TUNIS – Libyan rebels on Thursday killed 30 government snipers in the town of Misrata and Western warplanes hit military targets deep inside the country, as Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the command of Western military operations in Libya would be transferred from the US to NATO within a day or two.
“Compromise has been reached in principle in a very short time,” Davutoglu told reporters. “The operation will be handed over to NATO completely.” Earlier, a rebel spokesman said government warships and boats that were in the town’s port have now gone. “There were clashes today and our fighters managed to find a way to reach the snipers on rooftops and killed thirty of them,” rebel spokesman Abdulbasset Abu Mzereiq said by telephone.
“The warships and the boats are gone now and the coalition forces have informed the (rebel) council that they will secure a safe passage for ships that are coming from Malta carrying aid.” Rebels also battled on to the eastern oil town of Ajdabiya as plans firmed for NATO to take over coalition operations after Tripoli came under attack for a sixth day.
France promised to continue air raids “for as long as necessary”, and Italy offered to increase its participation in the coalition operation. The US general in charge of the operation said coalition forces imposing the no-fly zone “cannot be sure” there have been no civilian deaths from bombings but are trying to be “very precise.”
