As opposition-led attacks and NATO airstrikes advanced towards Libya’s capital, Tripoli, over the weekend, the country’s government is calling for an immediate cease-fire, FOX News is reporting. The government wants a truce between rebels and forces loyal to leader Muammar al-Aaddafi, after opposition fighters launched attacks on Tripoli.
Thirty-one Qaddafi troops were reportedly killed during the attacks, and another 42 were captured. Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said at a news conference in Tripoli that rebels have been executing innocent civilians, torching homes and robbing people.
The government is also saying that NATO’s airstrikes have even been targeting civilian buildings, including schools and hospitals. In response, the international military organization said the shifting battle lines have made it harder to identify the targets for the strikes. NATO spokesman Col. Roland Lavoie said the strikes are harder to do in an urban area, and they require “very precise and deep intelligence,” so that the civilian population won’t be harmed.
Qaddafi’s son, Seif al-Islam, delivered a message to his supporters, saying “We are not surrendering; it is impossible to raise the white flag.” He added that he has rejected surrendering because it’s not his father’s decision; “it is the decision of the Libyan people.”
Written by: Karen Benardello
