North Africa

Libya: Misrata siege politicized; Qatar arming rebels

Foreign workers are desperately trying to flee the besieged Libyan city of Misrata—but they may be fleeing attacks by the rebels as well as Qaddafi’s forces. Qatar now acknowledges it is arming the rebel forces.

North Africa

Morocco claims: Polisario rebels fight for Qaddafi

The Moroccan media are making much of a report in Italy’s Corriere della Sera that Western Sahara guerillas are fighting for Qaddafi—as well as claims from the Tripoli regime that they are fighting against Qaddafi!

North Africa

Libya: African migrants caught between both sides

AlJazeera reports from a refugee camp in Tunisia, where African migrants who have fled Libya tell both of being expelled from the country by rebels—and being press-ganged into Qaddafi’s military.

North Africa

US military advisors arrive in Libya: reports

Reports are emerging of US and British military advisors arriving in Benghazi, as a Qaddafi spokesman said the regime is open to reform—but that “the leader has to lead this forward.”

North Africa

Libya: Qaddafi rejects ceasefire, NATO bombs rebels

Moammar Qaddafi’s regime rejected a rebel ceasefire offer, as reports emerged that NATO mistakenly bombed a rebel convoy near Brega, killing 13 including four civilian medical personnel.

North Africa

Libyan rebels appeal for ceasefire, sign oil deal

Libya’s rebels, in retreat for a third consecutive day, appealed to Qaddafi for a ceasefire—as they announced the signing of a deal with Qatar to market oil from fields under their control in exchange for weapons.

North Africa

Moussa Koussa provides moral test for West’s Libya policy

Defected Libyan foreign minister Moussa Koussa may bear responsibility in the Lockerbie bombing—and in countless “disappearances” and rights abuses. Will he now be embraced as the technocratic face of a new regime?