Tripoli, March 29: NATO forces have stepped up bombarding Libyan government targets but deny helping anti-government forces’ push forward, a report says.
Coalition warplanes took advantage as darkness fell on Monday and bombed Libyan regime’s targets on the central coast and in the west in an effort to help the advancing anti-regime forces toward Sirte — the hometown of ruler Muammar Gaddafi.
But US officials have denied that the military action was intended directly to help the anti-regime forces’ advance, AFP reported.
“We’re not in direct support of the opposition, that’s not part of our mandate and we’re not coordinating with the opposition,” US Vice Admiral Bill Gortney, director of the US military’s Joint Staff, said.
NATO has finally taken over enforcing a no-fly zone and flew its first enforcement mission over Libya on Sunday in an operation codenamed “Unified Protector.”
This comes as Libyan revolutionary forces, already in full control of several key cities, were halted for the second time on Monday during their thrust toward Sirte.
The revolutionary forces were subjected to heavy fire at the village of Harawa, some 60 kilometers (35 miles) short of Sirte, killing two anti-regime forces and destroying several pick-up trucks on the road from Bin Jawad to Nofilia, the report said.
The bombardment of regime targets was announced by British Prime Minister David Cameron to the leaders of the United States, Germany and France during a video conference on Monday.
He said that a planned conference on Libya in London on Tuesday should “broaden the coalition” of nations committed to enforcing a UN Security Council resolution allowing the use of force to protect civilians.
Meanwhile, opposition representatives in Benghazi are trying to form a government-in-waiting.
——–Agencies