Degner posted pictures from Tahrir this morning.
4:30am
EGYPT A witness tells Al Jazeera that a few hundred protesters have re-gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square this morning after military police dispersed a demonstration at around 3am local time.
4:15am
SYRIA US President Barack Obama has criticised the the Syrian government's latest crackdown in which at least 27 people were killed in the southern city of Daraa yesterday.
I strongly condemn the abhorrent violence committed against peaceful protesters by the Syrian government today and over the past few weeks. I also condemn any use of violence by protesters.
"Furthermore, the arbitrary arrests, detention, and torture of prisoners that has been reported must end now, and the free flow of information must be permitted so that there can be independent verification of events."
4:00am
To find out what happened yesterday, check out Friday's live blog.
Topics in this blog
PEOPLE
Abdulhadi Alkhawaja
Mike Hanna
CITY
Cairo
Daraa
ORGANIZATION
army
Possibly related posts (automatically generated)
Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Libya Live Blog - April 9
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 8th, 2011.
An anti-Gaddafi fighter stands on a tank destroyed near Ajdabiya's western gate [Picture: Reuters]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Blog: Feb17 - Feb18 - Feb19 - Feb20 - Feb21 - Feb22 - Feb23 - Feb24 - Feb25 - Feb26 - Feb27 - Feb28 - Mar1 - Mar2 - Mar3 - Mar4 - Mar5 - Mar6 - Mar7 - Mar8 - Mar9 - Mar10 - Mar11 - Mar12 - Mar13 - Mar14 - Mar15 - Mar16 - Mar17 - Mar18 - Mar19 - Mar20 - Mar21 - Mar22 - Mar23 - Mar24 - Mar25 - Mar 26 - Mar 27 - Mar 28 - Mar 29 - Mar 30 - Mar 31 - Apr 1 - Apr 2 - Apr 3 - Apr 4 - Apr 5 - Apr 6 - Apr 7 - Apr 8
AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Operation Odyssey Dawn - Twitter Audio - Tweeting revolutions
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:55pm
Al Jazeera has obtained exclusive, undated footage showing Gaddafi's forces in Libya, and being seen for the first time inside Ajdabiya, a hotly-contested battleground.
The men are seen going from house to house questioning people to find out if they belong to the opposition.
The video also shows a glimpse of some of the heavy artillery such as rocket launchers, on the highway just outside of town.
For more on this, please go to our Libya live blog for April 10.
10:43pm
NATO commander of the Libya operation Lieutenant-General Charles Bouchard says air strikes hit armored vehicles firing on civilians near both Misurata and Ajdabiya. He said NATO jets also struck ammunition stockpiles east of Tripoli being used in attacks on Misurata and other populated areas.
An unnamed NATO official told The Associated Press that warplanes destroyed 17 tanks and damaged nine more.
8:41pm
NATO warplanes intercept a MiG-23 fighter jet operated by a rebel pilot , forcing him to land after he violated the no-fly zone. An unnamed NATO official said the jet took off from an airfield near Benghazi and was intercepted within minutes.
No aggressive action was displayed by the MiG-23 and the NATO fighters proceeded to force it to land back at the Benina airfield.
8:13pm
A Libyan official says a NATO attack has hit the southern outskirts of Misurata, adding that it was unclear what the target was. Referring to a plume of black smoke rising from the south of the city, the unnamed official said:
This smoke is from a NATO air strike which hit today.
A Reuters witness claimed to have seen a warplane sweeping across the sky.
8:00pm
A group of activists claiming to be part of the February 17 youth revolution organises a small protest at dawn in Tripoli. It declared its main objectives to be - to support efforts to oust Gaddafi, to lift morale in the silenced capital, to resist attempts to silence dissent and to show solidarity with pro-democracy fighters across Libya.
Below the video is the unedited English version of the protest statement, as provided by the group:
In the name of Allah most merciful...
Here we are the city of Tripoli Revolutionaries, we say again ... We are here ... We are standing.
At a time when we protest again, after the loss of hundreds of martyrs amongst us from Tajurah, Suq El Jumma, Mizran, Fashloum, and Martyr square.
And at a time when Gaddaffi’s battalions continue to persecute and apprehend thousands of revolutionaries in every district of Tripoli and without discrimination, from Tajura to Saraj, and from Suq El Jumma and Arrada to Al Seyahiya to Ghout El shaal and Abu Nawas to 2 Maris, and from Gergarish and Hay Al andalus and Dredi and Hadabah to Furnaj, Zanata ,Ben Ashour and Dahra, and from Sidi Khalifa and Almansura to Ain Zara and Airport Road and to all other areas without exceptions.
These are our streets, and these are our alleys , for we vow to you shameful and disgraceful Gaddafi, not you nor your battalions, nor your snipers, nor your mercenaries however many they are, will not terrify us anymore, and we will not back down on our revolution and up rise no matter how greater the sacrifice.
For this city with its students and professors and universities and businessmen and fishermen and doctors and those who witnessed you crimes on February 20th , the day that your revenge reached the highest limits of murdering the injured of those who did not die on site during the demonstrations on Martyrs Square, where those who did not fall from your machine guns in the streets were pursued by your gunmen in the emergency rooms and intensive care units of the hospitals in Tripoli. This city will not allow you to make it weak, easy nor vulnerable ever again.
The Libyans may have been tolerant to the exploitation and abuse of this insane system, in fear of its tyranny and infinite madness, but now that the fear barrier has been broken and shrivelled in the events of the last few weeks, we are thus continuing in the path of freedom and Tripoli will remain a burning flame under his feet and those who follow him.
We will not shout, nor will we tense up as Gaddaffi did in the utmost level of his weakness and vulnerability, but we will maintain our composure and the confidence of the strong, convinced of the nearness of victory and triumph god willing.
The dictator has polluted the language of speech with his cheap synonyms and pitiful descriptions, as he sees people from his point of view, and where we only see him as insolvent, desperate and defeated, becoming himself the terrified rat , spending his days in tunnels and his nights between cellars.
He destroyed the safe country with his ruining alleged leadership, which only led to war, underdevelopment, disability and a country under siege... But now we will take control of the leadership, and we have identified his demise, and we have planned the way for our salvation with no return.
A salute and tribute of respect and glory to the free Libyan revolutionaries everywhere, those who gave an example of gallantry and courage.
We put our hands together with, and renew our support and solidarity to the National Transitional Council, and affirm our support on all its blessed steps and actions.
Glory to Tripoli the capital and eternal glory to our honourable martyrs.
6:24pm
South Africa says its PM Jacob Zuma will be meeting Gaddafi, The Associated Press said, citing a foreign ministry statement on Friday.
But a day later ministry spokesman Clayson Monyela said the only certainty was Zuma's attendance at an African Union meeting on Libya. Monyela said Africans want to mediate talks between Libya's political rivals, but that no date has been set yet.
6:16pm
Gaddafi seen on state-run TV being welcomed in a school in Tripoli, reportedly on Saturday [AFP/Libya TV]
6:03pm
A Libyan opposition group wants the US to grant immediate access to Gaddafi's frozen assets to pay for humanitarian needs in rebel-held areas.
Ali Aujali, who resigned as Libyan envoy to the US in February and now heads the National Transitional Council, wrote to US treasury secretary Timothy Geithner saying the humanitarian conditions were getting worse.
The US has frozen more than $34bn in assets as part of sanctions against Gaddafi and his top aides.
5:50pm
NATO denies its warplanes conducted any air strikes on Ajdabiya, refuting claims by residents that a huge explosion may have been caused by an alliance attack. A NATO official told AFP:
We can confirm that there were no NATO strikes in the city of Ajdabiya. We continue to engage government forces throughout the country. We have verified that the alleged air strike in Ajdabiya city was not the result [of a NATO strike].
The official said NATO was also trying to verify if there was any violation of the UN-mandated no-fly zone, following reports that a military helicopter bearing a rebel flag was flying towards the frontline near Ajdabiya.
5:43pm
A military helicopter with the Libyan rebel flag reportedly seen flying towards the fontline around Ajdabiya on Saturday despite a UN-imposed no-fly zone, the AFP new agency said.
The military helicopter had the rebel flag painted on its side was seen flying very low near Ajdabiya [AFP]
5:20pm
Two rebels reportedly wounded in a crossfire near Ajdabiya, forcing others to retreat following confrontations with Gaddafi's forces on Saturday.
An injured rebel fighter being wheeled into a hospital in Ajdabiya following Saturday's fighting [Reuters]
3:15pm
State-run television runs footage of Gaddafi wearing brown burnous and sunglasses visiting a school in Tripoli reportedly on Saturday morning, with pupils shown shouting anti-Western slogans. He could be seen entering the school surrounded by bodyguards, Reuters said, citing Libyan TV.
12:37pm
Gaddafi's forces have shelled the western outskirts of the opposition-held town of Ajdabiya. Reuters correspondent Michael Georgy reported he heard blasts and machinegun fire for around 30 minutes from the western boundary of the town.
11:58am
Opposition fighters say they have pushed deeper towards the oil port of Brega. They say they took two prisoners after a clash with soldiers near Brega's university.
The eastern Libyan port has changed hands more than five times since the uprising against Gaddafi's rule began in February.
11:05am
The Red Cross says it's extending it aid activities to western Libya. A ship carrying medical supplies has docked in the besieged town of Misurata and aid workers were on the way to Zawiyah.
"We are sending the ship to support Misrata's main hospital, by delivering enough medical supplies to treat 300 patients with weapon injuries on the spot," Jean-Michel Monod, a Red Cross official in Tripoli, said.
The statement came more than a week after the agency began negotiations with Libyan government officials on access to western areas under its control.
8:43am
Our correspondent Hoda Abdel-Hamid sent this report from Brega on how poorly trained opposition fighters are struggling to hold their ground, as Gaddafi's forces continue to have the upper hand on the battlefield.
12:02am
Hello and welcome to today's live blog. We'll keep you updated all day with breaking news and reports from Libya, right here. But if you feel you may have missed out on something, check out yesterday's blog, by clicking here.
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Libya
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Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Live Blog: Friday protests across Middle East
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Middle East
on April 8th, 2011.
File picture of protesters in Amman, Jordan [AFP]
Show oldest updates on top
As the unrest in the Middle East continues, we update you with the latest developments from Syria, Yemen and across the region.
Read on for the latest from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe.
Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Region in turmoil - Syria Unrest - Yemen's Uprising - Battle for Libya - Egypt's Revolution - Bahrain Protests
(All times are in GMT)
11:44pm
As the Middle East goes to sleep, we close down our live blog for this Friday, April 8th. Thanks for tuning in, folks.
9:44pm
YEMEN - Online activist group Avaaz have collated footage put online from Taiz and Sanaa, which you can see on their page by clicking here.
9:17pm
SYRIA - In a statement read out on state TV (and repeated three times), the government says:
Over the past Fridays there were a lot of demonstrations in which armed groups used weapons to kill people and security forces - and though we understand that protesting is a right of the population, we can no longer allow chaos to take place and official buildings to be destroyed. So we will use all the means to stop the chaos from taking place.
Note - the above is a rough translation only.
9:06pm
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Cal Perry tells us that people in Daraa are afraid of going to hospitals in case they are kidnapped by secret police. With a large military contingent on its way to Daraa, it is likely the town will be surrounded by tomorrow morning, he says.
8:47pm
SYRIA - The state TV building in Deraa has been burned down, tweets Al Jazeera's Cal Perry.
8:44pm
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Cal Perry, reporting from Damascus, tweets:
Sources confirm to #AJE that the Army has been deployed in large numbers to the Southern City of #Deraa. #Syria
You can follow Cal, too: @calperryAJ
8:17pm
EGYPT - The Muslim Brotherhood has steered clear of recent demonstrations in Cairo's Tahrir Square, but joined protesters on Friday, calling for the prosecution of former president Hosni Mubarak.
Islam Lotfy, who represents the brotherhood and the Youth Coalition, speaks to Al Jazeera from Cairo and explains why his organisation joined today's gathering.
7:45pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Adam Makary (@adamakary) tweets:
The number of army officers joining protesters in #tahrir is growing, they r calling for a sit-in, insisting ppl 2 camp the night with them
7:37pm
SYRIA - More footage of today’s protest in Latakia. The description of this video says: "To all those who question the demands of the Syrian people – A clear message to overthrow the regime"
7:25pm
EGYPT - Thousands gathered today in Tahrir Square, central Cairo, showing a unity unseen since the ousting of former president Hosni Mubarak, to demand the country's new military rulers take action against its former leaders.
Threatening to march to Sharm el-Sheikh, where Mubarak is reportedly holed up, even a small group of soldiers joined the protest - risking courts martial.
Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna has more from Cairo.
7:12pm
SYRIA - More amateur video uploaded to YouTube purportedly shows wounded protesters being treated in the local Omari mosque in Daraa:
6:20pm
YEMEN - Our special correspondent tells us that government officials may be attempting to backtrack on some of President Saleh's defiant remarks this afternoon.
The state news agency is quoting an "informed source" saying Saleh was rejecting "Qatar's meddling in Yemeni affairs" - but still welcomes the efforts of the Gulf countries to find a solution to the crisis. The Saba news agency said:
[The] president welcomed the good efforts of the Gulf countries, particularly the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in order to solve the crisis between the Yemeni parties, the source said - adding that president rejects what was mentioned in a statement by Qatar's Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Hamad bin Jasim Al Thani and regarded it as intervention in the Yemeni domestic affairs which is unacceptable.
5:54pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Adam Makary says thousands of protesters have left Cairo's Tahrir Square following nightfall - and headed to the Israeli embassy.
They are demanding the flag be taken down and the gas supply from Egypt to Israel to be blocked.
5:52pm
SYRIA - The death toll among pro-reform demonstrators in Daraa has climbed to 27, a source told Al Jazeera. Twenty bodies are at the morgue, seven others were released to their families. Four people are still unaccounted for.
5:46pm
YEMEN - Our special correspondent tells us that violence is continuing outside the governor's office in the southern city of Taiz. Police are shooting tear gas and using live ammunition.
She has just confirmed two people have been killed, and 30 are in a critical condition.
A further 100 people have been shot with live ammunition, medical sources tell her, with 1,000 people suffering the results of tear gas inhalation.
5:45pm
SYRIA - State-run Syrian television says 19 police officers and members of the security forces have been killed in Daraa. Witnesses in the southern border town earlier said there were 17 people killed there - all of them anti-government protesters. The discrepancy could not immediately be reconciled.
Daraa was the site of a mass demonstration today by thousands of anti-government protesters. Witnesses and human rights groups said security forces opened fire to disperse the gathering. A nurse at the city's hospital said hundreds of wounded had overwhelmed the facility.
5:33pm
SYRIA - The latest on the nation-wide protests from Al Jazeera's Gerald Tan:
5:10pm
YEMEN - The country's longtime leader, Ali Abdullah Saleh, addressed a crowd of thousands in capital Sanaa, defiantly rejecting international calls for him to step down.
But on the other side of the city, a second demonstration called for his immediate resignation. One man there told our correspondent he had been offered money to attend the pro-Saleh demonstration, but wanted to protest.
Al Jazeera's special correspondent, who is not being named for security reasons, has more from Sanaa.
4:36pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Adam Makary (@adamakary) tweets:
The sun sets over #tahrir and still thousands of people protesting #april8 #jan25 #egyptrocks
4:15pm
IRAQ - More details on the 25 deaths in the crackdown on the MEK - an Iranian opposition group sheltered by Saddam Hussein which has refused to disband. Al Jazeera's Jane Arraf, reporting from Baghdad, speaks to Adrian Fineghan in our Doha newsroom.
4:09pm
SYRIA - State television aired footage of several masked gunmen who could be seen shooting in what it said was the city of Daraa. The news anchor said the gunmen were firing at protesters and police:
A peaceful demonstration which vandals infiltrated ... attacked the electricity company and started shooting and opened fire on the television (station). Some of the gunmen were firing live bullets on protesters and security forces. This expresses clearly and openly that there are some people who wish evil on Syria.
The Syrian government has blamed killings during weeks of pro-democracy protests on armed groups shooting at random, while protesters say they have been targeted by security forces.
3:52pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Adam Makary tweets:
More walking space in #tahrir then there has been over the past six hours and some banners are being removed
You can follow him for yourself @adamakary
3:22pm
SYRIA - More footage emerges of the protests that erupted after prayer today. This video shows a scene in Homs where demonstrators were dispersed with heavy gunfire, water cannons and teargas:
3:12pm
IRAQ - At least 25 killed and 320 wounded in clashes between Iraqi troops and members of an Iranian opposition group, the MEK, given shelter by Saddam Hussein. Protests against ongoing US military presence continue in Baghdad.
3:12pm
SYRIA - The death toll in Daraa rose to 17, a hospital source and an activist said, after residents reported security forces opened fire on thousands of protesters.
3:05pm
YEMEN - Doctors tell our special correspondent: "The number of injured just keeps rising"
2:59pm
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Cal Perry tweets that cell phone connections in Douma and Homs seem completely shut down.
2:43pm
SYRIA - More footage of the unprecedented unrest emerges online. This YouTube clip, published by Sham news agency, shows demonstrations in the northwestern town of Edlib:
2:37pm
SYRIA - Protesters in Daraa set fire to a Baath Party outpost and smashed a stone statue of Basil al-Assad, President Bashar al-Assad's late brother, witnesses said. One of them told Reuters news agency by telephone:
The statue of Basil al-Assad is just a pile of stones. The protesters also set fire to a Baath Party outpost in the el-Mahatta area.
2:28pm
YEMEN - Our special correspondent confirms one man died a few minutes ago in Taiz, as a result of a gunshot to the head. Two others are in a very serious condition, she tells us.
2:23pm
SYRIA - More amateur video published by Sham news agency appears on YouTube. This one is from demonstrations in the coastal city of Tartus:
2:06pm
SYRIA - Videos from today's protests are emerging online. This one, published by the Sham News Agency, purports to show injured protesters being treated in the Omari mosque in Daraa. [Sham - الشام - is another name for Damascus]
2:03pm
SYRIA - At least 10 people were killed in Daraa, a hospital source said, after witnesses reported security forces opened fire to disperse demonstrators.
The state news agency SANA reported shooting in Daraa, but it said "vandals" had opened fire on mass gatherings, killing a policeman and an ambulance driver and wounding dozens of police and residents.
1:55pm
YEMEN - Update from Taiz - our special correspondent tells us that hundreds have now been injured - mostly from tear gas inhalation.
1:50pm
IRAQ - Protesters in Tahrir Square, Baghdad, have been talking to Al Jazeera's Jane Arraf. Many are angry about the continued oresence of US military troops in the country. One who preferred not to give their name said:
They have no credibility. They said, "By the end of 2011 we will be out of Iraq," and yesterday, Gates came here and said that there are hints about keeping the US forces, although they denied this before.
They are not going to leave Iraq, and if they don’t leave Iraq by the end of 2011, then there will be no peaceful demonstrations, there will be something else.
1:41pm
YEMEN - Two protesters shot dead among dozens wounded in the southern city of Taiz, says the AFP news agency.
1:38pm
EGYPT - "The army and the people are one hand" is the same chant raised in Tahrir Square during the uprising against Mubarak, when protesters wanted the army to join their cause.
1:37pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna, reporting from Cairo, said the crowd was also calling for the immediate resignation of the army chief, following what they see as a lack of action on the part of the military. He told us:
There were very strong orders that if any soldier took part in today's protests he would face immediate court martial.
We saw a group of five soldiers, at least one of which was a senior officer, actually join the demonstration and address a portion of the crowd, which was chanting "The army and the people are one hand".
Although they were only five soldiers, it is a very significant development - given the military's specific instructions.
1:29pm
YEMEN - Our special correspondent says, according to medical sources, more than 50 people have been injured as a result of tear gas in Taiz. Ten others were injured by batons or knives. One person has been shot with live ammunition, and is in critical condition.
1:20pm
YEMEN - Police reported to be shooting tear gas and live ammunition in Taiz - our special correspondent, who we aren't naming for security reasons, isn't yet sure if it's being fired in the air or at crowds. Watch this space for an update.
1:14pm
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's special correspendent tells us:
Saleh had at the beginning said he had accepted the offer to go to Saudi Arabia for mediation, but he is now saying he doesn't want anyone meddling in his own affairs.
I just spoke to opposition leaders and they said this strengthens their own position, as it shows Saleh is isolated more and more in the international community - but it does lead to this stalemate.
In Change Square, everwhere we looked we couldn't see the end of the lines of people, there are tens of thousands of people there. It is difficult to believe there is anyone left in their homes today in Sanaa, with the huge turnouts at both demonstrations.
1:02pm
SYRIA - An eyewitness told Al Jazeera that at least seven people were killed by security forces in the southern border town of Daraa.
12:18pm
SYRIA - Reuters quotes opposition activists in Damascus saying that automatic weapons fire rang out during a pro-democracy rally confronted by Syrian security forces in a suburb there.
12:03pm
YEMEN - Read more about the latest updates from Yemen on our website here.
12:02pm
SYRIA - This video on YouTube is said to show a protest in the Damascus suburb of Harasta today.
12:00pm
YEMEN - Embattled President Saleh rejected an exit plan by Gulf states trying to broker an end to bloody unrest in Yemen. Here is some of what he said on his address broadcast on state TV:
11:49am
EGYPT - Thousands gather in Cairo's Tahrir Square, calling for prosecution of the ousted president and his regime. Read out latest news report here.
11:43am
SYRIA Reuters quotes witnesses as saying security forces use live ammunition against protesters in Daraa.
11:37am
YEMEN - Crowds of pro-Saleh supporters shown on Yemeni television during his address:
11:29am
IRAQ - Amnesty International will release a report on April 12, urging the Iraqi authoritie to address attacks on protesters. In a statement, the group said:
Forces deployed against demonstrators have used lived ammunition, killing and injuring protesters and bystanders.
Amnesty International also found disturbing evidence of targeted attacks on political activists, torture and other ill-treatment of people arrested in connection with the protests, and attacks or threats against journalists, media outlets, government critics, academics and students.
Amnesty International will call on Iraqi and Kurdistan Regional authorities to investigate the attacks and killings, torture and other ill-treatment, and hold the perpetrators to account.
11:24am
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna reports from Cairo's Tahrir square, where Friday prayers have ended and massive crowds have gathered:
Within the crowd, there is no sign of political division, or political banners, just the egyptian flag waving
Here, there is anger at military authorities for not taking action against the Mubarak regime. This is a crowd very angry, a crowd questioning the army and a crowd united about its concerns
11:19am
YEMEN - In his address to supporters in Sanaa, President Saleh said:
Our power comes from the power of our great people, not from Qatar, not from anyone else. This is blatant interference in Yemeni affairs...
We were born free, and we have free will, and they have to respect our wishes. We reject any coup against democracy, the constitution and our freedom.
11:16am
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's correspondent in Sanaa reported that there are tens of thousands of people gathered in Change Square, still demanding that President saleh leaves power. "they feel it is important to show solidarity and to show their resolve, no matter what happens to them," our correspondent said.
She added:
We met a university professor at Change Square who claims a member of the ruling party offered him money yesterday to attend the pro-Saleh rally.
11:13am
SYRIA Mazen Darwish, an activist in Damascus, tells Al Jazeera that protests have been held in cities including Qamishli in the mainly Kurdish region, the coastal town of Banias, Deir e-Zor in the east and Daraa in the south. He says no violence has been reported but he's heard that security forces in Daraa have been using teargas against protesters.
11:12am
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's correspondent in the Yemeni capital Sanaa said:
President Saleh addressed his supporters in Seventy Square, and made a total rejection of the offer put forward by the GCC. According to that proposal, they had called for him to stand down and hand power to a coalition of tribal leaders and other political figures. But he said 'I reject, I reject, I reject'. He singled out Qatar and Al Jazeera and said 'we dont have to follow their agenda'.
11:01am
OMAN - Heavy security has prevented fresh protests breaking out in the industrial capital Sohar. Dozens of armoured vehicles have blocked roads and worshippers attempting to enter mosques had their names checked against lists by security forces, Reuters reports.
Protesters camped out in the city for more than a month before security forces moved them out last week.
They had been attempting to demonstrate against the killing of at least one person and demanded the prosecution of ministers who have been sacked for corruption.
10:56am
YEMEN - President Saleh slammed Qatar's intervention in Yemen's affairs. He said, "We derive power and legitimacy from the people. It is a unified democratic Yemen."
10:50am
YEMEN - Addressing the country in a speech on state television, Yemen's Ali Abdullah Saleh said he rejects initiatives from any other country to resolve the current crisis there, Reuters reports.
10:46am
YEMEN - President Ali Abdullah Saleh is expected to address the country in a speech broadcast on state television shortly. Friday prayers have ended and rival pro and anti government demonstrations are expected to gather momentum.
10:41am
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Cal Perry tweets from Damascus:
Residents in #Deraa reporting that the police presence is heavy: police armed with electric batons - an attempt to quell protests. #Syria
10:26am
EGYPT - About 3,000 people have gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square. Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna, reporting from the square, says the demands of the protesters are very clear: that action needs to be taken against ousted president Mubarak and those close to him, that there must be a presidential council established so that the people can express what they want to see as Egypt's future.
Unlike on previous occasions recently, this is a fully representative gathering of EGypt's political movements, including the very powerful Muslim Brotherhood which had stayed away from recent gathering saying they would give the military council more time to meet the people's demands.
10:22am
YEMEN - Groups of both pro and anti government demonstrators are rallying in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, Al Jazeera's correspondents report.
10:03am
Another day of mass protests is planned across the Arab world after noon prayers on Friday.
Here is an overview of the expected demonstrations.
And reports from Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna in Cairo, as well as Cal Perry in Damascus.
9:34am
SYRIA Al Jazeera's Cal Perry in Damascus says yesterday's move by President Bashar al-Assad to grant citizenships to 200,000-300,000 stateless Kurds can be interpreted as a measure to "keep the Kurdish community off the streets" today, as activists are calling for fresh protests.
There is a lot of pressure on him [Assad] from people who want to see reform. They are tired of hearing the same old talk ... for the people of Daraa, who just recently buried their dead, they want to see those responsible brought to justice and until that happens, I think we'll see the situation here simmer.
9:09am
EGYPT - Thousands of Egyptians are gathering to protest in Cairo's central Tahrir Square. They are holding banners and signs demanding the prosecution of former regime officials, including ousted president Hosni Mubarak.
9:02am
YEMEN - Yemen's Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Kurbi said in a statement that the country's government is studying an initiative by Gulf Arab states to end a months-long confrontation with anti-regime protesters, the AFP news agency reported.
Concerned by the continuing unrest in Yemen, members of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) offered to mediate between Yemen's government and the opposition.
8:38am
IRAQ - At least five Iraqi soldiers and up to dozens of Iranian opposition members were wounded in overnight clashes at a base north of Baghdad after the Iraqi military moved in to part of the disputed camp, an Iraqi government spokesperson told Al Jazeera.
The account could not be independently verified.
7:53am
YEMEN - The United States froze its largest aid package for Yemen in February after popular protests broke out against the Yemeni president, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
"The first instalment of the aid package, worth a potential $1 billion or more over several years, was set to be rolled out in February, marking the White House's largest bid at securing President Ali Abdullah Saleh's allegiance in its battle against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula," the publication said.
Read more here.
7:33am
IRAQ - Robert Gates, the US Defence Secretary, has arrived in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region for talks with regional president Massud Barzani on security needs after American troops pull out this year.
[Image by AFP]
6:05am
SYRIA - Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, issued a decree granting nationality to thousands of Kurds living in the eastern al-Hasaka region as part of efforts to ease resentment over nearly five decades of strict Baathist rule.
Read the full article on our website here.
6:01am
YEMEN - Less than two years ago a Yemeni opposition party leader told a US embassy official in Sanaa about a secret plan to oust President Ali Abdullah Saleh, The Washington Post reported.
Several previously undisclosed US diplomatic cables, provided by the website WikiLeaks, revealed that US officials were aware of Yemen's political state but largely discounted the prospect that Saleh could be forced out, the newspaper's report said.
Read more on The Washington Post's website.
5:44am
YEMEN - An anti-government demonstrator attends a protest in the capital Sanaa on Thursday. [image by AFP]
4:05am
JORDAN - A Jordanian man - Mohammed Abdul-Karim- set himself on fire outside the prime minister's office, on Thursday, in the first such act since political unrest hit the country in January.
It was a similar act of self-immolation by Mohamed Bouazizi, a poor vegetable vendor in Tunisia in December, that ignited the wave of protests which have since swept through the region and seen the ousting of autocratic regimes in both Tunisia and Egypt.
Topics in this blog
PEOPLE
Adam Makary
Ali Abdullah Saleh
Bashar al-Assad
Cal Perry
Hosni Mubarak
Jane Arraf
Mike Hanna
COUNTRY
Egypt
Qatar
Syria
Yemen
CITY
Baghdad
Cairo
Damascus
Daraa
Sanaa
Taiz
ORGANIZATION
army
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Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Libya Live Blog - April 8
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 7th, 2011.
[Reuters]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
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AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Operation Odyssey Dawn - Twitter Audio - Tweeting revolutions
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:24pm
Gaddafi's government officials have been taking foreign journalists on various tours in past weeks to reinforce their position that they are in control of the situation in the country.
But a government-controlled trip to Misurata today instead suggested that the situation of Gaddafi's troops had grown more dire after weeks of laying siege to the enemy's stronghold, says the Associated Press news agency.
Reporters were taken to the same road junction, more than a mile from the centre of town, where government officials took them about 10 days ago. Back then, it was to show the effects of a NATO airstrike. This time, it
was simply as far as the tour could go before the sounds of gunfire and shelling forced officials to turn around.
At one point, the journalists took cover amid gunfire. A Libyan soldier, Walid Mohammed Walid, received a head wound in the shooting and was taken to a hospital.
And while Gadhafi's forces at the intersection were seen on open ground on the earlier visit, this time the few soldiers there were hiding out in buildings or on rooftops.
The scene along the road from Tripoli, dotted with burned-out tanks, anti-aircraft guns hidden by vegetation and checkpoints made of tires and sand banks, underscored the devastating struggle over Misrata. It is the most sustained conflict in the Libyan uprising and the focus of a growing international efforts to bring aid by sea to besieged residents caught in the crossfire.
Just 160km southeast of capital Tripoli, Misurata is symbolic and strategic asset for both sides, each of which holds key parts of Libya's third-largest city.
11:08am
Protesters in Egypt show solidarity with the remaining members of Al Jazeera's crew detained in Libya, courtesty of Flickr user Mosa'aberising.
10:56pm
Five people were killed and ten wounded in fighting in Misurata today, Reuters reports.
10:40pm
NATO airstrikes have hit weapons depots belonging to Gaddafi's forces near the town of Zintan, a resident told Reuters:
The depots are situated 15km southeast of Zintan. We could see buildings on fire in the distance.
First we heard aircraft and then we counted some 14 explosions. Some people used binoculars and saw
buildings on fire
Rebels believe some of the depots were destroyed but not all. We are talking about huge facilities.
10:32pm
Anti-Gaddafi fighters say they have fought off an assault on the east of Misurata by forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
The Red Cross said it expected a humanitarian vessel it had chartered to reach Misurata by midday tomorrow, but gave no details of the relief cargo it was carrying. A spokesman for the anti-Gaddafi fighters, who gave his name as Hassan al-Misrati, told Reuters:
The attack from the east has been repelled now and the (pro-Gaddafi) forces have been pushed back.
10:27pm
Getting ready for boots on the ground? The European Union says it is ready to launch "a humanitarian mission" in Libya's Misurata within several days, but only if it has United Nations backing, says the Associated Press news agency.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has reportedly contacted UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to share her concerns over Misurata, a source told the agency.
The mission might require military backing, but it would not go beyond strictly providing assistance for humanitarian action.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, say any military involvement would only come if backed by the UN.
9:49pm
Libyan government forces continue to attack anti-Gaddafi fighters in the rebel-held town of Misurata, AFP reports.
Fierce fighting is ongoing in the city, about 215km east of Tripoli - which has seen battles rage for more than 40 days since the start of the uprising.
Doctors said last week that 200 people had been killed there since fighting began.
8:07pm
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon will hold a meeting of international and regional organisations in Cairo next week - to improve coordination of the international response on Libya.
UN spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters that leaders scheduled to attend Thursday's meeting at the Arab League's headquarters include Arab League chief Amr Moussa, African Union commission chairman Jean Ping, EU foreign policy head Catherine Ashton, and Organisation of the Islamic Conference Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu.
The object of the meeting will be to exchange views and enhance coordination among the participating organisations in addressing the current crisis in Libya.
8:00pm
Algeria's National Democracy Assembly has said it "deplores" the NATO-led military operation in Libya and urged "an immediate stop to fighting".
The party, led by prime minister Ahmen Ouyahi, demanded international respect for Libya's independence and "its exclusive ownership of the riches of the country, including its hydrocarbons".
Ouyahi also warned Algerians against imitating protesters whose uprisings overthrew leaders in Tunisia and Egypt.
5:39pm
More on those targeted by the new US sanctions. They are:
• Ali al-Mahmoudi Al Baghdadi: Libya’s Prime Minister and member of Muammar Gaddafi’s inner circle.
• Shukri Ghanem: Libya’s Oil Minister and Chairman of the National Oil Company of Libya (NOC), identified by Treasury on March 15 as subject to sanctions for being owned or controlled by the Government of Libya. Ghanem has full responsibility for policies and operations of Libya’s petroleum sector.
• Abdulhafid Zlitni: Secretary of the General People’s Committee for Finance and Planning, Libya’s equivalent of Finance Minister. Zltini is currently acting as temporary head of the Central Bank of Libya. He was previously NOC Chairman.
• Tohami Khaled: Director of Libya’s Internal Security Office.
• Bashir Saleh: Head of Cabinet – or Chief of Staff – to Muammar Gaddafi. He is also the Chairman of the Libya Africa Investment Portfolio (LAIP), identified by Treasury on March 15 as subject to sanctions for being owned or controlled by the Government of Libya.
The Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation and the Waatasemu Charity Association were also designated today. The Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation is a Geneva-registered organization founded in Libya in 1998 and incorporated in Switzerland in 2004.
It was designated for being owned and controlled by Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, who is the foundation’s president and a board member.
Waatasemu Charity Association was designated for being controlled by Aisha Gaddafi, Muammar Gaddafi's daughter and Secretary General of the Libya-based organization.
5:35pm
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO secretary-general, talks to Al Jazeera about what he says is progress being made in implementing UN Security Council resolution 1973 - and about the deaths caused by NATO forces near Brega.
5:30pm
The United States has imposed financial sanctions on five further senior Libyan government officials and two entities controlled by Gaddafi's children, says the US treasury department.
Libya's prime minister, Ali al-Mahmoudi Al Baghdadi, and Gaddafi's chief of staff, Bashir Salehand, to its sanctions blacklist.
The sanctions prohibit US transactions with them and seek to freeze any assets they may have under US jurisdiction.
Also blacklisted were Libyan finance minister Abdulhafid Zlitni, the country's oil minister Shukri Ghanem and Libya's
internal security director Tohami Khaled.
A Geneva-registered organization owned by Gaddafi's son and another entity, Waatasemu Charity Association, controlled by
his daughter, were sanctioned, Treasury said.
2:09pm
US defence secretary Robert Gates says military action in Libya does not set a precedent for future intervention in other Middle Eastern countries facing uprisings or unrest. During a visit to the Marez Camp US military base in northern Iraq, he told reporters:
What has made Libya unique is first of all a request, which is unprecedented in my experience, of the Arab League actually asking for an intervention in the Middle East, to take on an Arab government mistreating its
own people ...
It's hard for me to imagine those kinds of circumstances being replicated any place else.
Gates said the Arab League request was then supported by the Gulf Cooperation Council and bolstered by the United Nations and allies such as Britain and France.
2:07pm
UN human rights investigators say their enquiries "will cover all sides involved"
1:51pm
UNICEF, the UN's agency for children, says snipers are targeting children in the besieged city of Misurata.
1:21pm
German troops could play a role in a humanitarian mission in Libya - but the country's leaders denied this was a U-turn after not supporting UN military action A spokesman said:
If a request were made to the EU, Germany would live up to its responsibilities.
Our position was always that Germany would not participate in combat
operations in Libya ... This would be about ensuring with military means that
humanitarian aid gets to those who need it.
12:21pm
Coast guards have said that a boat laden with 171 people fleeing Libya have arrived in Malta. They are expected to undergo health checks before being taken to an immigrant centre on the island. More than 1,000 refugees have arrived in Malta in the past few days, and some 150 have been lost at sea in an attempt to reach the island.
11:27am
Reuters quotes rebels as saying they are fighting Gaddafi forces trying to enter the city of Misurata from the east.
10:39am
This video posted online by Wefaq Media is said to show the air strike that killed at least four people outside Brega yesterday.
10:21am
NATO's deputy commander of Libya operations describes the alliance's strategy in Libya as coherent and says the alliance continues to target "those who harm civilians".
Regarding the two air strikes outside Brega which appear to have killed four opposition fighters, he says that before yesterday, the alliance had no information that the opposition was using tanks. He says the situation on the ground was "very fluid" and that he is "not apologising" for the strikes.
10:14am
NATO air strikes outside Brega yesterday "may have resulted in the death" of opposition fighters but the circumstances remains unclear, Russell Harding, deputy commander of NATO's Libya operations, says in a press briefing in Naples.
7:47am
Our correspondent Sue Turton reports from Tobruk, on the rebels' need of better weapons and claims that they are receiving arms from abroad.
6:19am
Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee, in Benghazi, says reports are emerging that it might not have been NATO that hit a rebel armoured unit outside Brega. He says it might instead have been a light plane used by Gaddafi forces, suggesting that they are getting arms from outside.
5:07am
The UK Telegraph newspaper says two British businessmen with no connection to the protests against Gaddafi's regime have been imprisoned in Libya for three weeks, just two of many who have reportedly disappeared since mass protests began in February.
The opposition Transitional National Council says more than 20,000 people have been rounded up, while Amnesty International has been able to confirm 30 disappearances.
4:47am
The UK military's action in Libya has prompted Prime Minister David Cameron to rethink Britain's defence budget, Sky News reports.
"Changes could include U-turns on plans to cut the number of RAF Tornados and scrap surveillance planes," the report says.
3:03am
Scottish police have interviewed Moussa Koussa, the former Libyan foreign minister who fled the country in March, regarding the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, the UK Guardian reports.
2:18am
On Thursday, Abdel Fattah Younes, the defected head of the rebel military, confirmed for the first time that the opposition forces have received foreign weapons: anti-tank guns from Qatar. The tiny but wealthy Gulf country has been at the forefront of support for Libya's anti-Gaddafi movement, offering them official recognition and to be a broker for their oil.
12:05am
Welcome to Al Jazeera's Libya live blog for April 8. You can catch our continuing coverage and the latest developments on yesterday's live blog as well as our news stories.
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Libya
Possibly related posts (automatically generated)
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Libya Live Blog - April 7
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 6th, 2011.
[Reuters]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Blog: Feb17 - Feb18 - Feb19 - Feb20 - Feb21 - Feb22 - Feb23 - Feb24 - Feb25 - Feb26 - Feb27 - Feb28 - Mar1 - Mar2 - Mar3 - Mar4 - Mar5 - Mar6 - Mar7 - Mar8 - Mar9 - Mar10 - Mar11 - Mar12 - Mar13 - Mar14 - Mar15 - Mar16 - Mar17 - Mar18 - Mar19 - Mar20 - Mar21 - Mar22 - Mar23 - Mar24 - Mar25 - Mar 26 - Mar 27 - Mar 28 - Mar 29 - Mar 30 - Mar 31 - Apr 1 - Apr 2 - Apr 3 - Apr 4 - Apr 5 - Apr 6
AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Operation Odyssey Dawn - Twitter Audio - Tweeting revolutions
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
10:33pm
Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught reporting from Tripoli says Turkey feels it has a better chance because it has been in direct talks with both sides, as well as sending in aid shipments to Benghazi and moving injured Libyans to Turkish hospitals.
But the major problem is how Turkey will get both sides to accept a ceasefire when all sides still feel there is something to play for, that the cost of giving up the fight would be far too great to bear.
Both sides are fearful that if they give up fighting now they will lose everything. This is what Turkey will have to find a way through.
Turkish PM Erdogan says the roadmap for Libya is to reach a ceasefire and political reform [Reuters]
9:37pm
Sources cited by Reuters say China will buy the first oil cargo from Libya via trading house Vitol. But traders said it could take a long time before flows of crude from Libya reach substantial levels.
Trading sources told the news agency on Thursday that the Liberia-registered tanker Equator, which can carry up to one million barrels of oil, was taking Libyan crude to China.
Libya's government has cut oil output by 80 per cent while rebels and Gaddafi loyalists trade charges over attacks on oil fields in eastern Libya.
8:30pm
Media watchdog Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF) corrects its Libya report earlier about 26 journalists being expelled. A day earlier Libyab authorities posted a list of the foreign reporters they said were slated for departure on Thursday, because their visas had expired.
But on Thursday officials said there may have been an administrative error and no one on the list was expelled. It is not clear whether Libya intends to expel any of them at a later date.
6:45pm
Turkey's prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan urges pro-Gaddafi forces to withdraw from cities they are besieging in Libya, local news channel NTV said. He promised to disclose a Libyan "roadmap" on Thursday.
Wounded rebels were taken to hospital in Ajdabiya after NATO's friendly fire incident killed five [Reuters]
5:37pm
NATO promises to investigate the latest air strike on Thursday that killed at least five rebel fighters in the eastern town of Brega, less than a week after 13 people died in an alliance bombing in the same area.
It said in a statement:
NATO is looking into the specific details of an alleged strike on a column of tanks outside of Brega today.
The fighting between Brega and Ajdabiya, where the strike occurred, has been fierce for several days. The situation is unclear and fluid with mechanised weapons travelling in all directions.
The alliance reiterated it will continue to uphold the UN mandate and strike forces that threaten Libyan civilians.
5:20pm
Five journalists reported missing on Thursday in east Libya, as Gaddafi's government expels 26 foreign reporters from Tripoli, says media watchdog Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF).
It said in a statement:
Reporters without Borders has learned from a reliable source that four journalists - a South African, two Americans and a Spaniard - have been missing in the east of the country since April 4.
The names of journalists, who had all been invited to Tripoli by the [Gaddafi] government, were posted last night in the lobby of the hotel where they were staying.
The expulsions follows a series of deportations in recent weeks.
A female Syrian reporter Rana Akbani has been reported missing in Libya since March 28.
About 100 other foreign journalists are still in the Libyan capital, RSF added.
5:15pm
Al Jazeera's Sue Turton visits a weapons bunker near Tobruk to look at the ammunition pro-Gaddafi forces have had to rely on. Catch her report below:
4:30pm
Top US general, Commander of US Africa Command General Carter Ham, tells senate hearing on Thursday a stalemate is emerging in Libya between rebels and troops loyal to Gaddafi.
Nearly a dozen rebel fighters were injured in the second NATO air strike that hit a rebel position near Brega [Reuters]
1:04pm
AFP - At least five opposition fighters killed in a NATO air raid in the eastern oil town of Brega.
"It was the planes of NATO. They fired twice at our tank and blew up the tank's position," said rebel fighter Ali Sahli.
Chaotic scenes were witnessed at a rebel checkpoint on the edge of Ajdabiya, about 80km from Brega, with ambulances racing through heading for the hospital followed by a convoy of rebel military vehicles.
Civilians were ordered away from the checkpoint.
7:51am
Reuters - Libya accuses British government of damaging an oil pipeline in an air raid, hours after rebels said government attacks had halted production of oil they hope to sell to finance their uprising.
"British warplanes have attacked, have carried out an airstrike against the Sarir oilfield which killed three oilfield guards and other employees at the field were also injured," Deputy foreign minister Khaled Kaim told reporters.
There was no immediate comment from Britain's ministry of defence or from NATO, which is coordinating air raids against pro-Gaddafi forces.
Kaim said the raid damaged a pipeline connecting the oilfields to the Marsa el Hariga port.
"There is no doubt this aggression ... is against international law and is not covered by the UN resolution," he said.
7:18am
Associated Press - Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi "knows what he must do," said US secretary of state Hillary Clinton in response tohis appeal for an end to the conflict.
Gaddafi appealed directly to president Barack Obama to end what he called "an unjust war," and he wished Obama good luck in his bid for re-election next year.
Clinton, speaking at the White House, repeated U.S. and allied demands that Gaddafi's forces pull back and cease attacks.
"I don't think there is any mystery about what is expected from Mr. Gaddafi at this time," Clinton said.
6:17am
Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee, reporting from Benghazi, said that Abdel-Hafidh Ghoga, the Vice-Chairman of the Libyan National Provisional Council, continues to insist that NATO do more.
"He has certainly strengthened his language, and he even went on to call NATO a "burden", which is an extraordinary thing to say under the current circumstances."
"There is obviously agreement here among the opposition that if more military gains are to be made, international forces must step up their operations."
4:48am
Al Jazeera's Laurance Lee visited some of the pre-Gaddafi sites in rebel-held Benghazi and found signs of the city's proud history:
2:16am
The US government has provided $47 million to international and non-governmental organisations to meet humanitarian needs in Libya, according to the State Department. Though the US government, mostly via the United Nations, is able to monitor the humantarian situation in eastern Libya and along most of the borders, western Libya remains cut off by the Gaddafi regime.
Here's a breakdown, provided by the State Department, that shows where the money is going:
2:05am
The United Nations on Wednesday called for a cessation of hostilities around the Libyan city of Misurata to get help to the wounded and let people escape fighting between Muammar Gaddafi's forces and opposition rebels.
"The situation on the ground is critical for a large number of people who immediately need food, clean water and emergency medical assistance," said UN under secretary general for humanitarian affairs, Valerie Amos, who made the appeal.
1:44am
Former US Senator Curt Weldon traveled to Tripoli on Wednesday to try to convince Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to impose a cease fire on his forces and step down. Weldon led Congressional delegations to the country after Gaddafi agreed to give up its nuclear program in 2004. Check out Weldon's curriculum vitae, published on Wired magazine's website, for a glimpse of the ex-senator's history of dealings with Libya, North Korea, Russia and other lovely countries.
1:31am
Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim told the Reuters news agency that a British air strike hit the major Sarir oil field on Wednesday, killing three guards. He said the strike damaged a pipeline connected the field to Hariga port and that it violated international law.
12:07am
Welcome to Al Jazeera's Libya live blog for April 7. Catch up on all of the latest developments on our live blog for April 6, including Gaddafi's letter to Barack Obama appealing for the withdrawal of NATO air strikes.
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Libya
Possibly related posts (automatically generated)
Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Libya Live Blog - April 6
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 5th, 2011.
[EPA]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Blog: Feb17 - Feb18 - Feb19 - Feb20 - Feb21 - Feb22 - Feb23 - Feb24 - Feb25 - Feb26 - Feb27 - Feb28 - Mar1 - Mar2 - Mar3 - Mar4 - Mar5 - Mar6 - Mar7 - Mar8 - Mar9 - Mar10 - Mar11 - Mar12 - Mar13 - Mar14 - Mar15 - Mar16 - Mar17 - Mar18 - Mar19 - Mar20 - Mar21 - Mar22 - Mar23 - Mar24 - Mar25 - Mar 26 - Mar 27 - Mar 28 - Mar 29 - Mar 30 - Mar 31 - Apr 1 - Apr 2 - Apr 3 - Apr 4 - Apr 5
AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Operation Odyssey Dawn - Twitter Audio - Tweeting revolutions
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:37pm
Former Libyan energy minister Omar Fathi Shatwan says several members of Gaddafi's inner circle want to defect but are too scared to do so, fearing the safety of themselves and their families.
Those whose families are outside Libya will flee if they get a chance. But many can't leave, and all the families of ministers are under siege.
Shatwan, who left the government in 2007, says his last contact with Gaddafi was in 2006.
10:30pm
US secretary of state Hillary Clinton rebuffed a personal appeal from Gaddafi to Obama, saying the Libyan leader should impose a ceasefire, withdraw his forces and go into exile.
The White House confirmed Gaddafi had written a letter to the US president but said nothing if its contents, which was first reported by The Associated Press. The report said he had appealed to Obama for a ceasefire in a rambling, three-pages long.
8:30pm
NATO denies the pace of air strikes has abated since taking over from a coalition led by the US, Britain and France on march 31.
Speaking at NATO's southern European headquarters in Naples, Italy, Rear Admiral Russell Harding, the NATO deputy commander of operations in Libya, said:
Libya must be 800 miles [1,290km] wide and in all that air space we are dominating, so perhaps ... in one or two areas if they don't hear us or see us, I can understand how that might lead to a lack of confidence.
Rebels at the frontline scatter for cover following explosions by troops loyal to Gaddafi outside Brega [Reuters]
7:56pm
Rebel-held oilfields in Misla and the Waha oasis have been hit by Gaddafi's artillery on Tuesday and Wednesday, halting production, according to rebel spokesman Hafiz Ghoga. He said:
These oilfields are the ones that pump oil to Tobruk. They stopped pumping today.
7:45pm
The US defence department says NATO has to change its approach in Libya to keep up with changing tactics by Gaddafi's forces.
Colonel Dave Lapan, a department spokesman, said on Wednesday the situation illustrated the saying "the enemy gets a vote", and that it was up to the European alliance to adjust to Gaddafi's tactics.
Gaddafi's forces have adjusted to the environment, seeking ways to disguise forces and movements to avoid attacks.
Rebels have complained that delayed air strikes had allowed forces loyal to the Libyan leader to push them from Brega.
Libya's rebel fighters firing rockets from the desert east of Brega on Wednesday [Reuters]
7:30pm
A US official said Gaddafi had sent an appeal letter to US president Barack Obama asking to halt the NATO military campaign, according to The Associated Press. Below is the text, and the misspellings and grammatical errors are in the original letter.
Our son, Excellency,
President Obama
U.S.A
We have been hurt more morally that physically because of what had happened against us in both deeds and words by you. Despite all this you will always remain our son whatever happened. We still pray that you continue to be president of the U.S.A. We Endeavour and hope that you will gain victory in the new election campaigne. You are a man who has enough courage to annul a wrong and mistaken action. I am sure that you are able to shoulder the responsibility for that.
Enough evidence is available, Bearing in mind that you are the president of the strongest power in the world nowadays, and since Nato is waging an unjust war against a small people of a developing country. This country had already been subjected to embargo and sanctions, furthermore it also suffered a direct military armed aggression during Reagan's time. This country is Libya.
Hence, to serving world peace ... Friendship between our peoples ... and for the sake of economic, and security cooperation against terror, you are in a position to keep Nato off the Libyan affair for good. As you know too well democracy and building of civil society cannot be achieved by means of missiles and aircraft, or by backing armed member of AlQuaeda in Benghazi.
You _ yourself _ said on many occasions, one of them in the UN General Assembly, I was witness to that personally, that America is not responsible for the security of other peoples. That America helps only. This is the right logic.
Our dear son, Excellency, Baraka Hussein Abu oumama, your intervention is the name of the U.S.A. is a must, so that Nato would withdraw finally from the Libyan affair. Libya should be left to Libyans within the African union frame.
The problem now stands as follows:-
1. There is Nato intervention politically as well as military.
2. Terror conducted by AlQaueda gangs that have been armed in some cities, and by force refused to allow people to go back to their normal life, and carry on with exercising their social people's power as usual.
Mu'aumer Qaddaffi
Leader of the Revolution
Tripoli 5.4.2011
6:39pm
Libyan rebels have regained ground in a new advance on the oil port of Brega on Wednesday, after accusing NATO of mission failure in protecting civilians in Misurata.
Poorly-trained rebel fighters thrust back westwards, recovering mostly desert terrain lost during a retreat from the Libyan leader's superior firepower a day earlier.
Pro-democracy fighters returning to the tiny outpost of al-Arbaeen, midway between Brega and the frontline town of Ajdabiya, spoke of rocket duels close to Brega's port but the situation remains unclear.
5:58pm
Black African migrants have claimed that Libyan troops were turning them into "instant mercenaries" to fight the rebels, a Reuters report said, citing young men who had fled to Tunisia earlier. Click below for more:
5:23pm
NATO admitted it has to be "particularly careful" with its air strikes in Misurata as government troops were using civilians as human shields, as France pledged to open a sea corridor to the Mediterranean port.
Rear Admiral Russell Harding, the deputy commander of Libya operations, said on Wednesday NATO forces have been very careful to avoid injury to civilians "in close proximity" to the fighting.
They're trying to protect human shields when there is a tank with dozens of people round about it, of innocent civilians, the best thing at that stage is probably not to drop a bomb on the tank.
So there is a limit, a physical limit, because we are not allowed boots on the ground, there is a limit to what we are able to do in that respect.
But that doesn't mean to say we don't have the will and the intent, and the fire power and the wherewithal to take action to stop that.
Libyan government forces have increasingly shifted to non-conventional tactics, blending in with road traffic and using civilian life as a shield for their advance.
5:13pm
An oil tanker left the Libyan port of Tobruk on Wednesday with the first consignment of crude since the rebel administration that countrols the country's east from Benghazi won recognition from some countries.
The Greek-owned, Liberian-registered vessel docked a day earlier to load the oil shipment worth $100m for export. The potential buyer remains a mystery.
5:00pm
A Turkish delegation led by former ambassador to Tripoli is reportedly in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi on Wednesday to meet leaders of the National Transitional Council.
Turkish officials said representatives of the Libyan opposition are expected in Ankara later this week.
Turkey wants to explore the possibility of "any common ground" for a ceasefire and an agreement on a "roadmap" of political reform to end the conflict.
4:49pm
Gaddafi troops have reportedly shelled an oil field in Ojla, south of Ajdabiya, acording to a source from the local council in Tobruk.
Meanwhile rebel fighters tightened security measures and strenghtened military fortifications in the western district of Ajdabiya, allowing only authorised persons to enter.
In Misurata Gaddafi's troops attacked the coastal road leading to the port and tried to seize supplies and rations warehouses.
4:37pm
Britain has moved four Typhoon jets from policing the Libya no-fly zone to ground attack roles following opposition criticism that NATO forces failed to protect Misurata.
In a statement the defence ministry said the move aimed at "further bolstering NATO's ground attack capability".
The Typhoons based at Gioia del Colle in southern Italy had been policing the no-fly zone while the Royal Air Force's Tornado warplanes conduct air raids on Gaddafi's ground forces.
British Eurofighter EF-2000 Typhoon jets at Gioia del Colle NATO airbase on southern Italy [Reuters]
Britain now has 20 fighter jets committed to implementing UN Resolution 1973 aimed at protecting civilians against Gaddafi loyalists.
4:15pm
Speaking to Al Jazeera from London, Ashur Shamis, a Libyan journalist, said there seemed to be some discrepancies between the number of NATO flyovers and actual hits on the ground.
It is not hitting anything. More and more people in Benghazi are getting to the end of their tethers in relation to this situation.
As long as Gaddafi remains in Tripoli he will turn nastier and nastier, and he will produce more weapons and more tricks so that there will be more citizens dying because he has no aim or cause … he is just destroying the country, the people and causing more bloodshed.
Shamis says NATO should get its act together and show the people that it is up to task in implementing the UN resolution.
They have to show that they are doing something in Misurata and preventing Gaddafi's troops from killing civilians.
They have to do something in Tripoli … I understand there are ways there with which to get at Gaddafi's forces. Now it is slowly opening up to strikes and this will encourage people to turn against Gaddafi.
3:55pm
Libyan rebels send reinforcements and supplies towards Brega on Wednesday as former military officers, now with the opposition, were trying to keep untrained fighters from leaving Ajdabiya towards the frontline.
After several days of skirmishes, the frontlines keep moving back and forth between Brega and Ajdabiya, with neither side able to make any significant move.
Rebel fighters resting between Ajdabiya and Brega as Gaddafi forces pushed rebels back [Reuters]
10:37pm
AFP - NATO, accused by Libyan rebels of failing to protect civilians in the besieged city of Misurata, vows to do everything to protect the population.
"Misrata is our number one priority," NATO deputy spokeswoman Carmen Romero told AFP news agency adding that alliance warplanes hit Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's military assets around Libya's third largest city on Monday.
"We have a clear mandate and we will do everything to protect the civilians of Misurata," Romero said, referring to the UN Security Council resolution permitting "all necessary measures" to defend Libya's population.
6:17am
Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee, reporting from Benghazi, says the criticism of NATO from opposition forces reflects the fact they continue to struggle in their battles against pro-Gaddafi forces, and that the conflict may be prolonged.
6:01am
Associated Press - Libya's rebel leadership has apologised for the 1988 bombing of a jet over the town od Lockerbie in Scotland and pledged to cooperate with all investigations.
In a statement read by Jason McCue, a British lawyer representing victims' families, the council issued "a voluntary and sincere apology on behalf of the free people of Libya for the previous conduct of the Gaddafi regime in sanctioning and facilitating such a despicable and direct act of terrorism against the victims".
The lawyer read the statement after a meeting in the rebel-held city of Benghazi with Mustafa Abdul Jalil, the head of the opposition interim governing council, who claimed recently to have "evidence" that Gaddafi ordered the bombing.
4:26am
Libyan anti-government soldiers are reportedly being tortured and executed in an underground prison in Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte, according to one prisoner who since escaped.
Al Jazeera's Sue Turton reports that there are more and more stories emerging across the country of abuse and suffering at the hands of the Gadaffi forces.
2:57am
General Carter Ham, the chief of the United States' Africa Command, testified before American lawmakers in Washington DC.
He has reiterated that NATO is now in full command of the mission, and the US is acting only in a supporting role.
Al Jazeera's John Terret reported from Washington DC:
General Carter Ham who is the commanding general for all US forces in Africa said he still envisaged a go it alone role for the US and he said that would be if US interests were specifically targeted.
Ham also said later in his testimony that in future should there be any need for a rescue operation in Libya then the US will take the lead on that initiative.
He was asked whether he had a strong relationship with those who are now in control in NATO and he said it's like Afghanistan were NATO is in control but the US is clearly a key player.
General Carter Ham was also asked about US relations with other allies in the Middle East and Maghreb region and he said that some of the responses from those allies regarding the No-Fly Zone over Libya and the subsequent conflict have been frankly mixed.
He said going forward in future he would have one-to-one discussions with those allies to make sure they understand why the US went in and did what it did.
1:47am
Libyan opposition leaders continue to say that Gaddafi must leave before talks can take place. And that is a key dilemma in the country overcoming it's current crisis.
Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught reports from Tripoli:
The two sides are so far apart because their ultimate view of the solution to the problem is one that is completely incompatible, mutually incompatible. And it comes down basically to what Libya will look like.
Should Libya at the end of this conflict still have Colonel Gaddafi and his family in place, albeit with promises of reform. or is the only future for Libya one that does not involve Colonel Gaddafi and his family? And that is the debate that is being had in all quarters. That is the root of the various compromise solutions that are on offer.
We are hearing people talk, on the government side, of the possibility of a referendum, on the possibility of holding elections. But those promises are always made in the context of Colonel Gaddafi and his family remaining in place. and that is something that the other side simply do not find credible or believable.
1:00am
Abdul Fatah Younis, the head of the Libyan opposition's armed forces, and the former interior minister of Gaddafi's regime, spoke at a press conference in Benghazi on Tuesday. He accused NATO of acting too "slowly", or not acting at all, to protect civilians in their fight against the Libyan leader.
Read more of what he had to say on yesterday's live blog here. [Image by AFP]
12:52am
Two people were killed and 26 injured in shelling by Muammar Gaddafi's forces in the besieged city of Misurata on Tuesday, a rebel told the Reuters news agency.
12:01am
Welcome to Al Jazeera's Libya live blog for April 6 - catch up on all of the latest developments by referring to our live blog for April 5, a day when rebels lashed out at NATO for being "too slow" to act to save civilian lives, while Muammar Gaddafi's forces pushed forward to take the town of Brega, west of Ajdabiya.
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Libya Live Blog - April 5
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 4th, 2011.
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
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(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:46pm
Ahmet Davutoglu, the Turkish foreign minister, will hold talks with Mahmoud Jibril, the foreign affairs chief for the opposition Transitition National Council, in Qatar in the coming days, the Turkish news agency Anatolia reported.
11:17pm
Al Jazeera's Sue Turton has filed a report from Ajdabiya, where she met with a former Gaddafi soldier who was held in a prison in Sirte. The former solider says prisoners were being abused and tortured at the prison.
11:11pm
The Associated Press reports that rebels in towns southwest of Tripoli have banded together to fight pro-Gaddafi forces, pushing them out of the mountain town of Yefren.
Shaban Abusitta, a rebel leader from the town of Nalut, said youths from Nalut and Az Zintan infiltrated Yefren and helped their allies there to fight against government forces, who had surrounded the town. The rebels, armed with Kalashnikov rifles, attacked the armed forces' lines and pushed them away from the town.
Abusitta said at least 25 families from Yefren were now taking shelter in Nalut, and that many others were escaping towards the Tunisian border.
10:46pm
AFP reports that Abdelati al-Obeidi has been formally appointed as Libya's foreign minister, replacing Moussa Koussa, who fled the country to the United Kingdom.
10:36pm
Reuters reports, citing a rebel spokesman, that shelling in Misurata stopped at about 5:00pm local time, after beginning at 10:00am.
Misrata was shelled with tank fire, artillery and mortars, mainly (around) Tripoli street and the port area. The shelling started around 10 a.m. and stopped at 5 in the afternoon.
"The situation gets worse every day. Unfortunately NATO's operations have not been effective in Misrata. Civilians are dying every day."
9:33pm
General Carter Ham, the chief of the United States' Africa Command, has been testifying before American lawmakers in Washington DC.
He has reiterated that NATO is now in full command of the mission, and the US is acting only in a supporting role.
Regarding al-Qaeda, he says that it remains the "number one security threat" to the US, particularly in eastern Africa.
9:12pm
Some very strong words there from Abdel Fatah Younis, the military commander of the rebel army in Libya, who was particularly critical of NATO's role, which he said had let the opposition down by standing idly by while Gaddafi kills Libyan citizens.
9:10pm
The situation in the southern areas, as we said the forces that we command the regular armies are on the front line. The oil fields have some patrols and some of our rebel youths that have joined the rebellion. They have tried to shell the Sidr oil field, and there are some damages, but are working on reparing them. All of this is to deny the eastern area access to its oil. Because now the National Council has the legitimacy to sell the oil. And we have started these contacts with Qatar. And the Gaddafi regime does not want the people to enjoy their rights.
"Yesterday we intercepted a brief from their forces saying that they have destroyed the field. These Gaddafi forces have been lying so that they would not be executed by the regime. We also informed NATO about these groups that are trying to sabotage the fields. We told NATO about them, NATO says we cannot shell them when they are in the oil field.
"But these people are on tarmac, and it would not influence the oil fields, but unfortunately they were not bombed.
"The security of the oil fields have intercepted these groups and defended the oil fields. "
9:05pm
When a large force of tanks, and even 155 artillery, which is on its way to Benghazi, Ajdabiya or Brega, we always inform straight away NATO. Because we don't have such weapons. NATO's reaction is very slow. By the time the information reaches from one official to another until it reaches the field commander, it takes hours. Will these forces wait for hours to bomb? No, they will go into the city and burn it down. That is why I want NATO to stand with us and support us, otherwise I will ask the National council to address this issue at the Security Council.
"Of course NATO is helping us sometimes, but they are taking their time, and we are giving the coordinates of these forces that enter cities, but there is slow action, which allows invading forces to enter a city, burn it down, kill everybody and then leave the city.
"We have some MiGs and helicopters that we have repaired, and we ask if we can fly these warplanes. NATO forbids us. They are not letting us help, or helping themselves. Broadcast this to the world, so that people will know that NATO is not supporting us."
9:04pm
Unfortunately, and I sorry to say this, NATO has disappointed us. My staff have been in contact with the NATO envoys to direct them to targets that should protect civilians, but until now, NATO has not given us what we need...
Civilians are dying daily in Misurata because of lack of food or milk, even children are dying. Even by bombing. If NATo waits for another week, it will be a crime that NATO will have to carry. What is NATO doing? It is shelling some defined areas only."
8:59pm
Responding to a question on Misurata:
Misurata gentlemen is under the complete annihilation. It is extreme meaning of annihilation. There is no water, no electricty, no food, even children's milk this has been going on for 40 days, and daily bombing of buildings, hospitals and mosques. Heavy artillery is bombing civilian targets and when the Misurata people went to the wells that contain a lot of salt in them for drinking water, the Libyan regime closed down the black water or the sewage, and that's what led to the flooding of sewage into these wells.
"Who is talking about helping Misurata? Whether it is NATO, or even from the devil's alliance, this is Muslim people who are being annihilated, exterminated, and no population has been subjected to this since the early days.
"Who has been subjected to this treatment. These people were drinking water from wells that have been contaminated.
"These weapons [on board a ship] are for self-defence, and the international media should defend the people of Misurata. NATO which is sometimes bombing some areas and at the same time leaving Misurata's people to die under these conditions."
8:54pm
Responding to a question on whether there are divisions on the front line in the rebel army, Younis says:
"I don't know why the journalists these days are picking up on these rumours. These rumours, whether right or wrong, do not influence the position of the armed forces. There is no disagreement, no problems, between the rebel forces.
"The front line is OK, and there is opportunity for every citizen to join us at the front line."
8:51pm
Abdel Fatah Younis, the head of the pro-democracy opposition's army, is addressing a press conference in Benghazi now. Watch on AJE live!
8:19pm
Forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi have razed a mosque in Az Zawiyah that had been used by rebels as a base, as well as a graveyard in a central square where opposition fighters are buried in that city.
Gaddafi's forces are now in firm control of the city, which for weeks had fought back against siege by government troops.
8:17pm
Geoff Morell, the Pentagon' spokesman, says that no decision has yet been made on whether or not the US will be helping to arm rebels. At the moment the topic of "non-lethal" aid is being discussed, he says.
8:06pm
This video, the content of which Al Jazeera cannot independently verify, shows what appears to be a Libyan rebel weapons factory, with opposition activists hard at work decorating rocket/missile launchers taken off aircraft that are being modified and mounted on the back of pick-up trucks.
7:58pm
Antonio Guterres, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, has paid tribute to the countries bordering Libya for taking in hundreds of thousands of refugees during the current crisis in the country. He has also paid tribute to Italy and Malta for sheltering thousands of economic migrants and refugees from North Africa - even though Rome says that it wants to send many Tunisians seeking a better life in Europe back home.
7:57pm
Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, says he wants to question Moussa Koussa, the former Libyan foreign minister who has resigned and fled to London.
Moreno-Ocampo said that Koussa could have crucial information about the inner workings of Muammar Gaddafi's government.
7:56pm
Two boats carrying 600 migrants, including Eritreans and Somalians feeling Libya, arrived at Lampedusa island today.
About 800 of the 1,500 migrants already on the tiny Italian island were transferred on Monday to processing centres in Italy by air and sea.
7:50pm
Algeria is concerned by a noticeable increase in al-Qaeda presence in Libya, Abdelkader Messahel, the country's deputy foreign minister, said today.
7:08pm
A Pentagon briefing on Libya is underway at the moment. Watch live on our stream.
0:00pm
With oil tankers now docking at the eastern oil ports of Tobruk and Marsa el Hariga, and the rebels desperate for an inflow of funds, as much to prove their viability as a government as to fund their opposition, Laurence Lee reports on the state of play on Libya's oil.
6:32pm
Jordanian fighter jets are operating out of a European airbase to protect Jordanian transport aircraft that are delivering humanitarian assistance to the opposition in eastern parts of Libya.
Nasser Judeh, the Jordanian foreign minister, said at a news conference today:
The Jordanian fighters arrived at one of the military bases in Europe two days ago to protect Jordanian military aircraft carrying humanitarian aid to the Libyan people and to provide logistical support. Jordan sent a first plane carrying humanitarian aid to Benghazi yesterday [Monday]."
6:30pm
More on NATO operations near Misurata: coalition aircraft launched 14 strikes on Monday, including "a number" targetting air defence systems, tanks and armoured vehicles in the area around the besieged Western town, the alliance says.
The alliance also hit a rocket launcher near Brega on Monday., and ammunition storage facilities in other parts of the country.
6:21pm
Hundreds of Libyans evacuated from Misurata by a Turkish hospital ship have arrived in the Turkish city of Cesme, where they are now being treated.
Some 60 ambulances and two helicopters were on standby as the ferry docked on Turkey's Aegean coast.
6:16pm
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, in an interview with the BBC, says that Moussa Koussa, the former Libyan foreign minister who left Libya for the UK, is "sick and old" and may make up "funny stories" about the Lockerbie bombing to tell authorities, but would have little of consequence to tell them.
"The British and the Americans ... they know everything about Lockerbie so there are no secrets'' Koussa can reveal, Saif said.
6:15pm
Jock Stirrup, Britain's former chief of defence staff, tells Al Jazeera that in order for political efforts to erode Gaddafi's support base to suceed, there must be an understanding of the nature of support for him and the motivations of those who do back him.
He says that efforts for the political resolution of the crisis have only seriously been pursued "for the last couple of weeks", and that since these are "difficult" and "sensitive" issues, the hope is that while little is being said publically, much is being done behind closed doors.
6:04pm
The United Nations has doubled its aid appeal for Libya to $310 million, Elisabeth Byrs, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says.
The funds, she said, would be used to provide relief to over 1.5 million people affected by the conflict, including more tha 400,000 refugees.
So far, OCHA has received 70 per cent of its first appeal, which was for $160 million.
The International Organisation for Migration on Tuesday has also repeated a plea for more funding, saying that there is currently "no more money for humanitarian evacuations" from Egypt and Tunisia.
6:02pm
Mustafa Gheirani, a spokesman for the Libyan opposition's National Council, has told AFP that while the opposition has suffered "setbacks", it will fight on.
There is no revolution without setbacks. But the people will win. Gaddafi cannot rule Libya with his machine -- his militias and his mercenaries... We are committed to fighting this tyrant, and either we will drive him out or he will rule a country with no people in it."
5:57pm
The military action in Libya is costing the US Air Force $4 million a day, though those costs are likely to fall now that US fighter jets are not actively involved in sorties over Libya, the USAF says.
USAF Secretary Michael Donley put the cost of the operation so far at $75 million.
The total cost for the entire US military was estimated to be $500 million on March 28.
5:33pm
Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee has been reporting from Benghazi on the status of the conflict near Brega, as well as other stories out of the opposition stronghold.
5:30pm
Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel-Hamid has just been reporting live from Ajdabiya.
Since this morning we were trying to get as close as possible to Brega. We reached the junction on the road that would lead inside that town, but since mid-morning, opposition forces have been coming under a rolling artillery and mortar barrage that really pushed them about 20 to 30 km eastwards towards the town of Ajdabiya.
"Now we haven't seen such a push for a few days, over the past few days it actually seemed as if the opposition forces were able to hold some sort of position around the town of Brega. Well, today the situation was completely different. The Gaddafi forces were much more aggresive than they had been in the past days, it seem that maybe they had received new supplies, but certainly they have been pounding much more intensely than over the past few days."
5:05pm
These pictures were taken near Brega at various points today. [First two pictures: Reuters; Next three: EPA]
4:55pm
Libyan authorities had decided that they were prepared to kill anti-government protesters even before the opposition's movement against Gaddafi had really gotten going, International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo tells Reuters.
We have evidence that after the Tunisia and Egypt conflicts in January, people in the regime were planning how to control demonstrations inside Libya ... They were hiding that from people outside and they were planning how to manage the crowds ... the evidence we have is that the shooting of civilians was a pre-determined plan.
"The planning at the beginning was to use tear gas and [if that failed to work]..., shooting."
Moreno-Ocampo says that the court has "judicial responsibilities" to collect evidence regarding the possible prosecution of Muammar Gaddafi and his allies, but that the "political responsibilities" of deciding whether or not Gaddafi is to be offered immunity in return for leaving the country "are in the hands of the [UN] Security Council".
4:53pm
Anita McNaught, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Tripoli, reports that Libyan state television is planning to broadcast live from Brega at some point this evening.
Hoda Abdel-Hamid, our correspondent who has been reporting from the frontlines, says that it can be said with a fair degree of certainty that Gaddafi's forces have taken all of Brega, given the intensity of their assault this morning towards Ajdabiya.
4:48pm
Angelina Jolie's not the only one at Ras Ajdir, the Tunisian border crossing with Libya. The Tunisian state news agency reports that Salam Mabrouk Abdallah and Jomaa Ibrahim Ammar, external communication and international cooperation advisors of the Libyan Popular Committee entered Tunisia at Ras Ajdir on April 4th, bound for Djerba airport.
TAP, the news agency, says they took off for Bamako, in Mali.
4:42pm
NATO has termed the deaths of civilians in an airstrike on Friday an "unfortunate accident". Rebels had fired an anti-aircraft gun in celebration at seeing NATO fighter jets, who then fired on the vehicle in self-defence, the alliance said.
The assessment of the incident has now "closed", NATO says, as opposition forces "have already stated that it was their fault".
Brigadier General Mark van Uhm, NATO's commander of allied operations, said that the opposition appears to have "learned their lesson", and is now only using more experienced fighters at the front line and has strictly banned celebratory firing.
Oana Lungescu, a NATO spokesperson, said of the incident:
We take any reports of civilian casualties very seriously, but clearly if somebody fires on our aircraft, those aircraft have the right to fire, it is their right of self defence."
4:40pm
Chris Stevens, the US deputy ambassador to Libya, has arrived in Benghazi to hold talks with the opposition's national council there, according to a US official who was speaking to the Associated Press.
Stevens will be discussing humanitarian and possible financial assistance to be provided to the opposition by the US.
4:38pm
The Associated Press reports that diplomats are dangling offers of immunity from prosecution and the lifting of asset and travel freezes to members of Gaddafi's family in order to persuade them to withdraw their support for the Libyan leader.
4:34pm
A tanker has docked at the eastern Libyan oil port of Tobruk to pick up the first oil cargo to leave Libya for 18 days, says Michelle Bockmann, markets editor of shipping news and data provider Lloyd's List.
The boat is expected to be loaded on April 6.
4:21pm
Brigadier General Mark van Uhm, NATO's chief of allied operations, says that coalition airstrikes have continued apace since NATO took command of bombing operations from the US.
Van Uhm says that Misurata is the new priority for NATO. Residents of the western town report that they have come under constant bombardment from pro-Gaddafi forces, and have repeatedly called for NATO to intervene in the city.
Misurata is a number one priority because of the situation on the ground over there. We have confirmation that in Misurata tanks are being dispersed, being hidden, (and) humans being used as shields in order to prevent NATO sorties to identify targets."
Van Uhm also says that pro-Gaddafi forces are changing their tactics to cope with coalition airstrikes.
What we have seen is that pro-Gaddafi forces have changed their tactics over days, what we see is that they are more and more using trucks and light vehicles to move their personnel to the frontline. We are trying to identify where those heavy assets like tanks and armoured vehicles are because we have seen that they have chosen to hide in urban areas, even using human shields in order to not be targeted."
3:59pm
Denmark and Norway have expressed their support for an open-ended military campaign against Gaddafi, while all five Nordic nations have called for him to immediately step down.
The foreign ministers of five Nordic states met in Helsinki today to discuss the crisis in Libya.
Lene Espersen, the Danish foreign minister, said her country would will "stay there for as long as it takes to protect civilians", and that Denmark would be willing to send ships to enforce an arms embargo.
Norway, Denmark and Sweden have all sent warplanes to take part in the international military action in Libya.
Carl Bildt, the Swedish foreign minister, pointed out that the challenge going forward in Libya would be building a democracy, when and if Gaddafi left power.
3:09pm
Angelina Jolie, everyone's favourite actress-cum-UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, visited refugees from Libya at a UN-run camp on the Tunisia-Libyan border today.
More than 400,000 people have fled Libya in the last month, headed to Tunisia, Egypt, Niger, Algeria, Chad and Sudan. The majority have gone to Tunisia and Egypt, with the former receiving more than half of the outflow.
Transit facilities have been set up by the UN 7km inside Tunisia to provide temporary shelter for refugees. The UN says it has helped 70,000 people reach "home safely", but more continue to arrive, and 11,000 people are still in transit.
Jolie, the Goodwill Ambassador, said:
The outpouring of generosity from the Tunisian people says so much for the future of this country. “It is a sign of the openness sweeping across the region ... “The international community has done well to reinforce Tunisia’s remarkable relief effort. But with 2,000 people still crossing each day, we cannot let the funding dry up and need to sustain the momentum."
3:01pm
NATO says that air strikes on Gaddafi targets have destroyed nearly a third of the military power available to the Libyan leader.
"The assessment is that we have taken out 30 percent of the military capacity of Gaddafi," Brigadier General Mark van Uhm, a senior NATO staff officer, told a news briefing.
1:00pm
Reuters news agency has reported that an oil tanker has arrived at the rebel-held east Libyan port of Marsa el Hariga.
10:30am
Reuters news agency has reported that Libyan pro-democracy fighters hoped to begin their first independent oil shipment on Tuesday. The tanker Equator, which can carry 1 million barrels of crude, was due to arrive at the east Libyan port of Marsa el Hariga.
The pro-democracy leadership says Qatar agreed to market oil from east Libyan fields no longer under Gaddafi's control after the Gulf state recognized the revolutionary council in Benghazi as Libya's legitimate government.
Italy, a major investor in Libyan oil, also sided with the rebels on Monday, promising them weapons and demanding that Gaddafi and his family, who enjoyed warm ties with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, leave Libya.
9:30am
A YouTube video shows a very funny old guy cracking jokes about Gaddafi in Zawiya one day and then very disturbing images of the same old guy being beaten/taunted in the back of a vehicle by soldiers a week or so later.
Al Jazeera can not independently verify the authenticity of the video. WARNING the language is very disturbing.
9:15am
Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel Hamid reports from the town of Ajdabiya on how the opposition there says the momentum is changing.
8:15am
Al Jazeera's Sue Turton reports on how the pro-democracy fighters have managed to push Gaddafi’s troops into the old town of Brega. And how many of the residents are desperate to leave due to shortage of basic supplies.
8:00am
US fighter jets have ended their combat missions in Libya, with Nato to take full command of operations.
7:00am
Moussa Ibrahim, the Libyan government spokesman, tells reporters that they are ready for negotiations as long as it is from within Libya.
6:15am
Hani Faris, a political science professor at the University of British Colombia in Vancouver, spoke to Al Jazeera about the current situation in Libya and the way forward to solve the issues.
"We have arrived at a junction in the Libyan crisis where diplomacy needs to play a role, all parties involved in the Libya crisis have seen that they can not have their way, there needs to be a settlement the sooner the better.
"The Libyan people really need to put a stop to the war that is taken place.
"It is well known that the regime in Libya can not survive, Ghaddafi himself must go, and he will go.
We know that there is a fusion between the state and Ghaddafi, there are no autonomous state institutions. and when Ghaddafi leaves his regime will fall apart.
"The Arab world should not leave the negotiations and intervention in Libya to non Arab states, Egypt and Tunis have a very special role to play, both of them are highly regarded in the world today. Both of them are neighbors. They can both play a major role in bringing a settlement to Libya that recognizes the needs and demands for freedom and peace in the country."
4:15am
Ordinary Libyans, and those families worst affected by the fighting on the front lines, are in no mood to compromise to end Libya's crisis. Al Jazeera's James Bays reports from Benghazi, where people continue to stand resolute in their call for Gaddafi and his entire family to leave power.
4:03am
The European Union said it could provide special assistance to member countries facing a refugee crisis and ease refugees' conditions after political upheaval in north Africa.
"In case of a massive inflow of displaced persons and refugees (from Libya, Tunisia or Egypt), the European Commission would be ready to make use of the 2001 directive that provides immediate protection" to these people, said Cecilia Malstroem, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, on Monday, the AFP news agency reported.
This comes as more than 22,000 migrants, mostly from Tunisia, have landed on the Italian island of Lampedusa since theTunisian revolution in January.
3:20am
Libyan rebels fighting Gaddafi's forces are worried about their financial resources and want to start exporting both oil and natural gas, the UN special envoy to Libya said.
Abdelilah al-Khatib spoke to the Security Council about his recent visits to Libya, where he met with the rebels' Transitional National Council and members of Gaddafi's government in Tripoli.
"The council raised concerns about the lack of funds as well as issues surrounding the marketing and sale of oil and gas, stressing that the issue required urgent attention in order to enable the economy to function effectively," he told the 15-nation Security Council on Monday.
2:27am
The US Treasury is ending its freeze on former Libyan foreign minister Moussa Koussa's assets following his decision to sever ties to Gaddafi's government and flee to Britain last week, a senior US Treasury official said.
"Koussa's defection and the subsequent lifting of sanctions against him should encourage others within the Libyan government to make similar decisions to abandon the Gaddafi regime," David Cohen, the Treasury's acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a blog posting on the Treasury website.
1:05am
Maltese Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi told Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Abdelati Obeidi that Gaddafi and his family must relinquish power. Obeidi was in Malta following talks with government officials in Greece and Turkey on ways to end the Libyan conflict.
"The Prime Minister reiterated the Maltese government's position that the resolutions of the United Nations must be respected, that the Gaddafi government must step down, that Colonel Gaddafi and his family should leave and there should be an immediate ceasefire and a process to enable the Libyan people to make its democratic choices," the government said in a statement.
12:37am
The Libyan government says it's ready to hold elections, a referendum or any other reform to its political system, Reuters reports.
12:31am
Libya has said Gaddafi must stay, but the country is ready to discuss reforming its political system, Reuters reports.
The government said only Libyans themselves can decided if Gaddafi should stay or not.
12:23am
A Libyan government spokesperson said Libya is ready for a "political solution" with world powers, the Reuters news agency reports.
12:14am
Libyan state television late on Monday showed live footage of Muammar Gaddafi saluting supporters from a jeep that drove outside his fortified compound of Bab al-Aziziyah in Tripoli.
A written newsflash read: "The brother leader among his supporters."
For other updates you may have missed from yesterday, click here.
12:00am
Welcome to today's liveblog.
We'll be keeping you up to date with breaking news and reports as they emerge from Libya. You can also check out yesterday's blog by clicking here.
And don't forget, you can also tune into our live TV feed online: Watch Al Jazeera
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Libya
ORGANIZATION
Libyan government
Possibly related posts (automatically generated)
Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
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Recent Comments
ed red in the mid-east, mostly anything american is a no-no. that is why you see toyotas. sad but true.
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
gnirts Several billion in cash and gold reserves held in-country. More than enough to keep him going, keep paying the soldiers etc.
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
ABigStone His credibility is only judged by fact comparing his report to the facts we get.
And he is losing badly.
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
AntinaziGuy They are driving Toyota Land Cruisers of last models. Army seems as well. it is from 68k.
http://www.toyota.com/landcrui...
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
Joris Diepstraten he wont get it the people will rise
younis is easy compared to the daffys
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
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Live Blog - Libya Feb 26
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on February 25th, 2011.
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya enters its twelfth day, we keep you updated on the developing situation from our headquarters in Doha, Qatar.
Blog: Feb17 - Feb18 - Feb19 - Feb20 - Feb21 - Feb22 - Feb23 - Feb24 - Feb25
AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Twitter Audio: Voices from Libya
Benghazi Protest Radio (Arabic)
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:59pm
We continue our liveblog coverage here: February 27.
11:00pm
Jamie Doward argues in the Guardian that "Saif's desire to act as a mouthpiece for his father has lent the tragic scenes unfolding in Libya a surreal, sometimes ridiculous dimension.
His appearances in front of the television cameras suggest a man increasingly unhinged. Arms folded, jaw firmly out, Saif is a manifestation of defiance. It is clear he is very much his father's son, albeit, as one Twitter user wryly observed, someone who seems to have styled himself sartorially on Stringer Bell, the drug lord in the US cop show The Wire.
10:45pm
An atmosphere of panic and chaos has gripped Tripoli's international airport, strewn with luggage left behind by fleeing passengers and besieged by crowds on Saturday trying to escape the escalating violence. Thousands of people, many of them migrant workers from the Middle East and Africa, have camped out for days on little more than bread and water in the hope of leaving.
10:25pm
AJE source says that "security officials were at Tripoli medical centre all day today ... the injured did not go in for help". He estimates that 70 were killed last night alone.
"They were left to drown in their own blood ... the blood banks are empty ... last night (Friday) Tripoli medical centre was over run with the wounded"
10:20pm
The first Indian evacuees from #Libya have arrived in New Delhi, describing looting and narrow escapes from violence reports AFP. The Air India flight carrying around 300 evacuees from Libya arrived in New Delhi and was greeted by India's Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao.
10:05pm
Reuters reports that UN Security Council diplomats clashed on Saturday over a proposal to refer the deadly crackdown against anti-government demonstrators in Libya to the International Criminal Court.
9:50pm
According to Reuters, Libyan Ex-Justice minister leads formation of an interim government based in Benghazi. It is further reported that Gaddafi 'alone' bears responsibility for crimes in the country.
9:30pm
Al Jazeera talks to Ibrahim Sharqieh of the Brookings Center in Doha about the possibilities for Libya
9:10pm
Screen shot of Saif al-Islam
7:45pm
Blackout. No international journalists. No network cameras. And yet the story of Libya's revolution has poured out on twitter, facebook and other online platforms. It's a story that has been raw, uncut and shocking. Read on here.
7:30pm
The UN Security Council has begun urgent deliberations to consider imposing sanctions against Libya for violent attacks against protesters. The sanctions under consideration at Saturday's session include an arms
embargo against the Libyan government and a travel ban and asset freeze against Gadhafi, his relatives and key regime members.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is urging council members to take concrete action to protect civilians in Libya where some estimates indicate more than 1,000 people have been killed in less than two weeks.
7:15pm
The New York Times reports that Qaddafi forces were seen shooting from ambulances and using antiaircraft weapons against crowds, as protesters recount brutal tactics of Libyan regime.
They shoot people from the ambulances,” said one terrified resident, Omar, by telephone as he recalled an episode during the protests on Friday when one protester was wounded. “We thought they’d take him to the hospital,” he said, but the militiamen “shot him dead and left with a squeal.
7:05pm
AJE correspondent reports that anti-government protesters have attacked black Africans in Libya, taking them for mercenaries.
Seidou Boubaker Jallou and his friend, both from Mali, fled for their lives by night to the Tunisian border. They said the roads out of the West are still in the hands of those loyal to Gaddafi. Jallou says:
The situation is very dangerous - every day there are more than a hundred who die - every day - every day there are shootings - the most dangerous situation is for foreigners like us - and also us black people - Because Gaddafi brought soldiers from Chad from Niger - they are black and they are killing Arabs.
7:00pm
Al Jazeera's Inside Story: What would a new Libya look like?
6:55pm
A British warship and a Chinese-chartered ferry docked in the Mediterranean island of Malta loaded with 2,500 people from Libya's vast multinational workforce including domestic helpers.
6:52pm
Families and relatives of expatriate Bangladeshis now trapped in Libya blocked a road near Dhaka on Saturday to demand their quick repatriation. The protesters called upon the government to quickly bring
the expatriate workers home. More than 50,000 Bangladeshi workers are believed to be employed in different Libyan and international firms operating at different areas mainly in Bengazi.
6:30pm
'Free Libya' protests in Tokyo by flickr user: jetalone
5:25pm
An anti-government security man waves to migrant Tunisian nationals and expatriates from other countries before they leave Libya on board a Tunisian ship leaving for Tunisia, from the Libyan harbour in Benghazi. Photo from Reuters.
5:50pm
Map illustrating which cities in Libya have fallen into the hands of pro-reform demonstrators. Details via Reuters.
View Libya in a larger map
4:20pm
South African cartoonist, satirist and social commentator Zapiro charts an alternate Oscar ceremony.
4:15pm
The leaders of Britain, Germany, Italy and Turkey have agreed that the actions of the Libyan regime are "totally unacceptable", a spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron said on Saturday.
3:50pm
Richard Pithouse argues in the latest edition of Pambazuka Online, that the revolts in North Africa and the Middle East might be towards advancing democratic values but the struggles do not seek to replicate American or European values. Pithouse argues that considering the relationship the United States and Europe have had with despots in the region, "they have no claim of moral leadership in this world"
We cannot know the trajectories of the uprisings that have swept North Africa and the Middle East. But one thing is for sure. Whatever pompous claims to the contrary come out of Washington and Brussels, these are not revolts for American or European values. On the contrary they are a direct challenge to those values. They are revolts against a global power structure that is formed by an international alliance of elites with one of its key principles being the idea, the racist idea, that Arabs are ‘not yet ready’ for democracy.
3:40pm
The British Prime Minister chaired a ministerial meeting of the Cabinet Office Briefing Room (COBR) to discuss the latest situation in Libya. According to the spokesperson:
The Prime Minister was clear that the Libyan regime would face the consequences of its actions. He agreed with counterparts that urgent action was needed through the EU and UN including a tough sanctions package targeting the regime directly. The Prime Minister stressed that there can be no impunity for the blatant and inhuman disregard for basic rights that is taking place in Libya.
3:10pm
The US State department says that there maybe Americans still in Libya who "might need assistance departing the country"Philip Crowley, department spokesperson:
In order to help, our task force will remain up and running to make sure that if there are any Americans remaining, we can assist them
2:54pm
The New Middle East? Via Imgur.com
1:50pm
Gaddafi's strongest European ally has weighed in on the situation in Libya too. At a political meeting in Rome, Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi said:
It appears that, effectively, Gaddafi no longer controls the situation in Libya.
1:30pm
Libya's ex-interior minister has told Al Jazeera that Tripoli is the only major city in Muammar Gaddafi's hands.
"Now there is only Tripoli and a few other towns (In Gaddafi's hands). that is why I urge the Libyan people that there is no going back."
1:15pm
The UN Security Council is set to meet today to consider a sanctions resolution against Gaddafi.
Britain, France, Germany and the US have drawn up a resolution that says the attacks on civilians in Libya could amount to crimes against humanity.
The resolution calls for an arms embargo and a travel ban and assets freeze against the Libyan leader.
12:15pm
Our correspondent Hoda Abdel-Hamid, reporting from the eastern Libyan city of al-Baida, says that while many parts of the country's east are no longer under government control, local residents do not want to separate from the rest of Libya.
"They still want a united Libya, and want Tripoli to remain its capital," she said.
She added that many in the country's east have felt abandoned by the Gaddafi government, despite the vast oil wealth located in the region, and said that they feel they have no future in the country.
11:11am
The Maldives has apparently joined France in calling on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to step down, according to the Haveeru Daily, a newspaper in the island nation.
It said Iruthisham Adam, the permanent representative of the Maldives to the UN in Geneva , told the UN Human Rights Council that Libyan authorities have shown brute force and clear disdain for people's rights and well-being.
“The Maldives, a fellow Muslim country which itself recently began the transition to democracy, refuses to remain silent as hundreds of Muslim brothers and sisters are abused and killed,” she asserted.
10:56am
The website Buzzfeed has compiled a list of the Top 40 Best Libyan Protest Signs from around the world. This photo, taken and owned by Collin David Anderson at a protest in Washington, DC, shows one of Buzzfeed's winning signs.
10:00am
Witnesses tell Al Jazeera Arabic, our sister station, that Libyan protesters have taken control of a number of areas in the capital, Tripoli.
They also said at least seven people were killed in Tripoli yesterday when security brigades opened fire on protesters. It was not immediately possible to verify their accounts however.
9:28am
In the Libyan city of Az Zawiyah, about 50km away from the capital Tripoli, amateur video appears to show soldiers switching sides and joining anti-government protesters. Al Jazeera's Tarek Bazley reports:
9:00am
According to this Global Voices piece, which cites Malta.cc, a Maltese blog, Serbian military pilots reportedly took part in the bombing of anti-government protesters in the Libyan cities of Tripoli and Benghazi.
Two Libyan pilots made the claim upon fleeing to Malta, the blog said. Al Jazeera can't confirm the authenticity of the report - but you can read it for yourself here.
8:19am
A resident of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, just left this voice note posted on Twitter by @Feb17voices. She says:
"We are afraid. We are afraid because we are women, I have daughters here. Every house is armed only by knives. We have nothing else, but we have God. ... We are not very much afraid of death."
Listen to part one of her note below and click here for part two.
5:23am
Ashraf Tulti, director of the Justice and Democracy for Libya group based in Washington, DC, told Al Jazeera that sanctions go against people; they will not affect the Libyan regime.
Instead, he asked for immediate action to stop the killings of Libyan people.
5:22am
Details of the US sanctions are emerging. They are:
Freeze of assets held by Gaddafi and four of his children inside US, all US banks have been put on notice for sudden movement of funds from Libya and all military assistance cut off.
5:02am
A picture of a group of peaceful Libyan protestors outside Hyde Park, London twitted by @ellsun.
Protests have also been held in the British city of Manchester.
4:57am:
The UN Security Council agrees to urgently consider sanctions against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime to try to end its bloody crackdown against anti-government protesters.
Under pressure from Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General, to take "concrete action" to protect civilians, the council decided to meet again on Saturday morning to discuss options.
4:40am:
A rally has been planned in San Fransisco, US, in solidarity with Libyans on Saturday, Febraury 26, 2011 at UN Plaza Market between 1:00pm-4:00pm [local time]
3:35am:
Barack Obama, the U.S. president, has imposed sanctions on Libya's government for its violent repression of a popular uprising, signing an executive order blocking property and transactions related to the country.
3:31am:
Obama says Libyan sanctions target Gaddafi's government while protecting Libyan people's assets.
3:30am:
Obama says Gaddafi's government has violated international norms and common decency and must be held accountable.
3:20am:
A charter aircraft dispatched by the Canadian government on Friday to pick up its citizens fleeing the violence in Libya left Tripoli with only its crew aboard after it could not find any Canadians waiting at the airport.
3:10am:
Muammar Gaddafi's allies in Latin America should follow Peru's example and suspend diplomatic relations with the North African nation's regime, the representative of a leading Jewish organization said on Friday.
Sergio Widder, the Latin American representative of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, strongly criticized the governments of Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela for failing to condemn Gaddafi's violent crackdown on a popular uprising.
2:35am:
Mark Goldberg, Managing Editor, UN Dispatch, told Al Jazeera that the Libyan regime has become isolated and the targeted sanctions against Libyan government might encourage further defections.
2:20am:
After the UN security council meeting, Al Jazeera’s Scott Heidler, reporting from UN headquarters, said that the most important point right now is how to stop the killings in Libya. However, the UN chief told our correspondent that military action was not in the cards.
1:50am
Dozens of US diplomats and their families were among the US-chartered ship's estimated 300 passengers, two of whom had to be taken off the vessel on stretchers by paramedics after crossing over from Tripoli in 20-foot waves.
1:09am:
12:58am
Twitter user @AnnSaid posted this picture.
12:46am
Libya's ambassador to the United Nations, Mohammed Shalgham, has defected, following in the footsteps of his deputy Ibrahim Dabbashi, a diplomat said on Friday.
12:35am
A son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi said on Friday that his forces were holding back in fighting with rebels in western Libya and hoped that a negotiated ceasefire could be in place by Saturday, according to Reuters.
12:20am
After three days of delays, a U.S.-chartered ferry carrying Americans and other foreigners out of the chaos of Libya finally arrived on Friday at the Mediterranean island of Malta.
12:10am
After 41 years of ruthless rule by Muammar Gaddafi, Libyans are suddenly free to rule themselves. Here's a picture gallery from boston.com on the lives of Libyans in the liberated areas of the country.
11:45pm
Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam says army holding back and hopes for peaceful settlement "by tomorrow", according to Reuters.
10:25pm
In Chad, Foreign Ministry's General Secretary Moussa Mahamat Dago rejected allegations that citizens of his African country were amongst those reportedly recruited by Gaddafi to crack down on protesters
10:15pm
An Italian navy assault ship, the San Giorgio, has loaded up 245 evacuees in the Libyan port of Misrata and has set sail for Sicily.
10:04pm
The United States has suspended embassy operations in Libya and is moving forward with unilateral sanctions.
Topics in this blog
PEOPLE
Ban Ki-Moon
Ibrahim Sharqieh
Muammar Gaddafi
Saif al-Islam
COUNTRY
Chad
Libya
United States
CITY
Benghazi
Tripoli
ORGANIZATION
Libyan government
UN security council
United Nations
Possibly related posts (automatically generated)
Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Libya Live Blog - April 10
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 10th, 2011.
A rebel fighter carries his food on the road between Ajdabiya and Brega on Saturday. [AFP/Odd Andersen]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Blog: Feb17 - Feb18 - Feb19 - Feb20 - Feb21 - Feb22 - Feb23 - Feb24 - Feb25 - Feb26 - Feb27 - Feb28 - Mar1 - Mar2 - Mar3 - Mar4 - Mar5 - Mar6 - Mar7 - Mar8 - Mar9 - Mar10 - Mar11 - Mar12 - Mar13 - Mar14 - Mar15 - Mar16 - Mar17 - Mar18 - Mar19 - Mar20 - Mar21 - Mar22 - Mar23 - Mar24 - Mar25 - Mar 26 - Mar 27 - Mar 28 - Mar 29 - Mar 30 - Mar 31 - Apr 1 - Apr 2 - Apr 3 - Apr 4 - Apr 5 - Apr 6 - Apr 7 - Apr 8
AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Operation Odyssey Dawn - Twitter Audio - Tweeting revolutions
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
12:41am
African Union mediators have left Mauritania for Libya to attempt to negotiate a ceasefire.
Presidents Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania, Amadou Toumani Toure of Mali, Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo and Jacob Zuma of South Africa, left mid-morning, travelling separately to Tripoli, then Benghazi.
"They have just left, each in his own plane," a Mauritanian official told AFP.
Meanwhile, Nabila Ramdani, a French journalist and Middle East expert,told Al Jazeera that she was questioning the AU's involvement in mediation.
Unfortunately, my view about the African Union is that it will appear as not being a credible group of people to be in a position to broker a deal on behalf of [Muammar] Gaddafi.
"They're a group of dictators themselves and they won't be taken very seriously given that they're from very brutal regimes which are in many ways far worse than the Gaddafi regime."
9:50am
Gaddafi's forces have clashed with opposition fighters in Ajdabiya, according to rebels quoted by Reuters.
A witness at Ajdabiya's eastern gate heard shooting and artillery fire and saw plumes of black smoke, suggesting Gaddafi's forces had pushed towards the centre of the town.
"There is resistance inside the city. Gaddafi forces are fighting with rebels. They have a presence inside."
7:58am
North Korea has ordered its citizens in Libya not to return home in an apparent bid to block news of civil uprisings in the Arab World from reaching the isolated state, according to Yonhap news agency.
The report says Pyongyang sent a message to its embassy in Libya telling about 200 North Korean workers not to return.
Pyongyang and Tripoli have maintained close diplomatic ties, with Gaddafi described in the North as a "revolutionary comrade" of leader Kim Jong-Il, according to defectors from the North.
7:30am
Here's a longer version of the footage Al Jazeera has obtained of government forces in the battlefield. It's filmed in mid-March and shows young men being taken into custody and beaten up by Gaddafi forces roaming the streets of Ajdabiya.
3:10am
To catch up on all of the events in Libya from Saturday, check out our April 9 live blog.
2:59am
Here's some of that exclusive Ajdabiya video Al Jazeera has received, with some discussion from our correspondent Hoda Abdel Hamid:
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Libya
Possibly related posts (automatically generated)
Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Live Blog: Middle East Protests April 10
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Middle East
on April 10th, 2011.
A burned military truck in Tahrir Square in Cairo after security forces dispersed protesters. [AFP/ Khaled Desouki]
Show oldest updates on top
As the unrest in the Middle East continues, we update you with the latest developments from Syria, Yemen and across the region.
Read on for the latest from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe.
Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Region in turmoil - Syria Unrest - Yemen's Uprising - Battle for Libya - Egypt's Revolution - Bahrain Protests
(All times are in GMT)
10:48am
SYRIA Sources tell Al Jazeera that Daraa, where dozens of people were killed in Friday's protests, is 80 per cent paralysed. Children were sent back home from schools and most government buildings are not operational.
There are checkpoints between the old city and the new city.
10:10am
EGYPT Several hundred protesters stayed in Cairo's Tahrir Square overnight and have barricaded the square with a burnt-out army vehicle, barbed wire and beams.
"The people demand the toppling of the Field Marshal," they chanted, referring to military chief Hussein
Tantawi who was handed power after former president Hosni Mubarak was ousted.
10:00am
SYRIA Watch Cal Perry's report from Syria, where rights groups say 37 protesters were killed on Friday.
7:05am
SYRIA An resident in the coastal city of Banias tells Al Jazeera that military has been deployed there after protests yesterday and that gunfire can be heard.
"No one can leave or enter. Schools are closed," she says, adding that people are not going to work.
She says about 6,000 people were protesting in the city yesterday. Cars were set on fire and shops destroyed.
3:00am
SYRIA - Al Jazeer has obtained video from Daraa, the scene of the Syrian protests' worst violence, showing Friday's protests and the security forces' heavy handed response. The government has sought to prevent journalists from visiting Daraa.
2:37am
EGYPT - Despite a warning from the ruling military council that protesters who remained in Tahrir Square would be cleared out with "firmness and force," security forces apparantly have not acted against hundreds who remained in the square for a second straight night. With just a few minutes to go before the military's curfew ends, there have been no reports of violence.
Check out our story on the violent dispersal of protesters on Friday night.
1:18am
BAHRAIN - The Interior Ministry has confirmed the deaths on Saturday of two people being held in its detention centers (one death had earlier been reported by the Associated Press).
According to the ministry, Ali Isa Saqer, 31, "created chaos at the detention center and that led to the interference of security forces to bring situation to normal, but he resisted them and sustained various injuries in the process. He was referred to the hospital and died later."
Zakaroya Rashid Hassan, 40, died of complications from sickle cell anemia, the ministry said. This is the second time Bahraini authorities have said a detainee died of sickle cell anemia.
1:14am
SYRIA - Two witnesses told the Reuters news agency that Syrian security forces fired on mourners near a mosque in Deraa on Saturday, but our team on the ground says not gunshots were fired during the funeral procession. A sources says state security did, however, fire on protesters near Deraa's customs building.
12:50am
To catch up with Saturday's events from Yemen, Bahrain, Syria and elsewhere, check our April 9 live blog.
12:42am
EGYPT - Hundreds of protesters remain in central Cairo's Tahrir Square despite the military curfew, which began nearly an hour ago. People in the square are reporting a tense atmosphere on Twitter and, in the last few minutes, that some protesters have been whistling and banging on metal railings in apparent warning.
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Syria
Yemen
Possibly related posts (automatically generated)
Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Live Blog: Middle East Protests April 9
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Middle East
on April 9th, 2011.
Yemeni anti-government protesters shout slogans in Sanaa [AFP]
Show oldest updates on top
As the unrest in the Middle East continues, we update you with the latest developments from Syria, Yemen and across the region.
Read on for the latest from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe.
Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Region in turmoil - Syria Unrest - Yemen's Uprising - Battle for Libya - Egypt's Revolution - Bahrain Protests
(All times are in GMT)
12:49am
That's it for our Middle East protest blog for April 9. You can continue following events on Sunday on our April 10 live blog.
9:45pm
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's correspondent in Sanaa reports:
"We are hearing that there have been at least 200 injured [in Sanaa] according to one medical source, and around 15 of those injuries are form live ammunition."
"We have reports [in Taiz] of over 500 people injured, 40 of those from live ammunition and at least five people are in critical condition. "
9:04pm
EGYPT - More than 1,000 protesters in Tahrir Square vowed on Saturday to stay overnight in defiance of the military after a protester was killed the night before when soldiers dispersed a similar sit-in.
8:04pm
YEMEN - President Ali Abdullah Saleh is facing increased protests at home, and additional pressure from the international community, after some countries have also called for change in Yemen.
Al Jazeera's Caroline Malone reports:
8:02pm
BAHRAIN - A supporter of Bahrain's anti-government movement, Rashid Zakaria Hassan, was found dead in police custody on Saturday, the AP reported.
He was detained April 2 on charges of "inciting hatred, publishing false news, promoting sectarianism and calling for overthrowing of the regime".
His body was found in a detention facility and a medical examiner determined that he died of complications from sickle-cell anemia.
The opposition party, Al-Wefaq, said the death occcured in "mysterious circumstances".
8:00pm
EGYPT - At the news conference in Cairo, given by Egypt's ruling military council, army members spoke about Friday's violence at Tahrir Square.
General Adel Emara, a member of the Armed Forces Supreme Council said:
We would like to confirm to all of you that we didn't shoot a single shot .. didn't shoot a single shot from any of the armed forces that were present at Tahrir Square.
General Ismail Etman, also a member of the Armed Forces Supreme Council said:
Most of the injuries were due to stone throwing because some of our forces mingled in the midst of the people but we did not hit anybody. We didn't use force. And all the films and filming that has been on screens didn't prove any involvement from the armed forces against the civilians.
7:35pm
EGYPT - The ruling military council held a news conference, following renewed protests that overtook Cairo's Tahrir square on Friday and Saturday.
They said the army had dispersed the protesters peacefully and did not fire a singe live shot. They acknowledged that one person had been killed.
The army spokesman said more than 40 people had been detained from Tahrir Square, including four foreigners and eight who were dressed in military uniform.
Our correspondent in Cairo, Mike Hanna, said:
The assumption here that these [eight in military uniform] were in fact the army officers who had joined the demonstration on Friday and who had sought refuge in the square overnight and who would have been the main aim of the army operation overnight.
7:14pm
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's special correspondent in Sanaa has said that riot police with batons were out in force in the capital.
The streets were littered with rocks and gas canisters, as police confrontations with tens of thousands of anti-government protestors continue in the capital.
7:00pm
EGYPT - The country's health ministry has confirmed the death of at least one person following clashes between protesters and the military. And hundreds of soldiers stormed Tahrir square, after demonstrators formed a human chain to protect several army officers who had joined them.
Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna has this report from Cairo:
6:39pm
EGYPT - The country's ruling military council has decided to change some of the provincial governors appointed by deposed President Hosni Mubarak, state television reported on Saturday, in a concession to reformist demands for more change.
6:18pm
YEMEN - Anti-government Yemenis women pray during a demonstration in Sanaa.
[Image by AFP]
6:09pm
EGYPT - At a news conference in the capital. Egypt's ruling military council said it would clear protesters from a central Tahrir square with "firmness and force" to allow life to return to normal.
6:05pm
YEMEN - Read our latest news report from Syria on the Al Jazeera website here
4:30pm
EGYPT - Two people were killed and 18 wounded when troops and police stormed Cairo's Tahrir Square to break up a demonstration demanding the ouster of the country's de facto military ruler, medics said.
4:24pm
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's special correspondent in the capital Sanaa was stopped and searched in the midst of the ongoing protests there:
It has just been absolute chaos in the last few few hours here in the capital. We were just - me and the team - out in the streets, not far from the the [Change] Square probably between the main square and the presidential palace. There were hundreds of people who had left the square, pro-democracy protesters and they were just marching in the street and out of nowhere tens of police and men who had their heads covered with balaclavas and in army unifrom began to fire tear gas at the crowd, a lot and lot of teargas.The crowds as we could witness it were just chanting they were just walking through the street, it was a peaceful demonstration, there were no rocks being thrown. It just seemed to come out of nowhere.
We were trying to film some of this going on, some of the teargas going on.. and then lots of men holding guns and lots of other people just wearing civilian clothes came towards me. They took my phone, they started shouting saying that I was a spy, and that i was filming..the soldiers told me that I was not allow to film. They took things off me, they searched me, they held the gun to my stomach. and it was a very threatening environment. Then eventually after about 10 minutes of searching me and taking my phones, they let me go and we were able to get to a safer location now.
4:15pm
SYRIA - Read our latest news report from Syria on the Al Jazeera website here.
3:41pm
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Rula Amin reports from the capital, Damascus:
Yesterday (Friday) was a big day and probably the protests yesterday were the most widespread since they began less than a month ago.
In Daraa there is heavy security and army presence. People are telling us thousands are expected to take part in the funerals of those who were killed and they insist on their version of events that it was the security forces who shot at their sons. what the government is saying is that it has its own forces being shot at.They say about 19 policeman and security members were killed during the clashes in Daraa and they accuse armed gangs..
The government has been clear in asking people not to help these armed gangs, and to tell the security forces on their hide-abouts. They made it very clear, they warned people that there won't be any tolerance for any kind of attempt to shoot at the security forces.
2:03pm
SYRIA - Syrian security forces opened fire on mourners near the old Omari mosque in the southern border city of Daraa following a mass funeral for dead pro-democracy protestors, witnesses told Reuters.
Security forces also used live ammunition in the early hours of Saturday to disperse a pro-democracy protest in Latakia, residents said.
2:01pm
EGYPT - Protesters in cairo's Tahrir Square yesterday held (L-R) Yemeni, Syrian and Egyptian flags in support of anti-regime uprisings sweeping the region:
[Image by AFP]
1:50pm
SYRIA - The editor of Syrian government daily Tishrin said she had been sacked over remarks to Al Jazeera criticising security forces for firing on anti-regime protesters.
Samira al-Masalma told the AFP she had been replaced by the paper's business editor, Munir al-Wadi.
On Friday, she told Al Jazeera there had been a "violation of the rules barring the forces of order from firing on protesters," and that anyone who had done so "should be punished."
1:46pm
SYRIA - A local rights group, the National Organisation for Human Rights, said in a statement that 30 people were killed in the southern city of Deraa, the epicentre of protests.
Three others were also killed in the central city of Homs and another three in Harasta, a Damascus suburb, as well as one in Douma.
12:08pm
OMAN An activist who "instigated riots" in the city of Sohar earlir this month will face trial with 25 others for violent conduct, the chief prosecutor says.
yesterday, security forces sealed off the site of violent clashes that left one dead on April 1 and stopped worshippers from attending Friday prayers to prevent another protest.
11:39am
EGYPT The health ministry says one person was killed and 71 injured after the army dispersed a protest in Cairo's Tahrir Square yesterday. Activists have been reporting a higher death toll.
11:25am
BAHRAIN There have been renewed calls for protests in the Gulf nation, when the majority Shias are complaining of discrimination by the ruling Sunni dynasty. As part of a government crackdown on dissident, security forces have arrested Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, a prominent human rights activist.
Zeinab Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, his daughter, told Al Jazeera that police took him from her house at around 2am this morning.
They broke the door of the apartment. My father didn't resist at all, he went to them calmly but straight away a policeman told him, 'Down, down, get on the floor' ... They dragged him down the stairs and started beating him.
"They did not give any reason ... They were beating him very severely, on the ground, maybe four or five of them, kicking him and hitting him in the face.
10:43am
EGYPT One of the lorries set ablaze overnight in Tahrir Square:
[Reuters]
10:15am
EGYPT Our correspondent in Tahrir Square, Mike Hanna, says the crowds there are swelling. There's no presence of security forces at the moment. Regarding the reports of two deaths in the overnight violence, he says one rumour being floated is that those killed were actually soldiers attempting to make arrests.
10:09am
SYRIA Thousands are expected to attend funerals later today for those killed in Daraa yesterday. There's a high presence of security forces in the city, according to residents.
9:46am
EGYPT Hospital sources say two people were killed in Tahrir Square yesterday. However, an army's spokesman told Al Jazeera there were "no deaths. We as armed forces didn't receive any reports from hospitals or any official source that anyone was killed."
9:00am
EGYPT The armed forces are accusing tycoon Ibrahim Kamel, a senior member of the former ruling party NDP, of orchestrating yesterday's violence in Tahrir Square. In a statement, they're demanding the arrest of him and his aides over "incitement and thuggery".
8:40am
SYRIA Activists on social network sites are calling for daily protests after yesterday's violence. Until now, demonstrations have largely been confined to Fridays.
8:15am
YEMEN Sanaa has called home its ambassador from Qatar for consultation after Qatar's prime minister said Gulf states had a plan for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down.
"The ambassador is being withdrawn for consultations," a foreign ministry official told Reuters.
Saleh initially accepted an offer by Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states to hold talks with the opposition but on Friday, he told tens of thousands of supporters in the capital: "We don't get our legitimacy from Qatar or from anyone else ... we reject this belligerent intervention."
Five protesters were killed in clashes with security forces in the southern city of Taiz on Friday.
8:00am
EGYPT The military says in a statement on Facebook that there were no deaths in last night's violence in Tahrir Square. However, protesters tell Al Jazeera's Adam Makary that at least one or two were killed.
7:24am
EGYPT Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna gave this update from Cairo's Tahrir Square about the clashes which happened overnight:
There were some few thousand people in the square overnight ... They had with them a number of army officers who had joined the demonstrations, against the instructions of the military authorities. Protesters attempted to protect these officers when the military police and other army units moved in overnight. They were dispersed by tear gas, and perhaps rubber coated steel bullets. The exact details of what happened cannot be confirmed, neither can the number of injuries.
"However, those army officers were taken away, we do not know where they are being detained at the moment.
"What added fuel to the flames as far as the military is concerned is the fact that seven of its officers were with the demonstrators in the square. It clearly took this as a direct challenge, having issued orders that no soldier were to take part in the demonstration, this scene was a particularly affront to the military, and clearly this added an edge to whatever actions they did."
7:14am
SYRIA The official SANA news agency says 19 members of the security forces were killed by "armed groups" in Daraa yesterday, while activists say dozens of protesters were killed by security forces.
Our correspondent Rula Amin in Damascus says there are rumours that some family members of people killed in protests could have carried guns and aimed at security forces. Al Jazeera can't verify these reports at the moment as access to information is limited and it's hard for journalists to get into Daraa.
5:40am
EGYPT Al Jazeera's Adam Makary in Tahrir says thousands of people have now gathered in the square, saying they won't leave until they've "reclaimed the square". Makary says he's seen some protesters with injuries from the clashes earlier this morning but no casualties have been confirmed.
5:00am
EGYPT Twitter user yj787 has posted this picture from Tahrir Square this morning. Cars have been set ablaze nearby, that's probably where the smoke in the background is coming from.
4:36am
EGYPT Photographer David Degner posted pictures from Tahrir this morning.
4:30am
EGYPT A witness tells Al Jazeera that a few hundred protesters have re-gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square this morning after military police dispersed a demonstration at around 3am local time.
4:15am
SYRIA US President Barack Obama has criticised the the Syrian government's latest crackdown in which at least 27 people were killed in the southern city of Daraa yesterday.
I strongly condemn the abhorrent violence committed against peaceful protesters by the Syrian government today and over the past few weeks. I also condemn any use of violence by protesters.
"Furthermore, the arbitrary arrests, detention, and torture of prisoners that has been reported must end now, and the free flow of information must be permitted so that there can be independent verification of events."
4:00am
To find out what happened yesterday, check out Friday's live blog.
Topics in this blog
PEOPLE
Abdulhadi Alkhawaja
Mike Hanna
CITY
Cairo
Daraa
ORGANIZATION
army
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Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Libya Live Blog - April 9
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 8th, 2011.
An anti-Gaddafi fighter stands on a tank destroyed near Ajdabiya's western gate [Picture: Reuters]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
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AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Operation Odyssey Dawn - Twitter Audio - Tweeting revolutions
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:55pm
Al Jazeera has obtained exclusive, undated footage showing Gaddafi's forces in Libya, and being seen for the first time inside Ajdabiya, a hotly-contested battleground.
The men are seen going from house to house questioning people to find out if they belong to the opposition.
The video also shows a glimpse of some of the heavy artillery such as rocket launchers, on the highway just outside of town.
For more on this, please go to our Libya live blog for April 10.
10:43pm
NATO commander of the Libya operation Lieutenant-General Charles Bouchard says air strikes hit armored vehicles firing on civilians near both Misurata and Ajdabiya. He said NATO jets also struck ammunition stockpiles east of Tripoli being used in attacks on Misurata and other populated areas.
An unnamed NATO official told The Associated Press that warplanes destroyed 17 tanks and damaged nine more.
8:41pm
NATO warplanes intercept a MiG-23 fighter jet operated by a rebel pilot , forcing him to land after he violated the no-fly zone. An unnamed NATO official said the jet took off from an airfield near Benghazi and was intercepted within minutes.
No aggressive action was displayed by the MiG-23 and the NATO fighters proceeded to force it to land back at the Benina airfield.
8:13pm
A Libyan official says a NATO attack has hit the southern outskirts of Misurata, adding that it was unclear what the target was. Referring to a plume of black smoke rising from the south of the city, the unnamed official said:
This smoke is from a NATO air strike which hit today.
A Reuters witness claimed to have seen a warplane sweeping across the sky.
8:00pm
A group of activists claiming to be part of the February 17 youth revolution organises a small protest at dawn in Tripoli. It declared its main objectives to be - to support efforts to oust Gaddafi, to lift morale in the silenced capital, to resist attempts to silence dissent and to show solidarity with pro-democracy fighters across Libya.
Below the video is the unedited English version of the protest statement, as provided by the group:
In the name of Allah most merciful...
Here we are the city of Tripoli Revolutionaries, we say again ... We are here ... We are standing.
At a time when we protest again, after the loss of hundreds of martyrs amongst us from Tajurah, Suq El Jumma, Mizran, Fashloum, and Martyr square.
And at a time when Gaddaffi’s battalions continue to persecute and apprehend thousands of revolutionaries in every district of Tripoli and without discrimination, from Tajura to Saraj, and from Suq El Jumma and Arrada to Al Seyahiya to Ghout El shaal and Abu Nawas to 2 Maris, and from Gergarish and Hay Al andalus and Dredi and Hadabah to Furnaj, Zanata ,Ben Ashour and Dahra, and from Sidi Khalifa and Almansura to Ain Zara and Airport Road and to all other areas without exceptions.
These are our streets, and these are our alleys , for we vow to you shameful and disgraceful Gaddafi, not you nor your battalions, nor your snipers, nor your mercenaries however many they are, will not terrify us anymore, and we will not back down on our revolution and up rise no matter how greater the sacrifice.
For this city with its students and professors and universities and businessmen and fishermen and doctors and those who witnessed you crimes on February 20th , the day that your revenge reached the highest limits of murdering the injured of those who did not die on site during the demonstrations on Martyrs Square, where those who did not fall from your machine guns in the streets were pursued by your gunmen in the emergency rooms and intensive care units of the hospitals in Tripoli. This city will not allow you to make it weak, easy nor vulnerable ever again.
The Libyans may have been tolerant to the exploitation and abuse of this insane system, in fear of its tyranny and infinite madness, but now that the fear barrier has been broken and shrivelled in the events of the last few weeks, we are thus continuing in the path of freedom and Tripoli will remain a burning flame under his feet and those who follow him.
We will not shout, nor will we tense up as Gaddaffi did in the utmost level of his weakness and vulnerability, but we will maintain our composure and the confidence of the strong, convinced of the nearness of victory and triumph god willing.
The dictator has polluted the language of speech with his cheap synonyms and pitiful descriptions, as he sees people from his point of view, and where we only see him as insolvent, desperate and defeated, becoming himself the terrified rat , spending his days in tunnels and his nights between cellars.
He destroyed the safe country with his ruining alleged leadership, which only led to war, underdevelopment, disability and a country under siege... But now we will take control of the leadership, and we have identified his demise, and we have planned the way for our salvation with no return.
A salute and tribute of respect and glory to the free Libyan revolutionaries everywhere, those who gave an example of gallantry and courage.
We put our hands together with, and renew our support and solidarity to the National Transitional Council, and affirm our support on all its blessed steps and actions.
Glory to Tripoli the capital and eternal glory to our honourable martyrs.
6:24pm
South Africa says its PM Jacob Zuma will be meeting Gaddafi, The Associated Press said, citing a foreign ministry statement on Friday.
But a day later ministry spokesman Clayson Monyela said the only certainty was Zuma's attendance at an African Union meeting on Libya. Monyela said Africans want to mediate talks between Libya's political rivals, but that no date has been set yet.
6:16pm
Gaddafi seen on state-run TV being welcomed in a school in Tripoli, reportedly on Saturday [AFP/Libya TV]
6:03pm
A Libyan opposition group wants the US to grant immediate access to Gaddafi's frozen assets to pay for humanitarian needs in rebel-held areas.
Ali Aujali, who resigned as Libyan envoy to the US in February and now heads the National Transitional Council, wrote to US treasury secretary Timothy Geithner saying the humanitarian conditions were getting worse.
The US has frozen more than $34bn in assets as part of sanctions against Gaddafi and his top aides.
5:50pm
NATO denies its warplanes conducted any air strikes on Ajdabiya, refuting claims by residents that a huge explosion may have been caused by an alliance attack. A NATO official told AFP:
We can confirm that there were no NATO strikes in the city of Ajdabiya. We continue to engage government forces throughout the country. We have verified that the alleged air strike in Ajdabiya city was not the result [of a NATO strike].
The official said NATO was also trying to verify if there was any violation of the UN-mandated no-fly zone, following reports that a military helicopter bearing a rebel flag was flying towards the frontline near Ajdabiya.
5:43pm
A military helicopter with the Libyan rebel flag reportedly seen flying towards the fontline around Ajdabiya on Saturday despite a UN-imposed no-fly zone, the AFP new agency said.
The military helicopter had the rebel flag painted on its side was seen flying very low near Ajdabiya [AFP]
5:20pm
Two rebels reportedly wounded in a crossfire near Ajdabiya, forcing others to retreat following confrontations with Gaddafi's forces on Saturday.
An injured rebel fighter being wheeled into a hospital in Ajdabiya following Saturday's fighting [Reuters]
3:15pm
State-run television runs footage of Gaddafi wearing brown burnous and sunglasses visiting a school in Tripoli reportedly on Saturday morning, with pupils shown shouting anti-Western slogans. He could be seen entering the school surrounded by bodyguards, Reuters said, citing Libyan TV.
12:37pm
Gaddafi's forces have shelled the western outskirts of the opposition-held town of Ajdabiya. Reuters correspondent Michael Georgy reported he heard blasts and machinegun fire for around 30 minutes from the western boundary of the town.
11:58am
Opposition fighters say they have pushed deeper towards the oil port of Brega. They say they took two prisoners after a clash with soldiers near Brega's university.
The eastern Libyan port has changed hands more than five times since the uprising against Gaddafi's rule began in February.
11:05am
The Red Cross says it's extending it aid activities to western Libya. A ship carrying medical supplies has docked in the besieged town of Misurata and aid workers were on the way to Zawiyah.
"We are sending the ship to support Misrata's main hospital, by delivering enough medical supplies to treat 300 patients with weapon injuries on the spot," Jean-Michel Monod, a Red Cross official in Tripoli, said.
The statement came more than a week after the agency began negotiations with Libyan government officials on access to western areas under its control.
8:43am
Our correspondent Hoda Abdel-Hamid sent this report from Brega on how poorly trained opposition fighters are struggling to hold their ground, as Gaddafi's forces continue to have the upper hand on the battlefield.
12:02am
Hello and welcome to today's live blog. We'll keep you updated all day with breaking news and reports from Libya, right here. But if you feel you may have missed out on something, check out yesterday's blog, by clicking here.
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Libya
Possibly related posts (automatically generated)
Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Live Blog: Friday protests across Middle East
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Middle East
on April 8th, 2011.
File picture of protesters in Amman, Jordan [AFP]
Show oldest updates on top
As the unrest in the Middle East continues, we update you with the latest developments from Syria, Yemen and across the region.
Read on for the latest from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe.
Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Region in turmoil - Syria Unrest - Yemen's Uprising - Battle for Libya - Egypt's Revolution - Bahrain Protests
(All times are in GMT)
11:44pm
As the Middle East goes to sleep, we close down our live blog for this Friday, April 8th. Thanks for tuning in, folks.
9:44pm
YEMEN - Online activist group Avaaz have collated footage put online from Taiz and Sanaa, which you can see on their page by clicking here.
9:17pm
SYRIA - In a statement read out on state TV (and repeated three times), the government says:
Over the past Fridays there were a lot of demonstrations in which armed groups used weapons to kill people and security forces - and though we understand that protesting is a right of the population, we can no longer allow chaos to take place and official buildings to be destroyed. So we will use all the means to stop the chaos from taking place.
Note - the above is a rough translation only.
9:06pm
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Cal Perry tells us that people in Daraa are afraid of going to hospitals in case they are kidnapped by secret police. With a large military contingent on its way to Daraa, it is likely the town will be surrounded by tomorrow morning, he says.
8:47pm
SYRIA - The state TV building in Deraa has been burned down, tweets Al Jazeera's Cal Perry.
8:44pm
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Cal Perry, reporting from Damascus, tweets:
Sources confirm to #AJE that the Army has been deployed in large numbers to the Southern City of #Deraa. #Syria
You can follow Cal, too: @calperryAJ
8:17pm
EGYPT - The Muslim Brotherhood has steered clear of recent demonstrations in Cairo's Tahrir Square, but joined protesters on Friday, calling for the prosecution of former president Hosni Mubarak.
Islam Lotfy, who represents the brotherhood and the Youth Coalition, speaks to Al Jazeera from Cairo and explains why his organisation joined today's gathering.
7:45pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Adam Makary (@adamakary) tweets:
The number of army officers joining protesters in #tahrir is growing, they r calling for a sit-in, insisting ppl 2 camp the night with them
7:37pm
SYRIA - More footage of today’s protest in Latakia. The description of this video says: "To all those who question the demands of the Syrian people – A clear message to overthrow the regime"
7:25pm
EGYPT - Thousands gathered today in Tahrir Square, central Cairo, showing a unity unseen since the ousting of former president Hosni Mubarak, to demand the country's new military rulers take action against its former leaders.
Threatening to march to Sharm el-Sheikh, where Mubarak is reportedly holed up, even a small group of soldiers joined the protest - risking courts martial.
Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna has more from Cairo.
7:12pm
SYRIA - More amateur video uploaded to YouTube purportedly shows wounded protesters being treated in the local Omari mosque in Daraa:
6:20pm
YEMEN - Our special correspondent tells us that government officials may be attempting to backtrack on some of President Saleh's defiant remarks this afternoon.
The state news agency is quoting an "informed source" saying Saleh was rejecting "Qatar's meddling in Yemeni affairs" - but still welcomes the efforts of the Gulf countries to find a solution to the crisis. The Saba news agency said:
[The] president welcomed the good efforts of the Gulf countries, particularly the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in order to solve the crisis between the Yemeni parties, the source said - adding that president rejects what was mentioned in a statement by Qatar's Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Hamad bin Jasim Al Thani and regarded it as intervention in the Yemeni domestic affairs which is unacceptable.
5:54pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Adam Makary says thousands of protesters have left Cairo's Tahrir Square following nightfall - and headed to the Israeli embassy.
They are demanding the flag be taken down and the gas supply from Egypt to Israel to be blocked.
5:52pm
SYRIA - The death toll among pro-reform demonstrators in Daraa has climbed to 27, a source told Al Jazeera. Twenty bodies are at the morgue, seven others were released to their families. Four people are still unaccounted for.
5:46pm
YEMEN - Our special correspondent tells us that violence is continuing outside the governor's office in the southern city of Taiz. Police are shooting tear gas and using live ammunition.
She has just confirmed two people have been killed, and 30 are in a critical condition.
A further 100 people have been shot with live ammunition, medical sources tell her, with 1,000 people suffering the results of tear gas inhalation.
5:45pm
SYRIA - State-run Syrian television says 19 police officers and members of the security forces have been killed in Daraa. Witnesses in the southern border town earlier said there were 17 people killed there - all of them anti-government protesters. The discrepancy could not immediately be reconciled.
Daraa was the site of a mass demonstration today by thousands of anti-government protesters. Witnesses and human rights groups said security forces opened fire to disperse the gathering. A nurse at the city's hospital said hundreds of wounded had overwhelmed the facility.
5:33pm
SYRIA - The latest on the nation-wide protests from Al Jazeera's Gerald Tan:
5:10pm
YEMEN - The country's longtime leader, Ali Abdullah Saleh, addressed a crowd of thousands in capital Sanaa, defiantly rejecting international calls for him to step down.
But on the other side of the city, a second demonstration called for his immediate resignation. One man there told our correspondent he had been offered money to attend the pro-Saleh demonstration, but wanted to protest.
Al Jazeera's special correspondent, who is not being named for security reasons, has more from Sanaa.
4:36pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Adam Makary (@adamakary) tweets:
The sun sets over #tahrir and still thousands of people protesting #april8 #jan25 #egyptrocks
4:15pm
IRAQ - More details on the 25 deaths in the crackdown on the MEK - an Iranian opposition group sheltered by Saddam Hussein which has refused to disband. Al Jazeera's Jane Arraf, reporting from Baghdad, speaks to Adrian Fineghan in our Doha newsroom.
4:09pm
SYRIA - State television aired footage of several masked gunmen who could be seen shooting in what it said was the city of Daraa. The news anchor said the gunmen were firing at protesters and police:
A peaceful demonstration which vandals infiltrated ... attacked the electricity company and started shooting and opened fire on the television (station). Some of the gunmen were firing live bullets on protesters and security forces. This expresses clearly and openly that there are some people who wish evil on Syria.
The Syrian government has blamed killings during weeks of pro-democracy protests on armed groups shooting at random, while protesters say they have been targeted by security forces.
3:52pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Adam Makary tweets:
More walking space in #tahrir then there has been over the past six hours and some banners are being removed
You can follow him for yourself @adamakary
3:22pm
SYRIA - More footage emerges of the protests that erupted after prayer today. This video shows a scene in Homs where demonstrators were dispersed with heavy gunfire, water cannons and teargas:
3:12pm
IRAQ - At least 25 killed and 320 wounded in clashes between Iraqi troops and members of an Iranian opposition group, the MEK, given shelter by Saddam Hussein. Protests against ongoing US military presence continue in Baghdad.
3:12pm
SYRIA - The death toll in Daraa rose to 17, a hospital source and an activist said, after residents reported security forces opened fire on thousands of protesters.
3:05pm
YEMEN - Doctors tell our special correspondent: "The number of injured just keeps rising"
2:59pm
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Cal Perry tweets that cell phone connections in Douma and Homs seem completely shut down.
2:43pm
SYRIA - More footage of the unprecedented unrest emerges online. This YouTube clip, published by Sham news agency, shows demonstrations in the northwestern town of Edlib:
2:37pm
SYRIA - Protesters in Daraa set fire to a Baath Party outpost and smashed a stone statue of Basil al-Assad, President Bashar al-Assad's late brother, witnesses said. One of them told Reuters news agency by telephone:
The statue of Basil al-Assad is just a pile of stones. The protesters also set fire to a Baath Party outpost in the el-Mahatta area.
2:28pm
YEMEN - Our special correspondent confirms one man died a few minutes ago in Taiz, as a result of a gunshot to the head. Two others are in a very serious condition, she tells us.
2:23pm
SYRIA - More amateur video published by Sham news agency appears on YouTube. This one is from demonstrations in the coastal city of Tartus:
2:06pm
SYRIA - Videos from today's protests are emerging online. This one, published by the Sham News Agency, purports to show injured protesters being treated in the Omari mosque in Daraa. [Sham - الشام - is another name for Damascus]
2:03pm
SYRIA - At least 10 people were killed in Daraa, a hospital source said, after witnesses reported security forces opened fire to disperse demonstrators.
The state news agency SANA reported shooting in Daraa, but it said "vandals" had opened fire on mass gatherings, killing a policeman and an ambulance driver and wounding dozens of police and residents.
1:55pm
YEMEN - Update from Taiz - our special correspondent tells us that hundreds have now been injured - mostly from tear gas inhalation.
1:50pm
IRAQ - Protesters in Tahrir Square, Baghdad, have been talking to Al Jazeera's Jane Arraf. Many are angry about the continued oresence of US military troops in the country. One who preferred not to give their name said:
They have no credibility. They said, "By the end of 2011 we will be out of Iraq," and yesterday, Gates came here and said that there are hints about keeping the US forces, although they denied this before.
They are not going to leave Iraq, and if they don’t leave Iraq by the end of 2011, then there will be no peaceful demonstrations, there will be something else.
1:41pm
YEMEN - Two protesters shot dead among dozens wounded in the southern city of Taiz, says the AFP news agency.
1:38pm
EGYPT - "The army and the people are one hand" is the same chant raised in Tahrir Square during the uprising against Mubarak, when protesters wanted the army to join their cause.
1:37pm
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna, reporting from Cairo, said the crowd was also calling for the immediate resignation of the army chief, following what they see as a lack of action on the part of the military. He told us:
There were very strong orders that if any soldier took part in today's protests he would face immediate court martial.
We saw a group of five soldiers, at least one of which was a senior officer, actually join the demonstration and address a portion of the crowd, which was chanting "The army and the people are one hand".
Although they were only five soldiers, it is a very significant development - given the military's specific instructions.
1:29pm
YEMEN - Our special correspondent says, according to medical sources, more than 50 people have been injured as a result of tear gas in Taiz. Ten others were injured by batons or knives. One person has been shot with live ammunition, and is in critical condition.
1:20pm
YEMEN - Police reported to be shooting tear gas and live ammunition in Taiz - our special correspondent, who we aren't naming for security reasons, isn't yet sure if it's being fired in the air or at crowds. Watch this space for an update.
1:14pm
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's special correspendent tells us:
Saleh had at the beginning said he had accepted the offer to go to Saudi Arabia for mediation, but he is now saying he doesn't want anyone meddling in his own affairs.
I just spoke to opposition leaders and they said this strengthens their own position, as it shows Saleh is isolated more and more in the international community - but it does lead to this stalemate.
In Change Square, everwhere we looked we couldn't see the end of the lines of people, there are tens of thousands of people there. It is difficult to believe there is anyone left in their homes today in Sanaa, with the huge turnouts at both demonstrations.
1:02pm
SYRIA - An eyewitness told Al Jazeera that at least seven people were killed by security forces in the southern border town of Daraa.
12:18pm
SYRIA - Reuters quotes opposition activists in Damascus saying that automatic weapons fire rang out during a pro-democracy rally confronted by Syrian security forces in a suburb there.
12:03pm
YEMEN - Read more about the latest updates from Yemen on our website here.
12:02pm
SYRIA - This video on YouTube is said to show a protest in the Damascus suburb of Harasta today.
12:00pm
YEMEN - Embattled President Saleh rejected an exit plan by Gulf states trying to broker an end to bloody unrest in Yemen. Here is some of what he said on his address broadcast on state TV:
11:49am
EGYPT - Thousands gather in Cairo's Tahrir Square, calling for prosecution of the ousted president and his regime. Read out latest news report here.
11:43am
SYRIA Reuters quotes witnesses as saying security forces use live ammunition against protesters in Daraa.
11:37am
YEMEN - Crowds of pro-Saleh supporters shown on Yemeni television during his address:
11:29am
IRAQ - Amnesty International will release a report on April 12, urging the Iraqi authoritie to address attacks on protesters. In a statement, the group said:
Forces deployed against demonstrators have used lived ammunition, killing and injuring protesters and bystanders.
Amnesty International also found disturbing evidence of targeted attacks on political activists, torture and other ill-treatment of people arrested in connection with the protests, and attacks or threats against journalists, media outlets, government critics, academics and students.
Amnesty International will call on Iraqi and Kurdistan Regional authorities to investigate the attacks and killings, torture and other ill-treatment, and hold the perpetrators to account.
11:24am
EGYPT - Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna reports from Cairo's Tahrir square, where Friday prayers have ended and massive crowds have gathered:
Within the crowd, there is no sign of political division, or political banners, just the egyptian flag waving
Here, there is anger at military authorities for not taking action against the Mubarak regime. This is a crowd very angry, a crowd questioning the army and a crowd united about its concerns
11:19am
YEMEN - In his address to supporters in Sanaa, President Saleh said:
Our power comes from the power of our great people, not from Qatar, not from anyone else. This is blatant interference in Yemeni affairs...
We were born free, and we have free will, and they have to respect our wishes. We reject any coup against democracy, the constitution and our freedom.
11:16am
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's correspondent in Sanaa reported that there are tens of thousands of people gathered in Change Square, still demanding that President saleh leaves power. "they feel it is important to show solidarity and to show their resolve, no matter what happens to them," our correspondent said.
She added:
We met a university professor at Change Square who claims a member of the ruling party offered him money yesterday to attend the pro-Saleh rally.
11:13am
SYRIA Mazen Darwish, an activist in Damascus, tells Al Jazeera that protests have been held in cities including Qamishli in the mainly Kurdish region, the coastal town of Banias, Deir e-Zor in the east and Daraa in the south. He says no violence has been reported but he's heard that security forces in Daraa have been using teargas against protesters.
11:12am
YEMEN - Al Jazeera's correspondent in the Yemeni capital Sanaa said:
President Saleh addressed his supporters in Seventy Square, and made a total rejection of the offer put forward by the GCC. According to that proposal, they had called for him to stand down and hand power to a coalition of tribal leaders and other political figures. But he said 'I reject, I reject, I reject'. He singled out Qatar and Al Jazeera and said 'we dont have to follow their agenda'.
11:01am
OMAN - Heavy security has prevented fresh protests breaking out in the industrial capital Sohar. Dozens of armoured vehicles have blocked roads and worshippers attempting to enter mosques had their names checked against lists by security forces, Reuters reports.
Protesters camped out in the city for more than a month before security forces moved them out last week.
They had been attempting to demonstrate against the killing of at least one person and demanded the prosecution of ministers who have been sacked for corruption.
10:56am
YEMEN - President Saleh slammed Qatar's intervention in Yemen's affairs. He said, "We derive power and legitimacy from the people. It is a unified democratic Yemen."
10:50am
YEMEN - Addressing the country in a speech on state television, Yemen's Ali Abdullah Saleh said he rejects initiatives from any other country to resolve the current crisis there, Reuters reports.
10:46am
YEMEN - President Ali Abdullah Saleh is expected to address the country in a speech broadcast on state television shortly. Friday prayers have ended and rival pro and anti government demonstrations are expected to gather momentum.
10:41am
SYRIA - Al Jazeera's Cal Perry tweets from Damascus:
Residents in #Deraa reporting that the police presence is heavy: police armed with electric batons - an attempt to quell protests. #Syria
10:26am
EGYPT - About 3,000 people have gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square. Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna, reporting from the square, says the demands of the protesters are very clear: that action needs to be taken against ousted president Mubarak and those close to him, that there must be a presidential council established so that the people can express what they want to see as Egypt's future.
Unlike on previous occasions recently, this is a fully representative gathering of EGypt's political movements, including the very powerful Muslim Brotherhood which had stayed away from recent gathering saying they would give the military council more time to meet the people's demands.
10:22am
YEMEN - Groups of both pro and anti government demonstrators are rallying in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, Al Jazeera's correspondents report.
10:03am
Another day of mass protests is planned across the Arab world after noon prayers on Friday.
Here is an overview of the expected demonstrations.
And reports from Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna in Cairo, as well as Cal Perry in Damascus.
9:34am
SYRIA Al Jazeera's Cal Perry in Damascus says yesterday's move by President Bashar al-Assad to grant citizenships to 200,000-300,000 stateless Kurds can be interpreted as a measure to "keep the Kurdish community off the streets" today, as activists are calling for fresh protests.
There is a lot of pressure on him [Assad] from people who want to see reform. They are tired of hearing the same old talk ... for the people of Daraa, who just recently buried their dead, they want to see those responsible brought to justice and until that happens, I think we'll see the situation here simmer.
9:09am
EGYPT - Thousands of Egyptians are gathering to protest in Cairo's central Tahrir Square. They are holding banners and signs demanding the prosecution of former regime officials, including ousted president Hosni Mubarak.
9:02am
YEMEN - Yemen's Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Kurbi said in a statement that the country's government is studying an initiative by Gulf Arab states to end a months-long confrontation with anti-regime protesters, the AFP news agency reported.
Concerned by the continuing unrest in Yemen, members of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) offered to mediate between Yemen's government and the opposition.
8:38am
IRAQ - At least five Iraqi soldiers and up to dozens of Iranian opposition members were wounded in overnight clashes at a base north of Baghdad after the Iraqi military moved in to part of the disputed camp, an Iraqi government spokesperson told Al Jazeera.
The account could not be independently verified.
7:53am
YEMEN - The United States froze its largest aid package for Yemen in February after popular protests broke out against the Yemeni president, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
"The first instalment of the aid package, worth a potential $1 billion or more over several years, was set to be rolled out in February, marking the White House's largest bid at securing President Ali Abdullah Saleh's allegiance in its battle against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula," the publication said.
Read more here.
7:33am
IRAQ - Robert Gates, the US Defence Secretary, has arrived in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region for talks with regional president Massud Barzani on security needs after American troops pull out this year.
[Image by AFP]
6:05am
SYRIA - Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, issued a decree granting nationality to thousands of Kurds living in the eastern al-Hasaka region as part of efforts to ease resentment over nearly five decades of strict Baathist rule.
Read the full article on our website here.
6:01am
YEMEN - Less than two years ago a Yemeni opposition party leader told a US embassy official in Sanaa about a secret plan to oust President Ali Abdullah Saleh, The Washington Post reported.
Several previously undisclosed US diplomatic cables, provided by the website WikiLeaks, revealed that US officials were aware of Yemen's political state but largely discounted the prospect that Saleh could be forced out, the newspaper's report said.
Read more on The Washington Post's website.
5:44am
YEMEN - An anti-government demonstrator attends a protest in the capital Sanaa on Thursday. [image by AFP]
4:05am
JORDAN - A Jordanian man - Mohammed Abdul-Karim- set himself on fire outside the prime minister's office, on Thursday, in the first such act since political unrest hit the country in January.
It was a similar act of self-immolation by Mohamed Bouazizi, a poor vegetable vendor in Tunisia in December, that ignited the wave of protests which have since swept through the region and seen the ousting of autocratic regimes in both Tunisia and Egypt.
Topics in this blog
PEOPLE
Adam Makary
Ali Abdullah Saleh
Bashar al-Assad
Cal Perry
Hosni Mubarak
Jane Arraf
Mike Hanna
COUNTRY
Egypt
Qatar
Syria
Yemen
CITY
Baghdad
Cairo
Damascus
Daraa
Sanaa
Taiz
ORGANIZATION
army
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Libya Live Blog - April 8
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 7th, 2011.
[Reuters]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
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(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:24pm
Gaddafi's government officials have been taking foreign journalists on various tours in past weeks to reinforce their position that they are in control of the situation in the country.
But a government-controlled trip to Misurata today instead suggested that the situation of Gaddafi's troops had grown more dire after weeks of laying siege to the enemy's stronghold, says the Associated Press news agency.
Reporters were taken to the same road junction, more than a mile from the centre of town, where government officials took them about 10 days ago. Back then, it was to show the effects of a NATO airstrike. This time, it
was simply as far as the tour could go before the sounds of gunfire and shelling forced officials to turn around.
At one point, the journalists took cover amid gunfire. A Libyan soldier, Walid Mohammed Walid, received a head wound in the shooting and was taken to a hospital.
And while Gadhafi's forces at the intersection were seen on open ground on the earlier visit, this time the few soldiers there were hiding out in buildings or on rooftops.
The scene along the road from Tripoli, dotted with burned-out tanks, anti-aircraft guns hidden by vegetation and checkpoints made of tires and sand banks, underscored the devastating struggle over Misrata. It is the most sustained conflict in the Libyan uprising and the focus of a growing international efforts to bring aid by sea to besieged residents caught in the crossfire.
Just 160km southeast of capital Tripoli, Misurata is symbolic and strategic asset for both sides, each of which holds key parts of Libya's third-largest city.
11:08am
Protesters in Egypt show solidarity with the remaining members of Al Jazeera's crew detained in Libya, courtesty of Flickr user Mosa'aberising.
10:56pm
Five people were killed and ten wounded in fighting in Misurata today, Reuters reports.
10:40pm
NATO airstrikes have hit weapons depots belonging to Gaddafi's forces near the town of Zintan, a resident told Reuters:
The depots are situated 15km southeast of Zintan. We could see buildings on fire in the distance.
First we heard aircraft and then we counted some 14 explosions. Some people used binoculars and saw
buildings on fire
Rebels believe some of the depots were destroyed but not all. We are talking about huge facilities.
10:32pm
Anti-Gaddafi fighters say they have fought off an assault on the east of Misurata by forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
The Red Cross said it expected a humanitarian vessel it had chartered to reach Misurata by midday tomorrow, but gave no details of the relief cargo it was carrying. A spokesman for the anti-Gaddafi fighters, who gave his name as Hassan al-Misrati, told Reuters:
The attack from the east has been repelled now and the (pro-Gaddafi) forces have been pushed back.
10:27pm
Getting ready for boots on the ground? The European Union says it is ready to launch "a humanitarian mission" in Libya's Misurata within several days, but only if it has United Nations backing, says the Associated Press news agency.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has reportedly contacted UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to share her concerns over Misurata, a source told the agency.
The mission might require military backing, but it would not go beyond strictly providing assistance for humanitarian action.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, say any military involvement would only come if backed by the UN.
9:49pm
Libyan government forces continue to attack anti-Gaddafi fighters in the rebel-held town of Misurata, AFP reports.
Fierce fighting is ongoing in the city, about 215km east of Tripoli - which has seen battles rage for more than 40 days since the start of the uprising.
Doctors said last week that 200 people had been killed there since fighting began.
8:07pm
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon will hold a meeting of international and regional organisations in Cairo next week - to improve coordination of the international response on Libya.
UN spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters that leaders scheduled to attend Thursday's meeting at the Arab League's headquarters include Arab League chief Amr Moussa, African Union commission chairman Jean Ping, EU foreign policy head Catherine Ashton, and Organisation of the Islamic Conference Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu.
The object of the meeting will be to exchange views and enhance coordination among the participating organisations in addressing the current crisis in Libya.
8:00pm
Algeria's National Democracy Assembly has said it "deplores" the NATO-led military operation in Libya and urged "an immediate stop to fighting".
The party, led by prime minister Ahmen Ouyahi, demanded international respect for Libya's independence and "its exclusive ownership of the riches of the country, including its hydrocarbons".
Ouyahi also warned Algerians against imitating protesters whose uprisings overthrew leaders in Tunisia and Egypt.
5:39pm
More on those targeted by the new US sanctions. They are:
• Ali al-Mahmoudi Al Baghdadi: Libya’s Prime Minister and member of Muammar Gaddafi’s inner circle.
• Shukri Ghanem: Libya’s Oil Minister and Chairman of the National Oil Company of Libya (NOC), identified by Treasury on March 15 as subject to sanctions for being owned or controlled by the Government of Libya. Ghanem has full responsibility for policies and operations of Libya’s petroleum sector.
• Abdulhafid Zlitni: Secretary of the General People’s Committee for Finance and Planning, Libya’s equivalent of Finance Minister. Zltini is currently acting as temporary head of the Central Bank of Libya. He was previously NOC Chairman.
• Tohami Khaled: Director of Libya’s Internal Security Office.
• Bashir Saleh: Head of Cabinet – or Chief of Staff – to Muammar Gaddafi. He is also the Chairman of the Libya Africa Investment Portfolio (LAIP), identified by Treasury on March 15 as subject to sanctions for being owned or controlled by the Government of Libya.
The Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation and the Waatasemu Charity Association were also designated today. The Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation is a Geneva-registered organization founded in Libya in 1998 and incorporated in Switzerland in 2004.
It was designated for being owned and controlled by Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, who is the foundation’s president and a board member.
Waatasemu Charity Association was designated for being controlled by Aisha Gaddafi, Muammar Gaddafi's daughter and Secretary General of the Libya-based organization.
5:35pm
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO secretary-general, talks to Al Jazeera about what he says is progress being made in implementing UN Security Council resolution 1973 - and about the deaths caused by NATO forces near Brega.
5:30pm
The United States has imposed financial sanctions on five further senior Libyan government officials and two entities controlled by Gaddafi's children, says the US treasury department.
Libya's prime minister, Ali al-Mahmoudi Al Baghdadi, and Gaddafi's chief of staff, Bashir Salehand, to its sanctions blacklist.
The sanctions prohibit US transactions with them and seek to freeze any assets they may have under US jurisdiction.
Also blacklisted were Libyan finance minister Abdulhafid Zlitni, the country's oil minister Shukri Ghanem and Libya's
internal security director Tohami Khaled.
A Geneva-registered organization owned by Gaddafi's son and another entity, Waatasemu Charity Association, controlled by
his daughter, were sanctioned, Treasury said.
2:09pm
US defence secretary Robert Gates says military action in Libya does not set a precedent for future intervention in other Middle Eastern countries facing uprisings or unrest. During a visit to the Marez Camp US military base in northern Iraq, he told reporters:
What has made Libya unique is first of all a request, which is unprecedented in my experience, of the Arab League actually asking for an intervention in the Middle East, to take on an Arab government mistreating its
own people ...
It's hard for me to imagine those kinds of circumstances being replicated any place else.
Gates said the Arab League request was then supported by the Gulf Cooperation Council and bolstered by the United Nations and allies such as Britain and France.
2:07pm
UN human rights investigators say their enquiries "will cover all sides involved"
1:51pm
UNICEF, the UN's agency for children, says snipers are targeting children in the besieged city of Misurata.
1:21pm
German troops could play a role in a humanitarian mission in Libya - but the country's leaders denied this was a U-turn after not supporting UN military action A spokesman said:
If a request were made to the EU, Germany would live up to its responsibilities.
Our position was always that Germany would not participate in combat
operations in Libya ... This would be about ensuring with military means that
humanitarian aid gets to those who need it.
12:21pm
Coast guards have said that a boat laden with 171 people fleeing Libya have arrived in Malta. They are expected to undergo health checks before being taken to an immigrant centre on the island. More than 1,000 refugees have arrived in Malta in the past few days, and some 150 have been lost at sea in an attempt to reach the island.
11:27am
Reuters quotes rebels as saying they are fighting Gaddafi forces trying to enter the city of Misurata from the east.
10:39am
This video posted online by Wefaq Media is said to show the air strike that killed at least four people outside Brega yesterday.
10:21am
NATO's deputy commander of Libya operations describes the alliance's strategy in Libya as coherent and says the alliance continues to target "those who harm civilians".
Regarding the two air strikes outside Brega which appear to have killed four opposition fighters, he says that before yesterday, the alliance had no information that the opposition was using tanks. He says the situation on the ground was "very fluid" and that he is "not apologising" for the strikes.
10:14am
NATO air strikes outside Brega yesterday "may have resulted in the death" of opposition fighters but the circumstances remains unclear, Russell Harding, deputy commander of NATO's Libya operations, says in a press briefing in Naples.
7:47am
Our correspondent Sue Turton reports from Tobruk, on the rebels' need of better weapons and claims that they are receiving arms from abroad.
6:19am
Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee, in Benghazi, says reports are emerging that it might not have been NATO that hit a rebel armoured unit outside Brega. He says it might instead have been a light plane used by Gaddafi forces, suggesting that they are getting arms from outside.
5:07am
The UK Telegraph newspaper says two British businessmen with no connection to the protests against Gaddafi's regime have been imprisoned in Libya for three weeks, just two of many who have reportedly disappeared since mass protests began in February.
The opposition Transitional National Council says more than 20,000 people have been rounded up, while Amnesty International has been able to confirm 30 disappearances.
4:47am
The UK military's action in Libya has prompted Prime Minister David Cameron to rethink Britain's defence budget, Sky News reports.
"Changes could include U-turns on plans to cut the number of RAF Tornados and scrap surveillance planes," the report says.
3:03am
Scottish police have interviewed Moussa Koussa, the former Libyan foreign minister who fled the country in March, regarding the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, the UK Guardian reports.
2:18am
On Thursday, Abdel Fattah Younes, the defected head of the rebel military, confirmed for the first time that the opposition forces have received foreign weapons: anti-tank guns from Qatar. The tiny but wealthy Gulf country has been at the forefront of support for Libya's anti-Gaddafi movement, offering them official recognition and to be a broker for their oil.
12:05am
Welcome to Al Jazeera's Libya live blog for April 8. You can catch our continuing coverage and the latest developments on yesterday's live blog as well as our news stories.
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Libya
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Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Libya Live Blog - April 7
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 6th, 2011.
[Reuters]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Blog: Feb17 - Feb18 - Feb19 - Feb20 - Feb21 - Feb22 - Feb23 - Feb24 - Feb25 - Feb26 - Feb27 - Feb28 - Mar1 - Mar2 - Mar3 - Mar4 - Mar5 - Mar6 - Mar7 - Mar8 - Mar9 - Mar10 - Mar11 - Mar12 - Mar13 - Mar14 - Mar15 - Mar16 - Mar17 - Mar18 - Mar19 - Mar20 - Mar21 - Mar22 - Mar23 - Mar24 - Mar25 - Mar 26 - Mar 27 - Mar 28 - Mar 29 - Mar 30 - Mar 31 - Apr 1 - Apr 2 - Apr 3 - Apr 4 - Apr 5 - Apr 6
AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Operation Odyssey Dawn - Twitter Audio - Tweeting revolutions
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
10:33pm
Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught reporting from Tripoli says Turkey feels it has a better chance because it has been in direct talks with both sides, as well as sending in aid shipments to Benghazi and moving injured Libyans to Turkish hospitals.
But the major problem is how Turkey will get both sides to accept a ceasefire when all sides still feel there is something to play for, that the cost of giving up the fight would be far too great to bear.
Both sides are fearful that if they give up fighting now they will lose everything. This is what Turkey will have to find a way through.
Turkish PM Erdogan says the roadmap for Libya is to reach a ceasefire and political reform [Reuters]
9:37pm
Sources cited by Reuters say China will buy the first oil cargo from Libya via trading house Vitol. But traders said it could take a long time before flows of crude from Libya reach substantial levels.
Trading sources told the news agency on Thursday that the Liberia-registered tanker Equator, which can carry up to one million barrels of oil, was taking Libyan crude to China.
Libya's government has cut oil output by 80 per cent while rebels and Gaddafi loyalists trade charges over attacks on oil fields in eastern Libya.
8:30pm
Media watchdog Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF) corrects its Libya report earlier about 26 journalists being expelled. A day earlier Libyab authorities posted a list of the foreign reporters they said were slated for departure on Thursday, because their visas had expired.
But on Thursday officials said there may have been an administrative error and no one on the list was expelled. It is not clear whether Libya intends to expel any of them at a later date.
6:45pm
Turkey's prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan urges pro-Gaddafi forces to withdraw from cities they are besieging in Libya, local news channel NTV said. He promised to disclose a Libyan "roadmap" on Thursday.
Wounded rebels were taken to hospital in Ajdabiya after NATO's friendly fire incident killed five [Reuters]
5:37pm
NATO promises to investigate the latest air strike on Thursday that killed at least five rebel fighters in the eastern town of Brega, less than a week after 13 people died in an alliance bombing in the same area.
It said in a statement:
NATO is looking into the specific details of an alleged strike on a column of tanks outside of Brega today.
The fighting between Brega and Ajdabiya, where the strike occurred, has been fierce for several days. The situation is unclear and fluid with mechanised weapons travelling in all directions.
The alliance reiterated it will continue to uphold the UN mandate and strike forces that threaten Libyan civilians.
5:20pm
Five journalists reported missing on Thursday in east Libya, as Gaddafi's government expels 26 foreign reporters from Tripoli, says media watchdog Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF).
It said in a statement:
Reporters without Borders has learned from a reliable source that four journalists - a South African, two Americans and a Spaniard - have been missing in the east of the country since April 4.
The names of journalists, who had all been invited to Tripoli by the [Gaddafi] government, were posted last night in the lobby of the hotel where they were staying.
The expulsions follows a series of deportations in recent weeks.
A female Syrian reporter Rana Akbani has been reported missing in Libya since March 28.
About 100 other foreign journalists are still in the Libyan capital, RSF added.
5:15pm
Al Jazeera's Sue Turton visits a weapons bunker near Tobruk to look at the ammunition pro-Gaddafi forces have had to rely on. Catch her report below:
4:30pm
Top US general, Commander of US Africa Command General Carter Ham, tells senate hearing on Thursday a stalemate is emerging in Libya between rebels and troops loyal to Gaddafi.
Nearly a dozen rebel fighters were injured in the second NATO air strike that hit a rebel position near Brega [Reuters]
1:04pm
AFP - At least five opposition fighters killed in a NATO air raid in the eastern oil town of Brega.
"It was the planes of NATO. They fired twice at our tank and blew up the tank's position," said rebel fighter Ali Sahli.
Chaotic scenes were witnessed at a rebel checkpoint on the edge of Ajdabiya, about 80km from Brega, with ambulances racing through heading for the hospital followed by a convoy of rebel military vehicles.
Civilians were ordered away from the checkpoint.
7:51am
Reuters - Libya accuses British government of damaging an oil pipeline in an air raid, hours after rebels said government attacks had halted production of oil they hope to sell to finance their uprising.
"British warplanes have attacked, have carried out an airstrike against the Sarir oilfield which killed three oilfield guards and other employees at the field were also injured," Deputy foreign minister Khaled Kaim told reporters.
There was no immediate comment from Britain's ministry of defence or from NATO, which is coordinating air raids against pro-Gaddafi forces.
Kaim said the raid damaged a pipeline connecting the oilfields to the Marsa el Hariga port.
"There is no doubt this aggression ... is against international law and is not covered by the UN resolution," he said.
7:18am
Associated Press - Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi "knows what he must do," said US secretary of state Hillary Clinton in response tohis appeal for an end to the conflict.
Gaddafi appealed directly to president Barack Obama to end what he called "an unjust war," and he wished Obama good luck in his bid for re-election next year.
Clinton, speaking at the White House, repeated U.S. and allied demands that Gaddafi's forces pull back and cease attacks.
"I don't think there is any mystery about what is expected from Mr. Gaddafi at this time," Clinton said.
6:17am
Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee, reporting from Benghazi, said that Abdel-Hafidh Ghoga, the Vice-Chairman of the Libyan National Provisional Council, continues to insist that NATO do more.
"He has certainly strengthened his language, and he even went on to call NATO a "burden", which is an extraordinary thing to say under the current circumstances."
"There is obviously agreement here among the opposition that if more military gains are to be made, international forces must step up their operations."
4:48am
Al Jazeera's Laurance Lee visited some of the pre-Gaddafi sites in rebel-held Benghazi and found signs of the city's proud history:
2:16am
The US government has provided $47 million to international and non-governmental organisations to meet humanitarian needs in Libya, according to the State Department. Though the US government, mostly via the United Nations, is able to monitor the humantarian situation in eastern Libya and along most of the borders, western Libya remains cut off by the Gaddafi regime.
Here's a breakdown, provided by the State Department, that shows where the money is going:
2:05am
The United Nations on Wednesday called for a cessation of hostilities around the Libyan city of Misurata to get help to the wounded and let people escape fighting between Muammar Gaddafi's forces and opposition rebels.
"The situation on the ground is critical for a large number of people who immediately need food, clean water and emergency medical assistance," said UN under secretary general for humanitarian affairs, Valerie Amos, who made the appeal.
1:44am
Former US Senator Curt Weldon traveled to Tripoli on Wednesday to try to convince Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to impose a cease fire on his forces and step down. Weldon led Congressional delegations to the country after Gaddafi agreed to give up its nuclear program in 2004. Check out Weldon's curriculum vitae, published on Wired magazine's website, for a glimpse of the ex-senator's history of dealings with Libya, North Korea, Russia and other lovely countries.
1:31am
Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim told the Reuters news agency that a British air strike hit the major Sarir oil field on Wednesday, killing three guards. He said the strike damaged a pipeline connected the field to Hariga port and that it violated international law.
12:07am
Welcome to Al Jazeera's Libya live blog for April 7. Catch up on all of the latest developments on our live blog for April 6, including Gaddafi's letter to Barack Obama appealing for the withdrawal of NATO air strikes.
Topics in this blog
COUNTRY
Libya
Possibly related posts (automatically generated)
Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Libya Live Blog - April 6
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 5th, 2011.
[EPA]
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
Blog: Feb17 - Feb18 - Feb19 - Feb20 - Feb21 - Feb22 - Feb23 - Feb24 - Feb25 - Feb26 - Feb27 - Feb28 - Mar1 - Mar2 - Mar3 - Mar4 - Mar5 - Mar6 - Mar7 - Mar8 - Mar9 - Mar10 - Mar11 - Mar12 - Mar13 - Mar14 - Mar15 - Mar16 - Mar17 - Mar18 - Mar19 - Mar20 - Mar21 - Mar22 - Mar23 - Mar24 - Mar25 - Mar 26 - Mar 27 - Mar 28 - Mar 29 - Mar 30 - Mar 31 - Apr 1 - Apr 2 - Apr 3 - Apr 4 - Apr 5
AJE Live Stream - Special Coverage: Libya Uprising - Operation Odyssey Dawn - Twitter Audio - Tweeting revolutions
(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:37pm
Former Libyan energy minister Omar Fathi Shatwan says several members of Gaddafi's inner circle want to defect but are too scared to do so, fearing the safety of themselves and their families.
Those whose families are outside Libya will flee if they get a chance. But many can't leave, and all the families of ministers are under siege.
Shatwan, who left the government in 2007, says his last contact with Gaddafi was in 2006.
10:30pm
US secretary of state Hillary Clinton rebuffed a personal appeal from Gaddafi to Obama, saying the Libyan leader should impose a ceasefire, withdraw his forces and go into exile.
The White House confirmed Gaddafi had written a letter to the US president but said nothing if its contents, which was first reported by The Associated Press. The report said he had appealed to Obama for a ceasefire in a rambling, three-pages long.
8:30pm
NATO denies the pace of air strikes has abated since taking over from a coalition led by the US, Britain and France on march 31.
Speaking at NATO's southern European headquarters in Naples, Italy, Rear Admiral Russell Harding, the NATO deputy commander of operations in Libya, said:
Libya must be 800 miles [1,290km] wide and in all that air space we are dominating, so perhaps ... in one or two areas if they don't hear us or see us, I can understand how that might lead to a lack of confidence.
Rebels at the frontline scatter for cover following explosions by troops loyal to Gaddafi outside Brega [Reuters]
7:56pm
Rebel-held oilfields in Misla and the Waha oasis have been hit by Gaddafi's artillery on Tuesday and Wednesday, halting production, according to rebel spokesman Hafiz Ghoga. He said:
These oilfields are the ones that pump oil to Tobruk. They stopped pumping today.
7:45pm
The US defence department says NATO has to change its approach in Libya to keep up with changing tactics by Gaddafi's forces.
Colonel Dave Lapan, a department spokesman, said on Wednesday the situation illustrated the saying "the enemy gets a vote", and that it was up to the European alliance to adjust to Gaddafi's tactics.
Gaddafi's forces have adjusted to the environment, seeking ways to disguise forces and movements to avoid attacks.
Rebels have complained that delayed air strikes had allowed forces loyal to the Libyan leader to push them from Brega.
Libya's rebel fighters firing rockets from the desert east of Brega on Wednesday [Reuters]
7:30pm
A US official said Gaddafi had sent an appeal letter to US president Barack Obama asking to halt the NATO military campaign, according to The Associated Press. Below is the text, and the misspellings and grammatical errors are in the original letter.
Our son, Excellency,
President Obama
U.S.A
We have been hurt more morally that physically because of what had happened against us in both deeds and words by you. Despite all this you will always remain our son whatever happened. We still pray that you continue to be president of the U.S.A. We Endeavour and hope that you will gain victory in the new election campaigne. You are a man who has enough courage to annul a wrong and mistaken action. I am sure that you are able to shoulder the responsibility for that.
Enough evidence is available, Bearing in mind that you are the president of the strongest power in the world nowadays, and since Nato is waging an unjust war against a small people of a developing country. This country had already been subjected to embargo and sanctions, furthermore it also suffered a direct military armed aggression during Reagan's time. This country is Libya.
Hence, to serving world peace ... Friendship between our peoples ... and for the sake of economic, and security cooperation against terror, you are in a position to keep Nato off the Libyan affair for good. As you know too well democracy and building of civil society cannot be achieved by means of missiles and aircraft, or by backing armed member of AlQuaeda in Benghazi.
You _ yourself _ said on many occasions, one of them in the UN General Assembly, I was witness to that personally, that America is not responsible for the security of other peoples. That America helps only. This is the right logic.
Our dear son, Excellency, Baraka Hussein Abu oumama, your intervention is the name of the U.S.A. is a must, so that Nato would withdraw finally from the Libyan affair. Libya should be left to Libyans within the African union frame.
The problem now stands as follows:-
1. There is Nato intervention politically as well as military.
2. Terror conducted by AlQaueda gangs that have been armed in some cities, and by force refused to allow people to go back to their normal life, and carry on with exercising their social people's power as usual.
Mu'aumer Qaddaffi
Leader of the Revolution
Tripoli 5.4.2011
6:39pm
Libyan rebels have regained ground in a new advance on the oil port of Brega on Wednesday, after accusing NATO of mission failure in protecting civilians in Misurata.
Poorly-trained rebel fighters thrust back westwards, recovering mostly desert terrain lost during a retreat from the Libyan leader's superior firepower a day earlier.
Pro-democracy fighters returning to the tiny outpost of al-Arbaeen, midway between Brega and the frontline town of Ajdabiya, spoke of rocket duels close to Brega's port but the situation remains unclear.
5:58pm
Black African migrants have claimed that Libyan troops were turning them into "instant mercenaries" to fight the rebels, a Reuters report said, citing young men who had fled to Tunisia earlier. Click below for more:
5:23pm
NATO admitted it has to be "particularly careful" with its air strikes in Misurata as government troops were using civilians as human shields, as France pledged to open a sea corridor to the Mediterranean port.
Rear Admiral Russell Harding, the deputy commander of Libya operations, said on Wednesday NATO forces have been very careful to avoid injury to civilians "in close proximity" to the fighting.
They're trying to protect human shields when there is a tank with dozens of people round about it, of innocent civilians, the best thing at that stage is probably not to drop a bomb on the tank.
So there is a limit, a physical limit, because we are not allowed boots on the ground, there is a limit to what we are able to do in that respect.
But that doesn't mean to say we don't have the will and the intent, and the fire power and the wherewithal to take action to stop that.
Libyan government forces have increasingly shifted to non-conventional tactics, blending in with road traffic and using civilian life as a shield for their advance.
5:13pm
An oil tanker left the Libyan port of Tobruk on Wednesday with the first consignment of crude since the rebel administration that countrols the country's east from Benghazi won recognition from some countries.
The Greek-owned, Liberian-registered vessel docked a day earlier to load the oil shipment worth $100m for export. The potential buyer remains a mystery.
5:00pm
A Turkish delegation led by former ambassador to Tripoli is reportedly in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi on Wednesday to meet leaders of the National Transitional Council.
Turkish officials said representatives of the Libyan opposition are expected in Ankara later this week.
Turkey wants to explore the possibility of "any common ground" for a ceasefire and an agreement on a "roadmap" of political reform to end the conflict.
4:49pm
Gaddafi troops have reportedly shelled an oil field in Ojla, south of Ajdabiya, acording to a source from the local council in Tobruk.
Meanwhile rebel fighters tightened security measures and strenghtened military fortifications in the western district of Ajdabiya, allowing only authorised persons to enter.
In Misurata Gaddafi's troops attacked the coastal road leading to the port and tried to seize supplies and rations warehouses.
4:37pm
Britain has moved four Typhoon jets from policing the Libya no-fly zone to ground attack roles following opposition criticism that NATO forces failed to protect Misurata.
In a statement the defence ministry said the move aimed at "further bolstering NATO's ground attack capability".
The Typhoons based at Gioia del Colle in southern Italy had been policing the no-fly zone while the Royal Air Force's Tornado warplanes conduct air raids on Gaddafi's ground forces.
British Eurofighter EF-2000 Typhoon jets at Gioia del Colle NATO airbase on southern Italy [Reuters]
Britain now has 20 fighter jets committed to implementing UN Resolution 1973 aimed at protecting civilians against Gaddafi loyalists.
4:15pm
Speaking to Al Jazeera from London, Ashur Shamis, a Libyan journalist, said there seemed to be some discrepancies between the number of NATO flyovers and actual hits on the ground.
It is not hitting anything. More and more people in Benghazi are getting to the end of their tethers in relation to this situation.
As long as Gaddafi remains in Tripoli he will turn nastier and nastier, and he will produce more weapons and more tricks so that there will be more citizens dying because he has no aim or cause … he is just destroying the country, the people and causing more bloodshed.
Shamis says NATO should get its act together and show the people that it is up to task in implementing the UN resolution.
They have to show that they are doing something in Misurata and preventing Gaddafi's troops from killing civilians.
They have to do something in Tripoli … I understand there are ways there with which to get at Gaddafi's forces. Now it is slowly opening up to strikes and this will encourage people to turn against Gaddafi.
3:55pm
Libyan rebels send reinforcements and supplies towards Brega on Wednesday as former military officers, now with the opposition, were trying to keep untrained fighters from leaving Ajdabiya towards the frontline.
After several days of skirmishes, the frontlines keep moving back and forth between Brega and Ajdabiya, with neither side able to make any significant move.
Rebel fighters resting between Ajdabiya and Brega as Gaddafi forces pushed rebels back [Reuters]
10:37pm
AFP - NATO, accused by Libyan rebels of failing to protect civilians in the besieged city of Misurata, vows to do everything to protect the population.
"Misrata is our number one priority," NATO deputy spokeswoman Carmen Romero told AFP news agency adding that alliance warplanes hit Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's military assets around Libya's third largest city on Monday.
"We have a clear mandate and we will do everything to protect the civilians of Misurata," Romero said, referring to the UN Security Council resolution permitting "all necessary measures" to defend Libya's population.
6:17am
Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee, reporting from Benghazi, says the criticism of NATO from opposition forces reflects the fact they continue to struggle in their battles against pro-Gaddafi forces, and that the conflict may be prolonged.
6:01am
Associated Press - Libya's rebel leadership has apologised for the 1988 bombing of a jet over the town od Lockerbie in Scotland and pledged to cooperate with all investigations.
In a statement read by Jason McCue, a British lawyer representing victims' families, the council issued "a voluntary and sincere apology on behalf of the free people of Libya for the previous conduct of the Gaddafi regime in sanctioning and facilitating such a despicable and direct act of terrorism against the victims".
The lawyer read the statement after a meeting in the rebel-held city of Benghazi with Mustafa Abdul Jalil, the head of the opposition interim governing council, who claimed recently to have "evidence" that Gaddafi ordered the bombing.
4:26am
Libyan anti-government soldiers are reportedly being tortured and executed in an underground prison in Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte, according to one prisoner who since escaped.
Al Jazeera's Sue Turton reports that there are more and more stories emerging across the country of abuse and suffering at the hands of the Gadaffi forces.
2:57am
General Carter Ham, the chief of the United States' Africa Command, testified before American lawmakers in Washington DC.
He has reiterated that NATO is now in full command of the mission, and the US is acting only in a supporting role.
Al Jazeera's John Terret reported from Washington DC:
General Carter Ham who is the commanding general for all US forces in Africa said he still envisaged a go it alone role for the US and he said that would be if US interests were specifically targeted.
Ham also said later in his testimony that in future should there be any need for a rescue operation in Libya then the US will take the lead on that initiative.
He was asked whether he had a strong relationship with those who are now in control in NATO and he said it's like Afghanistan were NATO is in control but the US is clearly a key player.
General Carter Ham was also asked about US relations with other allies in the Middle East and Maghreb region and he said that some of the responses from those allies regarding the No-Fly Zone over Libya and the subsequent conflict have been frankly mixed.
He said going forward in future he would have one-to-one discussions with those allies to make sure they understand why the US went in and did what it did.
1:47am
Libyan opposition leaders continue to say that Gaddafi must leave before talks can take place. And that is a key dilemma in the country overcoming it's current crisis.
Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught reports from Tripoli:
The two sides are so far apart because their ultimate view of the solution to the problem is one that is completely incompatible, mutually incompatible. And it comes down basically to what Libya will look like.
Should Libya at the end of this conflict still have Colonel Gaddafi and his family in place, albeit with promises of reform. or is the only future for Libya one that does not involve Colonel Gaddafi and his family? And that is the debate that is being had in all quarters. That is the root of the various compromise solutions that are on offer.
We are hearing people talk, on the government side, of the possibility of a referendum, on the possibility of holding elections. But those promises are always made in the context of Colonel Gaddafi and his family remaining in place. and that is something that the other side simply do not find credible or believable.
1:00am
Abdul Fatah Younis, the head of the Libyan opposition's armed forces, and the former interior minister of Gaddafi's regime, spoke at a press conference in Benghazi on Tuesday. He accused NATO of acting too "slowly", or not acting at all, to protect civilians in their fight against the Libyan leader.
Read more of what he had to say on yesterday's live blog here. [Image by AFP]
12:52am
Two people were killed and 26 injured in shelling by Muammar Gaddafi's forces in the besieged city of Misurata on Tuesday, a rebel told the Reuters news agency.
12:01am
Welcome to Al Jazeera's Libya live blog for April 6 - catch up on all of the latest developments by referring to our live blog for April 5, a day when rebels lashed out at NATO for being "too slow" to act to save civilian lives, while Muammar Gaddafi's forces pushed forward to take the town of Brega, west of Ajdabiya.
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Libya Live Blog - April 5
By Al Jazeera Staff in
Africa
on April 4th, 2011.
Show oldest updates on top
As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.
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(All times are local in Libya GMT+2)
11:46pm
Ahmet Davutoglu, the Turkish foreign minister, will hold talks with Mahmoud Jibril, the foreign affairs chief for the opposition Transitition National Council, in Qatar in the coming days, the Turkish news agency Anatolia reported.
11:17pm
Al Jazeera's Sue Turton has filed a report from Ajdabiya, where she met with a former Gaddafi soldier who was held in a prison in Sirte. The former solider says prisoners were being abused and tortured at the prison.
11:11pm
The Associated Press reports that rebels in towns southwest of Tripoli have banded together to fight pro-Gaddafi forces, pushing them out of the mountain town of Yefren.
Shaban Abusitta, a rebel leader from the town of Nalut, said youths from Nalut and Az Zintan infiltrated Yefren and helped their allies there to fight against government forces, who had surrounded the town. The rebels, armed with Kalashnikov rifles, attacked the armed forces' lines and pushed them away from the town.
Abusitta said at least 25 families from Yefren were now taking shelter in Nalut, and that many others were escaping towards the Tunisian border.
10:46pm
AFP reports that Abdelati al-Obeidi has been formally appointed as Libya's foreign minister, replacing Moussa Koussa, who fled the country to the United Kingdom.
10:36pm
Reuters reports, citing a rebel spokesman, that shelling in Misurata stopped at about 5:00pm local time, after beginning at 10:00am.
Misrata was shelled with tank fire, artillery and mortars, mainly (around) Tripoli street and the port area. The shelling started around 10 a.m. and stopped at 5 in the afternoon.
"The situation gets worse every day. Unfortunately NATO's operations have not been effective in Misrata. Civilians are dying every day."
9:33pm
General Carter Ham, the chief of the United States' Africa Command, has been testifying before American lawmakers in Washington DC.
He has reiterated that NATO is now in full command of the mission, and the US is acting only in a supporting role.
Regarding al-Qaeda, he says that it remains the "number one security threat" to the US, particularly in eastern Africa.
9:12pm
Some very strong words there from Abdel Fatah Younis, the military commander of the rebel army in Libya, who was particularly critical of NATO's role, which he said had let the opposition down by standing idly by while Gaddafi kills Libyan citizens.
9:10pm
The situation in the southern areas, as we said the forces that we command the regular armies are on the front line. The oil fields have some patrols and some of our rebel youths that have joined the rebellion. They have tried to shell the Sidr oil field, and there are some damages, but are working on reparing them. All of this is to deny the eastern area access to its oil. Because now the National Council has the legitimacy to sell the oil. And we have started these contacts with Qatar. And the Gaddafi regime does not want the people to enjoy their rights.
"Yesterday we intercepted a brief from their forces saying that they have destroyed the field. These Gaddafi forces have been lying so that they would not be executed by the regime. We also informed NATO about these groups that are trying to sabotage the fields. We told NATO about them, NATO says we cannot shell them when they are in the oil field.
"But these people are on tarmac, and it would not influence the oil fields, but unfortunately they were not bombed.
"The security of the oil fields have intercepted these groups and defended the oil fields. "
9:05pm
When a large force of tanks, and even 155 artillery, which is on its way to Benghazi, Ajdabiya or Brega, we always inform straight away NATO. Because we don't have such weapons. NATO's reaction is very slow. By the time the information reaches from one official to another until it reaches the field commander, it takes hours. Will these forces wait for hours to bomb? No, they will go into the city and burn it down. That is why I want NATO to stand with us and support us, otherwise I will ask the National council to address this issue at the Security Council.
"Of course NATO is helping us sometimes, but they are taking their time, and we are giving the coordinates of these forces that enter cities, but there is slow action, which allows invading forces to enter a city, burn it down, kill everybody and then leave the city.
"We have some MiGs and helicopters that we have repaired, and we ask if we can fly these warplanes. NATO forbids us. They are not letting us help, or helping themselves. Broadcast this to the world, so that people will know that NATO is not supporting us."
9:04pm
Unfortunately, and I sorry to say this, NATO has disappointed us. My staff have been in contact with the NATO envoys to direct them to targets that should protect civilians, but until now, NATO has not given us what we need...
Civilians are dying daily in Misurata because of lack of food or milk, even children are dying. Even by bombing. If NATo waits for another week, it will be a crime that NATO will have to carry. What is NATO doing? It is shelling some defined areas only."
8:59pm
Responding to a question on Misurata:
Misurata gentlemen is under the complete annihilation. It is extreme meaning of annihilation. There is no water, no electricty, no food, even children's milk this has been going on for 40 days, and daily bombing of buildings, hospitals and mosques. Heavy artillery is bombing civilian targets and when the Misurata people went to the wells that contain a lot of salt in them for drinking water, the Libyan regime closed down the black water or the sewage, and that's what led to the flooding of sewage into these wells.
"Who is talking about helping Misurata? Whether it is NATO, or even from the devil's alliance, this is Muslim people who are being annihilated, exterminated, and no population has been subjected to this since the early days.
"Who has been subjected to this treatment. These people were drinking water from wells that have been contaminated.
"These weapons [on board a ship] are for self-defence, and the international media should defend the people of Misurata. NATO which is sometimes bombing some areas and at the same time leaving Misurata's people to die under these conditions."
8:54pm
Responding to a question on whether there are divisions on the front line in the rebel army, Younis says:
"I don't know why the journalists these days are picking up on these rumours. These rumours, whether right or wrong, do not influence the position of the armed forces. There is no disagreement, no problems, between the rebel forces.
"The front line is OK, and there is opportunity for every citizen to join us at the front line."
8:51pm
Abdel Fatah Younis, the head of the pro-democracy opposition's army, is addressing a press conference in Benghazi now. Watch on AJE live!
8:19pm
Forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi have razed a mosque in Az Zawiyah that had been used by rebels as a base, as well as a graveyard in a central square where opposition fighters are buried in that city.
Gaddafi's forces are now in firm control of the city, which for weeks had fought back against siege by government troops.
8:17pm
Geoff Morell, the Pentagon' spokesman, says that no decision has yet been made on whether or not the US will be helping to arm rebels. At the moment the topic of "non-lethal" aid is being discussed, he says.
8:06pm
This video, the content of which Al Jazeera cannot independently verify, shows what appears to be a Libyan rebel weapons factory, with opposition activists hard at work decorating rocket/missile launchers taken off aircraft that are being modified and mounted on the back of pick-up trucks.
7:58pm
Antonio Guterres, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, has paid tribute to the countries bordering Libya for taking in hundreds of thousands of refugees during the current crisis in the country. He has also paid tribute to Italy and Malta for sheltering thousands of economic migrants and refugees from North Africa - even though Rome says that it wants to send many Tunisians seeking a better life in Europe back home.
7:57pm
Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, says he wants to question Moussa Koussa, the former Libyan foreign minister who has resigned and fled to London.
Moreno-Ocampo said that Koussa could have crucial information about the inner workings of Muammar Gaddafi's government.
7:56pm
Two boats carrying 600 migrants, including Eritreans and Somalians feeling Libya, arrived at Lampedusa island today.
About 800 of the 1,500 migrants already on the tiny Italian island were transferred on Monday to processing centres in Italy by air and sea.
7:50pm
Algeria is concerned by a noticeable increase in al-Qaeda presence in Libya, Abdelkader Messahel, the country's deputy foreign minister, said today.
7:08pm
A Pentagon briefing on Libya is underway at the moment. Watch live on our stream.
0:00pm
With oil tankers now docking at the eastern oil ports of Tobruk and Marsa el Hariga, and the rebels desperate for an inflow of funds, as much to prove their viability as a government as to fund their opposition, Laurence Lee reports on the state of play on Libya's oil.
6:32pm
Jordanian fighter jets are operating out of a European airbase to protect Jordanian transport aircraft that are delivering humanitarian assistance to the opposition in eastern parts of Libya.
Nasser Judeh, the Jordanian foreign minister, said at a news conference today:
The Jordanian fighters arrived at one of the military bases in Europe two days ago to protect Jordanian military aircraft carrying humanitarian aid to the Libyan people and to provide logistical support. Jordan sent a first plane carrying humanitarian aid to Benghazi yesterday [Monday]."
6:30pm
More on NATO operations near Misurata: coalition aircraft launched 14 strikes on Monday, including "a number" targetting air defence systems, tanks and armoured vehicles in the area around the besieged Western town, the alliance says.
The alliance also hit a rocket launcher near Brega on Monday., and ammunition storage facilities in other parts of the country.
6:21pm
Hundreds of Libyans evacuated from Misurata by a Turkish hospital ship have arrived in the Turkish city of Cesme, where they are now being treated.
Some 60 ambulances and two helicopters were on standby as the ferry docked on Turkey's Aegean coast.
6:16pm
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, in an interview with the BBC, says that Moussa Koussa, the former Libyan foreign minister who left Libya for the UK, is "sick and old" and may make up "funny stories" about the Lockerbie bombing to tell authorities, but would have little of consequence to tell them.
"The British and the Americans ... they know everything about Lockerbie so there are no secrets'' Koussa can reveal, Saif said.
6:15pm
Jock Stirrup, Britain's former chief of defence staff, tells Al Jazeera that in order for political efforts to erode Gaddafi's support base to suceed, there must be an understanding of the nature of support for him and the motivations of those who do back him.
He says that efforts for the political resolution of the crisis have only seriously been pursued "for the last couple of weeks", and that since these are "difficult" and "sensitive" issues, the hope is that while little is being said publically, much is being done behind closed doors.
6:04pm
The United Nations has doubled its aid appeal for Libya to $310 million, Elisabeth Byrs, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says.
The funds, she said, would be used to provide relief to over 1.5 million people affected by the conflict, including more tha 400,000 refugees.
So far, OCHA has received 70 per cent of its first appeal, which was for $160 million.
The International Organisation for Migration on Tuesday has also repeated a plea for more funding, saying that there is currently "no more money for humanitarian evacuations" from Egypt and Tunisia.
6:02pm
Mustafa Gheirani, a spokesman for the Libyan opposition's National Council, has told AFP that while the opposition has suffered "setbacks", it will fight on.
There is no revolution without setbacks. But the people will win. Gaddafi cannot rule Libya with his machine -- his militias and his mercenaries... We are committed to fighting this tyrant, and either we will drive him out or he will rule a country with no people in it."
5:57pm
The military action in Libya is costing the US Air Force $4 million a day, though those costs are likely to fall now that US fighter jets are not actively involved in sorties over Libya, the USAF says.
USAF Secretary Michael Donley put the cost of the operation so far at $75 million.
The total cost for the entire US military was estimated to be $500 million on March 28.
5:33pm
Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee has been reporting from Benghazi on the status of the conflict near Brega, as well as other stories out of the opposition stronghold.
5:30pm
Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel-Hamid has just been reporting live from Ajdabiya.
Since this morning we were trying to get as close as possible to Brega. We reached the junction on the road that would lead inside that town, but since mid-morning, opposition forces have been coming under a rolling artillery and mortar barrage that really pushed them about 20 to 30 km eastwards towards the town of Ajdabiya.
"Now we haven't seen such a push for a few days, over the past few days it actually seemed as if the opposition forces were able to hold some sort of position around the town of Brega. Well, today the situation was completely different. The Gaddafi forces were much more aggresive than they had been in the past days, it seem that maybe they had received new supplies, but certainly they have been pounding much more intensely than over the past few days."
5:05pm
These pictures were taken near Brega at various points today. [First two pictures: Reuters; Next three: EPA]
4:55pm
Libyan authorities had decided that they were prepared to kill anti-government protesters even before the opposition's movement against Gaddafi had really gotten going, International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo tells Reuters.
We have evidence that after the Tunisia and Egypt conflicts in January, people in the regime were planning how to control demonstrations inside Libya ... They were hiding that from people outside and they were planning how to manage the crowds ... the evidence we have is that the shooting of civilians was a pre-determined plan.
"The planning at the beginning was to use tear gas and [if that failed to work]..., shooting."
Moreno-Ocampo says that the court has "judicial responsibilities" to collect evidence regarding the possible prosecution of Muammar Gaddafi and his allies, but that the "political responsibilities" of deciding whether or not Gaddafi is to be offered immunity in return for leaving the country "are in the hands of the [UN] Security Council".
4:53pm
Anita McNaught, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Tripoli, reports that Libyan state television is planning to broadcast live from Brega at some point this evening.
Hoda Abdel-Hamid, our correspondent who has been reporting from the frontlines, says that it can be said with a fair degree of certainty that Gaddafi's forces have taken all of Brega, given the intensity of their assault this morning towards Ajdabiya.
4:48pm
Angelina Jolie's not the only one at Ras Ajdir, the Tunisian border crossing with Libya. The Tunisian state news agency reports that Salam Mabrouk Abdallah and Jomaa Ibrahim Ammar, external communication and international cooperation advisors of the Libyan Popular Committee entered Tunisia at Ras Ajdir on April 4th, bound for Djerba airport.
TAP, the news agency, says they took off for Bamako, in Mali.
4:42pm
NATO has termed the deaths of civilians in an airstrike on Friday an "unfortunate accident". Rebels had fired an anti-aircraft gun in celebration at seeing NATO fighter jets, who then fired on the vehicle in self-defence, the alliance said.
The assessment of the incident has now "closed", NATO says, as opposition forces "have already stated that it was their fault".
Brigadier General Mark van Uhm, NATO's commander of allied operations, said that the opposition appears to have "learned their lesson", and is now only using more experienced fighters at the front line and has strictly banned celebratory firing.
Oana Lungescu, a NATO spokesperson, said of the incident:
We take any reports of civilian casualties very seriously, but clearly if somebody fires on our aircraft, those aircraft have the right to fire, it is their right of self defence."
4:40pm
Chris Stevens, the US deputy ambassador to Libya, has arrived in Benghazi to hold talks with the opposition's national council there, according to a US official who was speaking to the Associated Press.
Stevens will be discussing humanitarian and possible financial assistance to be provided to the opposition by the US.
4:38pm
The Associated Press reports that diplomats are dangling offers of immunity from prosecution and the lifting of asset and travel freezes to members of Gaddafi's family in order to persuade them to withdraw their support for the Libyan leader.
4:34pm
A tanker has docked at the eastern Libyan oil port of Tobruk to pick up the first oil cargo to leave Libya for 18 days, says Michelle Bockmann, markets editor of shipping news and data provider Lloyd's List.
The boat is expected to be loaded on April 6.
4:21pm
Brigadier General Mark van Uhm, NATO's chief of allied operations, says that coalition airstrikes have continued apace since NATO took command of bombing operations from the US.
Van Uhm says that Misurata is the new priority for NATO. Residents of the western town report that they have come under constant bombardment from pro-Gaddafi forces, and have repeatedly called for NATO to intervene in the city.
Misurata is a number one priority because of the situation on the ground over there. We have confirmation that in Misurata tanks are being dispersed, being hidden, (and) humans being used as shields in order to prevent NATO sorties to identify targets."
Van Uhm also says that pro-Gaddafi forces are changing their tactics to cope with coalition airstrikes.
What we have seen is that pro-Gaddafi forces have changed their tactics over days, what we see is that they are more and more using trucks and light vehicles to move their personnel to the frontline. We are trying to identify where those heavy assets like tanks and armoured vehicles are because we have seen that they have chosen to hide in urban areas, even using human shields in order to not be targeted."
3:59pm
Denmark and Norway have expressed their support for an open-ended military campaign against Gaddafi, while all five Nordic nations have called for him to immediately step down.
The foreign ministers of five Nordic states met in Helsinki today to discuss the crisis in Libya.
Lene Espersen, the Danish foreign minister, said her country would will "stay there for as long as it takes to protect civilians", and that Denmark would be willing to send ships to enforce an arms embargo.
Norway, Denmark and Sweden have all sent warplanes to take part in the international military action in Libya.
Carl Bildt, the Swedish foreign minister, pointed out that the challenge going forward in Libya would be building a democracy, when and if Gaddafi left power.
3:09pm
Angelina Jolie, everyone's favourite actress-cum-UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, visited refugees from Libya at a UN-run camp on the Tunisia-Libyan border today.
More than 400,000 people have fled Libya in the last month, headed to Tunisia, Egypt, Niger, Algeria, Chad and Sudan. The majority have gone to Tunisia and Egypt, with the former receiving more than half of the outflow.
Transit facilities have been set up by the UN 7km inside Tunisia to provide temporary shelter for refugees. The UN says it has helped 70,000 people reach "home safely", but more continue to arrive, and 11,000 people are still in transit.
Jolie, the Goodwill Ambassador, said:
The outpouring of generosity from the Tunisian people says so much for the future of this country. “It is a sign of the openness sweeping across the region ... “The international community has done well to reinforce Tunisia’s remarkable relief effort. But with 2,000 people still crossing each day, we cannot let the funding dry up and need to sustain the momentum."
3:01pm
NATO says that air strikes on Gaddafi targets have destroyed nearly a third of the military power available to the Libyan leader.
"The assessment is that we have taken out 30 percent of the military capacity of Gaddafi," Brigadier General Mark van Uhm, a senior NATO staff officer, told a news briefing.
1:00pm
Reuters news agency has reported that an oil tanker has arrived at the rebel-held east Libyan port of Marsa el Hariga.
10:30am
Reuters news agency has reported that Libyan pro-democracy fighters hoped to begin their first independent oil shipment on Tuesday. The tanker Equator, which can carry 1 million barrels of crude, was due to arrive at the east Libyan port of Marsa el Hariga.
The pro-democracy leadership says Qatar agreed to market oil from east Libyan fields no longer under Gaddafi's control after the Gulf state recognized the revolutionary council in Benghazi as Libya's legitimate government.
Italy, a major investor in Libyan oil, also sided with the rebels on Monday, promising them weapons and demanding that Gaddafi and his family, who enjoyed warm ties with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, leave Libya.
9:30am
A YouTube video shows a very funny old guy cracking jokes about Gaddafi in Zawiya one day and then very disturbing images of the same old guy being beaten/taunted in the back of a vehicle by soldiers a week or so later.
Al Jazeera can not independently verify the authenticity of the video. WARNING the language is very disturbing.
9:15am
Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel Hamid reports from the town of Ajdabiya on how the opposition there says the momentum is changing.
8:15am
Al Jazeera's Sue Turton reports on how the pro-democracy fighters have managed to push Gaddafi’s troops into the old town of Brega. And how many of the residents are desperate to leave due to shortage of basic supplies.
8:00am
US fighter jets have ended their combat missions in Libya, with Nato to take full command of operations.
7:00am
Moussa Ibrahim, the Libyan government spokesman, tells reporters that they are ready for negotiations as long as it is from within Libya.
6:15am
Hani Faris, a political science professor at the University of British Colombia in Vancouver, spoke to Al Jazeera about the current situation in Libya and the way forward to solve the issues.
"We have arrived at a junction in the Libyan crisis where diplomacy needs to play a role, all parties involved in the Libya crisis have seen that they can not have their way, there needs to be a settlement the sooner the better.
"The Libyan people really need to put a stop to the war that is taken place.
"It is well known that the regime in Libya can not survive, Ghaddafi himself must go, and he will go.
We know that there is a fusion between the state and Ghaddafi, there are no autonomous state institutions. and when Ghaddafi leaves his regime will fall apart.
"The Arab world should not leave the negotiations and intervention in Libya to non Arab states, Egypt and Tunis have a very special role to play, both of them are highly regarded in the world today. Both of them are neighbors. They can both play a major role in bringing a settlement to Libya that recognizes the needs and demands for freedom and peace in the country."
4:15am
Ordinary Libyans, and those families worst affected by the fighting on the front lines, are in no mood to compromise to end Libya's crisis. Al Jazeera's James Bays reports from Benghazi, where people continue to stand resolute in their call for Gaddafi and his entire family to leave power.
4:03am
The European Union said it could provide special assistance to member countries facing a refugee crisis and ease refugees' conditions after political upheaval in north Africa.
"In case of a massive inflow of displaced persons and refugees (from Libya, Tunisia or Egypt), the European Commission would be ready to make use of the 2001 directive that provides immediate protection" to these people, said Cecilia Malstroem, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, on Monday, the AFP news agency reported.
This comes as more than 22,000 migrants, mostly from Tunisia, have landed on the Italian island of Lampedusa since theTunisian revolution in January.
3:20am
Libyan rebels fighting Gaddafi's forces are worried about their financial resources and want to start exporting both oil and natural gas, the UN special envoy to Libya said.
Abdelilah al-Khatib spoke to the Security Council about his recent visits to Libya, where he met with the rebels' Transitional National Council and members of Gaddafi's government in Tripoli.
"The council raised concerns about the lack of funds as well as issues surrounding the marketing and sale of oil and gas, stressing that the issue required urgent attention in order to enable the economy to function effectively," he told the 15-nation Security Council on Monday.
2:27am
The US Treasury is ending its freeze on former Libyan foreign minister Moussa Koussa's assets following his decision to sever ties to Gaddafi's government and flee to Britain last week, a senior US Treasury official said.
"Koussa's defection and the subsequent lifting of sanctions against him should encourage others within the Libyan government to make similar decisions to abandon the Gaddafi regime," David Cohen, the Treasury's acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a blog posting on the Treasury website.
1:05am
Maltese Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi told Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Abdelati Obeidi that Gaddafi and his family must relinquish power. Obeidi was in Malta following talks with government officials in Greece and Turkey on ways to end the Libyan conflict.
"The Prime Minister reiterated the Maltese government's position that the resolutions of the United Nations must be respected, that the Gaddafi government must step down, that Colonel Gaddafi and his family should leave and there should be an immediate ceasefire and a process to enable the Libyan people to make its democratic choices," the government said in a statement.
12:37am
The Libyan government says it's ready to hold elections, a referendum or any other reform to its political system, Reuters reports.
12:31am
Libya has said Gaddafi must stay, but the country is ready to discuss reforming its political system, Reuters reports.
The government said only Libyans themselves can decided if Gaddafi should stay or not.
12:23am
A Libyan government spokesperson said Libya is ready for a "political solution" with world powers, the Reuters news agency reports.
12:14am
Libyan state television late on Monday showed live footage of Muammar Gaddafi saluting supporters from a jeep that drove outside his fortified compound of Bab al-Aziziyah in Tripoli.
A written newsflash read: "The brother leader among his supporters."
For other updates you may have missed from yesterday, click here.
12:00am
Welcome to today's liveblog.
We'll be keeping you up to date with breaking news and reports as they emerge from Libya. You can also check out yesterday's blog by clicking here.
And don't forget, you can also tune into our live TV feed online: Watch Al Jazeera
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Libyan government
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Recent Comments
ed red in the mid-east, mostly anything american is a no-no. that is why you see toyotas. sad but true.
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
gnirts Several billion in cash and gold reserves held in-country. More than enough to keep him going, keep paying the soldiers etc.
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
ABigStone His credibility is only judged by fact comparing his report to the facts we get.
And he is losing badly.
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
AntinaziGuy They are driving Toyota Land Cruisers of last models. Army seems as well. it is from 68k.
http://www.toyota.com/landcrui...
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
Joris Diepstraten he wont get it the people will rise
younis is easy compared to the daffys
Libya Live Blog - April 10 · 3 minutes ago
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