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Libyan Opposition Leader Predicts Capture of Gadhafi Stronghold

   Peter Clottey  March 28, 2011

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS

   Libyan  rebels  gesture as they pass the oil refinery in the outskirts
   of  Ras  Lanouf,  eastern Libya, Sunday, March 27, 2011. Libyan rebels
   took  back  a  key  oil  town  and  pushed  westward Sunday toward the
   capital,  seizing  momentum  from  the  international  airstrikes that
   tipped the balance away from Moammar Gadhafi's military. Brega, a main
   oil  export  terminal  in  eastern  Libya,  fell after a skirmish late
   Saturday  and rebel forces moved swiftly west, seizing the tiny desert
   town of Al-Egila a collection of houses and a gas station on their way
   to  the  massive  oil  refining  complex of Ras Lanouf. (AP Photo/Anja
   Niedringhaus)

   The leader of the opposition Justice and Democracy Party of Libya says
   rebels  fighting against the administration will soon take over Sirte,
   a stronghold of forces loyal to leader Moammar Gadhafi.

   Hadi  Shalluf,  who  is  also an international lawyer, says opposition
   groups are against all forms of negotiated settlement with Gadhafi and
   his family aimed at resolving the ongoing crisis in Libya.

   âThere  is no real resistance now from the Gadhafi troops and, already
   in  Ben  Jawad,  there  are no Gadhafi soldiers or mercenaries; all of
   them escaped into the desert. For that we are thinking that Sirte will
   be  easy now [with] the airstrikes from the United States and allies,â
   said Shalluf.

   He  also  says the ongoing airstrikes are aiding the rebelsâ effort to
   soon takeover Sirte, despite being a Gadhafi stronghold.

   âOf  course,  they  are  very  strong,  but they donât really have any
   morale.  They are already losing courage to fight the (rebels) because
   most  of them escaped from Ben Jawad. So, I think they will be leaving
   Sirte  because  they  fear  they will be bombarded and the rebels will
   take  over.  So,  even  if  they  are  strong now, they donât have any
   motivation to fight for the Gadhafi regime,â said Shalluf.

   Shalluf   says   international   airstrikes   are,  in  his  words,  a
   demoralizing factor for the forces loyal to Gadhafi at the same time a
   significant boost for the rebels seeking to force the embattled leader
   to step down.

   Libyan  rebels  pushed farther west Sunday, just one day after seizing
   two  key  towns  following  a  week  of coalition airstrikes that have
   forced pro-government troops to retreat.

   The rebels said they recaptured the eastern oil port of Brega Saturday
   hours  after  retaking the nearby town of Ajdabiya. They said Gadhafi
   forces  have been driven out of both areas. Rebels had lost control of
   Ajdabiya  more  than a week ago, but a barrage of coalition airstrikes
   against pro-government forces allowed them to reclaim the town.

   Shalluf says the airstrikes could force the embattled Libyan leader to
   step down.

   âThe  people  and Gadhafiâs soldiers think it is over. So, that is why
   they have been escaping and not fighting the revolution troops. He may
   be  strong in Tripoli, but he has not contacts with his troops outside
   of Tripoli because he has logistic problems now and the airstrikes are
   making them weak,â said Shalluf.

   Witnesses  reported  seeing the bodies of more than a dozen government
   soldiers  in  Ajdabiya,  about  160  kilometers  south  of  the  rebel
   stronghold of Benghazi.

   Meanwhile,  France's military says its warplanes destroyed five Libyan
   planes  and  two  helicopters  in  Misrata,  a rebel-held town east of
   Tripoli.  Coalition jets also carried out attacks near Tripoli.
   Saturday's  developments  came  a day after Libyan officials announced
   plans  to pursue diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis. There have
   been no reports of progress since the announcement.

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