News 24 & Akhtar Jamal / Global Research & Reuters – 2011-03-04 02:42:46
http://www.news24.com/Africa/News/UK-Germany-fly-secret-missions-into-Libya-20110228
UK, Germany Fly Secret Missions into Libya
News 24
BERLIN (February 28, 2011) — British and German military planes swooped into Libya’s desert, rescuing hundreds of oil workers and civilians stranded at remote sites, as thousands of other foreigners are still stuck in Tripoli by bad weather and red tape.


The secret military missions into the turbulent North Africa country signal the readiness of Western nations to disregard Libya’s territorial integrity when it comes to the safety of their citizens.


Three British Royal Air Force planes plucked 150 stranded civilians from multiple locations in the eastern Libyan desert before flying them to Malta on Sunday, the British Defense Ministry said in a statement. 

One of the RAF Hercules aircraft appeared to have suffered minor damage from small arms fire, Defense Secretary Liam Fox said.


The rescue follows a similar secret commando raid on Saturday by British Special Forces that got another 150 oil workers from the remote Libyan desert.
 Separately, Germany said its air force had evacuated 132 people also from the desert during a secret military mission on Saturday.


German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said on Sunday that two German military planes landed on a private runway belonging to the Wintershall AG company, evacuating 22 Germans and 112 others and flying them to the Greek island of Crete.


Very Dangerous 


Another 18 German citizens were rescued by the British military in a separate military operation on Saturday that targeted remote oil installations in the Libyan desert, Westerwelle said. He said around 100 other German citizens are still in Libya and the government was trying to get them out as quickly as possible.


“I want to thank the members of the Germany military for their brave mission,” Westerwelle said.
German military missions abroad need approval by parliament, and Westerwelle said he had spoken to all party leaders in parliament on Friday to tell them about the upcoming military mission. 


He said the coalition government led by Chancellor Angela Merkel had evaluated the situation in Libya as “very dangerous” and therefore ordered an immediate evacuation by the air force.


The German foreign ministry refused to name the exact location of the company and the site where the evacuation took place.

The head of Wintershall, Rainer Seele, thanked the government.

”We are all relieved and grateful,” he was quoted as saying by the DAPD news agency.

US, UK, French Forces Land in Libya
Several Hundred ‘Defense Advisors’ to Support Anti-Ghadafi Forces
Akhtar Jamal / Global Research
ISLAMABAD (February 28, 2011) — The United States, Britain and France have sent several hundred “defense advisors” to train and support the anti-Gadhafi forces in oil-rich Eastern Libya where “rebels armed groups” have apparently taken over.
According to an exclusive report confirmed by a Libyan diplomat in the region “the three Western states have landed their ‘special forces’ troops in Cyrinacia and are now setting up their bases and training centers” to reinforce the rebel forces who are resisting pro-Qaddafi forces in several adjoining areas.
A Libyan official who requested not to be identified said that the US and British military gurus were sent on February 23 and 24 night through American and French warships and small naval boats off Libyan ports of Benghazi and Tobruk.
The Western forces are reportedly preparing to set-up training bases for local militias set-up by the rebel forces for an effective control of the oil-rich region and counter any push by pro- Qaddafi forces from Tripoli.
Other reports claim that efforts to “neutralize” the Libyan Air Force were also underway to limit Qaddafi’s rule in Tripoli if not fully uprooted from the country.
Meanwhile, three Indian Navy warships, are also being dispatched to be deployed in the rebel-held areas of Libya.
According to reports the Indian Navy has already sent two warships plus one its largest amphibious vessel INS Jalashwa. According to defense experts “Jalashwa” is the largest ship of Indian Navy, which was delivered by the US four years ago. Jalashwa, formally the USS Trenton, has the capability to embark, transport and land various elements of an amphibious force and its equipped with mechanized landing craft, Sea King helicopters and armed with radars, ship-to-air missiles and rapid firing guns.
Experts say that Indian ship Jalashwa has a Landing Platform Dock with a capability 1000 fully armed troops. The warship is also used for maritime surveillance, special operations, search and rescue and to undertake other tasks.
Gadhafi Vows to ‘Triumph over Enemy’
Reuters
TRIPOLI — Muammar Gadhafi vowed defiantly on Friday to triumph over his enemies, vigorously urging supporters in Tripoli’s Green Square to protect the Libyan nation and its petroleum interests.
Addressing cheering supporters from the old city ramparts looking over Green Square, Gadhafi, wearing a winter jacket and a hunter’s cap that covered his ears, said when necessary he would open Libya’s arsenals of guns to the tribes.
“We can crush any enemy. We can crush it with the people’s will. The people are armed and when necessary, we will open arsenals to arm all the Libyan people and all Libyan tribes,” said Gadhafi, who has lost swathes of his country to rebels.
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