Britain says response to Syria chemical attack possible without unanimous UN backing

 

Updated: 1:55 PM

 

 

Members of the British Royal Navy frigate HMS Westminster (Reuters / Jon Nazca)

Source: Russia Today

http://rt.com/news/uk-response-without-un-backing-979/

A response to the use of chemical weapons in Syria is possible without the unanimous consent of the UN Security Council, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague has said.

“I would argue yes it is, otherwise it might be impossible to respond to such outrages, such crimes, and I don't think that's an acceptable situation," Hague said on BBC radio, when asked whether it would be possible to respond to the use of chemical weapons without the backing of the UN Security Council.

Meanwhile, Britain’s Royal Navy is reportedly moving ships into place for a possible strike with the US on Syria in the next few days.

Citing government sources, British daily The Telegraph wrote that as military commanders were discussing a list of potential targets, the Royal Navy is deploying vessels for a series of cruise missile strikes on Syria.

Since last week’s chemical weapons attack on a Damascus suburb that left over 300 civilians dead, political rhetoric has been building against President Bashar Assad, alleging the regime carried out the attack against its own citizens. On Sunday, Britain added its voice to the chorus of countries urging for intervention in Syria.

Foreign Secretary William Hague condemned the Assad regime, stating that “all the evidence points in one direction.”

"We cannot, in the 21st century, allow the idea that chemical weapons can be used with impunity, that people can be killed in this way, and there are no consequences for it," he said.

Branding Assad a dictator, Hague stressed a “strong response” was essential in light of the use of chemical weapons to “slaughter” Syrian citizens.

Syrian President Bashar Assad responded to the calls for an international reaction to the chemical attack, warning that any international intervention in Syria would end in failure.

"The comments [accusing the regime of using chemical weapons] made by politicians in the West and other countries are an insult to common sense... It is nonsense," Assad said, adding the accusations were completely “political.”

Russia also urged caution, calling on Washington to avoid “repeating past mistakes.”

“All of this makes one recall the events that happened 10 years ago, when, using false information about Iraqis having weapons of mass destruction, the US bypassed the United Nations and started a scheme whose consequences are well known to everyone,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Moscow has also said a UN investigation into last Wednesday’s attack is of paramount importance and it was essential that its results were not influenced before time.

A team of UN experts arrived at the site of the attack on Monday in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta, however doubts have already been raised over the validity of an investigation.

Washington has already alleged that an investigation would be “too late to be credible.” The British government echoed the US, stating that valuable evidence could have been destroyed in subsequent bombing of the area or tampered with.

"The fact is that much of the evidence could have been destroyed by that artillery bombardment. Other evidence could have degraded over the last few days and other evidence could have been tampered with," Hague told reporters on Saturday.

The toxic gas attack in Ghouta triggered a wave of media hysteria with mixed reports alleging that thousands had been killed. On Saturday, French charity Medcins sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders) said that 355 people had died and over a thousand were exhibiting systems related to neurotoxic poisoning. However, the non-profit organization said it was impossible to discern who was behind the attack.

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Saudi spy chief hails UK role in persistent Syrian civil war

 

 

Source: Press TV

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/08/26/320534/saudi-spy-chief-hails-uk-role-in-syria/

Saudi intelligence chief Prince Bandar Bin Sultan has in a secret meeting briefed Britain’s MI6 chief Sir Robert Sawers on Riyadh’s role in stoking the Syrian civil war and thanked London for its strategic cooperation to that end.

"At the meeting, the Saudi intelligence chief briefed Sawers on Riyadh's latest moves on Syria, including the supply of over 400 tons of weapons to the militants in Syria via Turkey," Fars News Agency quoted unnamed sources as saying.

“We have made the Syrian army engage in a civil war and of course this strategic mission could not be accomplished without your (MI6) cooperation,” the source quoted Prince Bandar as saying during the meeting.

According to the report, the Saudi National Security Council Secretary and Intelligence Chief also reiterated that his country is sending the Salafi and other extremist fighters to Syria to get them killed and trigger religious discord among different Muslims groups in the region.

"The Prince also reminded the different advantages of the Saudi plan in Syria, saying that extremist groups, including the Salafis, have been engaged in the war in Syria and killed in there, while the Lebanese Hezbollah movement has also been pushed into direct confrontation with radical Sunni Muslims," the source said.

Prince Bandar also reportedly ensured Sawers of control over the extremist mercenaries in Syria so that they do not turn up against Saudi Arabia and its western allies.

Lebanon’s Assafir newspaper reported back in June that Prince Bandar has been an intermediary between the western governments and the Syrian militants to deliver heavy weapons to the terrorists.

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Updated: 2013 August 26, 1:55 PM

 

US cannot afford to wait for UN to attack Syria: Officials

 

 

US President Barack Obama meets with his national security team

 

Source: Press TV

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/08/26/320575/us-cannot-afford-to-wait-for-un-to-attack-syria/

Rep. Eliot Engel (NY), the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has said “this is time for us” to launch cruise missile strikes on Syria, and that the US government cannot afford to wait for the United Nations.

“The world is a better place when the United States takes leadership; this is time for us to do this. I hope we’ll do it soon,” the American lawmaker said on Fox News Sunday.

A growing number of Republicans and Democrats in Congress are urging President Barack Obama to approve military action against Syria following reports of a deadly chemical attack in the suburbs of Damascus last week.

Engel said that the United States had to respond quickly and could not afford to wait for the United Nations.

“We could even destroy the Syrian Air Force if we wanted to… We have to move and we have to move quickly.”

Other senior US officials have also indicated that instead of seeking a UN approval for military action, Washington could work with its partners such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or the Arab League.

"We'll consult with the UN. They're an important avenue. But they're not the only avenue," a senior administration official said.

The Syrian government has allowed UN inspectors to visit a site that allegedly came under chemical attack on Wednesday. Obama administration officials, however, have dismissed as too late the Syrian offer.

Although there is still no evidence to blame the chemical attack on the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a senior administration official said there was “very little doubt” that Damascus was behind the attack.

“Based on the reported number of victims, reported symptoms of those who were killed or injured, witness accounts and other facts gathered by open sources, the US intelligence community, and international partners, there is very little doubt at this point that a chemical weapon was used by the Syrian regime against civilians in this incident,” the unnamed official said in a written statement on Sunday, as reported by the New York Times.

The Syrian government and the army categorically denied any role in Wednesday’s chemical attack which killed hundreds of people. Russia, a key ally of Syria, insists that the attack was "clearly provocative in nature," and that it was staged by foreign-backed militant groups to incriminate the Assad government.

In recent days, the Pentagon has moved more warships into place in the eastern Mediterranean Sea and American war planners have updated strike targets that include government and military installations inside Syria, officials said.

President Obama met with his national security advisers at the White House over the weekend to discuss “a range of options” for Syria, but officials said late Sunday that the president had yet to decide how to proceed.

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel reiterated Sunday that the Pentagon has prepared “options for all contingencies” and is ready to use force if the president gives the green-light.

Meanwhile, the US top military leader is in Jordan to discuss possible strikes on neighboring Syria.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey was set to meet with his Jordanian counterpart and other regional defense chiefs during his visit.

"The exchange is designed to increase the collective understanding of the impact of regional conflicts on nations, foster ongoing dialogue and improve security relationships," Defense Department spokeswoman Lt. Col. Cathy Wilkinson said.

President Obama said last year that the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government was “a red line” that would provoke a military response

 

 

Russia warns US of extremely dangerous fallout of strike on Syria

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov

Source: Press TV

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/08/26/320519/russia-warns-us-against-attack-on-syria/

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned the United States against the ‘extremely dangerous consequences’ of military action against Syria.

Lavrov made the remarks during a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday.

“Sergei Lavrov drew attention to the extremely dangerous consequences of a possible new military intervention for the whole Middle East and North Africa region,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

It added that Moscow was “deeply alarmed” by Washington’s statement about its readiness to intervene in Syria.

Foreign Minister Lavrov urged restraint during the conversation with John Kerry, the statement said.

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said on August 23 that the Pentagon was positioning military forces as part of “contingency options” provided to US President Barack Obama regarding Syria.

France and the Israeli regime have also called for military action against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Hagel’s comments have been interpreted as a tacit suggestion that the US may be preparing for a military strike on Syria. The US defense secretary repeated similar remarks on Sunday during a visit to Malaysia.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in a recent interview with the Russian newspaper Izvestia that any military intervention by the US would end in “failure.”

The United Nations says over 100,000 people have been killed and a total of 7.8 million of others displaced due to the turmoil that has gripped Syria since March 2011.


 

US raises alert for warships in Middle East

 

USS Abraham Lincoln

Source: Press TV

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/08/05/317362/us-raises-alert-for-warships-in-mideast/

The United States has reportedly ordered its warships in the Middle East to be ready in case of a possible terror attack by al-Qaeda.

DEBKAfile said on Monday that US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel “is reported by CNN to be considering a special deployment of US forces in the Middle East ready for action if a terrorist attack makes it necessary.”

“US warships have been ordered to sail into waters opposite Yemen, which is reported to be the source of the terrorist threat which has closed 19 US embassies and consulates in the Muslim world since Sunday,” DEBKAfile reported.

“Marine units in southern Italy and Spain were also told to stand ready for intervention,” according to the report.

The United States closed 21 embassies and consulates in the Middle East and North Africa on Sunday, warning that al-Qaeda may be planning to conduct attacks by the end of August.

On Sunday, State Department said that the country’s embassies and consulates in 19 cities will remain closed until Saturday. US diplomatic posts will remain closed in Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait among other countries.

The department also issued a global travel alert due to a possible terror attack by al-Qaeda.

“Current information suggests that al-Qaeda and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks both in the region and beyond, and that they may focus efforts to conduct attacks in the period between now and the end of August,” the department said.

In an interview with Press TV, political analyst Dr. Kevin Barrett said that the recent global terror alert shows that Washington needs to keep the so-called war on terror going.

“There is a hidden agenda of course behind it and that is to keep the so-called war on terror going and to do that they need to periodically check and see if people still believe this kind of nonsense,” he said.

“Terror alert issued by the US government is just as ridiculous as previous series of terror alerts,” Barrett added.

 

US dispatches 3 warships to occupied Palestine to evacuate citizens

 

The amphibious dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall operates off the coast of Killick, Haiti. (File photo)

Source: Press TV

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/11/20/273407/us-sends-3-warships-to-palestine-to-evacuate-citizens/

The United States has dispatched three warships to the occupied Palestinian territories to evacuate US citizens caught up in the Israel-Gaza conflict in the event of need.

The three ships, USS Iwo Jima, the USS New York and the USS Gunston Hall are returning from Gibraltar to eastern Mediterranean to remain on standby to assist Americans leaving the occupied lands, according to two US officials.

The officials stressed the evacuation remains a remote possibility and the Obama administration has no plans for the evacuation of the US citizens for the time being.

"This is due diligence. It is better to be prepared should there be a need," one official said.

The American officials reiterated that the US citizens willing to leave the volatile region can use commercial flights.

On Monday, US President Barack Obama held a telephone conversation with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to explore the possibility of reaching an agreement on a ceasefire.

Israeli airstrikes and shelling have left at least 109 Palestinians dead and over 900 others injured since November 14. Some of the injured are in critical condition.

The Israeli military said on Monday that it had conducted more than 1,350 aerial and sea attacks against the Gaza Strip since the beginning of its aggression on the coastal enclave.

US to move warships to Asia Pacific under new strategy

US warships pictured on May 2007

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/06/02/244221/us-to-move-warships-to-asiapacific/

The United States will move the majority of its Navy warships to the Asia-Pacific region by 2020, as part of a new military strategy to increase US presence in Asia, Defense Secretary says.

Speaking at the annual security conference in Singapore on Saturday, Leon Panetta said the Pentagon will deploy six more aircraft carriers and a majority of its cruisers, destroyers and submarines and littoral combat ships, which operate near-shore sites, to the region over the next years and by 2020.

The US Defense Department will also deploy more sophisticated submarines and fighter air craft, together with new electronic warfare capabilities and communications systems to the region.

While insisting it will take years to finish the transition, Panetta declared that Washington's budget problems and cutbacks will not hinder the new military strategy.

"It will take years for these concepts, and many of the investments we are making, to be fully realized," Panetta said.

"But make no mistake, in a steady, deliberate and sustainable way, the United States military is rebalancing and brings enhanced capabilities to this vital region," he added.

The US move is expected to increase tensions with China, as the shift in the US focus in the region is regarded by several critics as Washington’s attempt to contain China’s emergence as an international power.

Beijing has already expressed its dismay at any larger US presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Earlier in January, China’s state media warned Washington against “flexing its muscles”, saying that any US militarism would “endanger peace.”

Russian warships dock at Syrian port

Picture of a Russian Navy Destroyer (file photo)

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/220018.html

large Russian navy flotilla led by an aircraft carrier has arrived at the Syrian port of Tartus in the Mediterranean Sea, to show Moscow's solidarity with Damascus.

"The port call is aimed at bringing the two countries closer together and strengthening their ties of friendship," the official SANA news agency quoted a Russian naval officer Yakushin Vladimir Anatolievich as saying on Sunday.

The six-day port call is intended to boost ties at a time when Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is facing accusations from the West over the country's civil unrest.

The West and the Syrian rebels accuse Syrian government of killing the protesters, while Damascus blames “outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups” for the unrest, insisting that it is being orchestrated from abroad.

Last November, a Syrian news agency reported that a recent expansion of a Russian naval base at the Syrian territorial waters is aimed to send a clear message to the West, that Moscow would resist any foreign intervention in Syria.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March, with demonstrations being held both against and in favor of President Bashar al-Assad.

Arab League observers are currently in the country to investigate Syria's months-long unrest and to monitor the implementation of a peace initiative presented by the bloc to put an end to Damascus's crisis.

The United Nations said in mid-December that more than 5,000 people have been killed in the turmoil.

Damascus says over 2,000 of those killed were members of its security forces.

Russia sends warships to Syrian waters

Russian warships expected to enter Syria. (File photo)

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/210934.html

Russia is sending its warships to Syrian waters in a move aimed at preventing any foreign attacks against Syrian territories.

According to Russian sources, the recent move conveys the message that Moscow will block any NATO-led attack under the guise of “humanitarian intervention,” The Nation reported.

Russia has been voicing support for Syria, which it says is currently going through a civil war.

The Western military alliance, NATO, has been making efforts to demonize the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his forces, while downplaying attacks by opposition forces.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has also recently warned the West against any 'Libya-style' military intervention in Syria.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March, with demonstrations being held both against and in support of Syrian President Assad.

According to the United Nations more than 3,000 people, including members of the security forces, have been killed in the turmoil.

The opposition and Western countries accuse Syrian security forces of being behind the killings in the country, but the government blames what it describes as outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups for the deadly violence, stressing that the unrest is being orchestrated from abroad.

UK meets Syrian rebels, fuels unrest

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/210969.html

British Foreign Secretary William Hague is to hold talks with Syrian rebel leaders in London on Monday as the Syrian people condemn foreign intervention in their country's affairs.

"The foreign secretary is meeting with the Syrian opposition," a spokeswoman for Britain's Foreign Office told AFP as other government officials have reportedly planned meetings with Syria's opposition figures.

Furthermore, it emerged that the British government has been engaged in a series of behind-the-scenes contacts with Syrian rebel leaders from the Syrian National Council and the National Co-ordination Committee for Democratic Change over the past months.

“We have had regular contacts with various figures in the Syrian opposition for several months. We are now intensifying these [contacts],” admitted the spokeswoman.

Although Hague has no plans to give the Syrian rebels official recognition, he has appointed Frances Guy, a former ambassador to Beirut, to organize British officials' meetings with exiled Syrian rebel leaders securing the British government an organized intervention in Syria's internal affairs.

Hague's meeting with Syrian rebel leaders comes as thousands of Syrian people have already condemned foreign intervention in their country's internal affairs.

Syria's unrest, which started with people demanding a series of political reforms, turned violent resulting in hundreds of security forces and civilian people being killed.

The Syrian government has blamed foreign-supplied armed gangs and Western countries for orchestrating the unrest.

US, France, Britain set up bases in Libya

US troops (file photo)

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/167578.html

Britain, France and the United States have dispatched hundreds of military advisors to Libya to set up military bases in the country's oil-rich east, reports say.

Several Libyan diplomats have been quoted by news outlets as saying these forces are setting up bases in the eastern cities of Benghazi and Tobruk -- the two oil-rich cities that have been liberated by the opposition forces.

British and US special forces entered Libyan port cities of Benghazi and Toburk on February 23 and 24.

Three Indian navy warships are also expected to be deployed in the region. Earlier on Monday, the US military confirmed it has deployed naval and air forces around Libya.

A Pentagon spokesman said various contingency plans are considered to provide options and flexibility once decisions are made.

Earlier on Monday, the US military confirmed it has deployed naval and air forces around Libya.

On Monday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Washington would “continue to explore all possible options for action."

US mulls military attack on Libya

A Libyan protester holds a sign during a demonstration against Libyan ruler Moammar Gaddafi in Benghazi

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/167531.html

The US has reportedly planned to deploy thousands of its naval and aerial forces near Libya as it mulls over military intervention in the North African country.

The US military announced on Monday that it will deploy naval and aerial forces near Libya, the Washington Post reported.

A Pentagon spokesman said various contingency plans have been taken into consideration in order to provide options and flexibility once decisions are made.

One option on the table is using NATO air power to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya. This measure, however, requires UN approval.

Also on Monday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, "We will continue to explore all possible options for action."

The development comes as Libyan air force attacked ammunition depots in two separate locations south of Benghazi.

Fighting flared up Monday in Misrata, near the capital where protesters have shot down a helicopter and captured its crew.

A brutal crackdown by the regime on opposition protests that began nearly two weeks ago has left an estimated 2,000 people dead so far.

In Benghazi, many are celebrating their freedom from Muammar Gaddafi's rule after taking control of the city.

However, many Libyans are still dying as a result of insufficient medical supplies to treat severe injuries.

Colonel Gaddafi has been in power since a military coup in 1969.

Gaddafi and his family members have been holding a tight grip on the country's industries for the past four decades. Reports say they have hidden away a massive amount of wealth in secret foreign bank accounts.

Gaddafi struggles to keep control

Pro-democracy protesters takeover eastern part of the country, as state structure appears to be disintegrating



Source: Press TV
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/02/201122445420412325.html

Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, is struggling to maintain his authority in the country, as vast swathes of territory in the east now appear to be under the control of pro-democracy protesters.

This comes as international pressure mounts on the Libyan leader to stop the violent crackdown on the demonstrators.

European countries have readied a set of economic sanctions against the country, while Barack Obama, the US president, has slammed the use of "outrageous" force against protesters.

A special session of the United Nations Human Rights Council is also set to take place on Friday to discuss the use of extreme force against peaceful protesters.

On Thursday, anti-government protesters appeared to be in control of the country's eastern coastline, running from the Egyptian border through to the cities of Tobruk and Benghazi, the country's second largest city.

Franco Frattini, the Italian foreign minister, said on Wednesday that protesters also held the city of Cyrenaica, while reports indicate that the anti-government forces' control could stretch as far west as the city of Misurata, where machine gun and heavy arms fire has been reported.

Other towns that appear to no longer be under Gaddafi's control include Derna and Bayda, among others across the country's east.

There have been reports of clashes between pro- and anti-government protesters in the cities of Sabha in the south, Sabratha, near Tripoli and Az Zawiya in the west, where fierce violence was reported. Reuters news agency, quoting Egyptian nationals fleeing Az Zawiya, reported that anti-government protesters had taken the city.

'People in control'

Soldiers in the cities controlled by the protesters have switched sides, filling the void and no longer supporting Gaddafi's government. In a statement posted on the internet, army officers stationed in Misurata pledged their "total support" for the protesters.

Major-General Suleiman Mahmoud, the commander of the armed forces in Tobruk, earlier told Al Jazeera that the troops led by him had switched loyalties.

"We are on the side of the people," he said. "I was with him [Gaddafi] in the past but the situation has changed - he's a tyrant."

Thousands gathered in Tobruk to celebrate their taking of the city on Wednesday, with Gaddafi opponents waving flags of the old monarchy, honking cars and firing in the sky.

"In 42 years, he turned Libya upside-down," said Hossi, an anti-government protester there. "Here the leader is a devil. There is no one in the world like him."

Armed opponents of the government are also patrolling the highway that runs along the country's Mediterranean coast. Al Jazeera's correspondent said that even in the towns under anti-government forces' control, gangs of pro-Gaddafi militias had been reported to be roaming the streets at night.

"From what I've seen, I'd say the people of eastern Libya are the one's in control," Hoda Abdel-Hamid, Al Jazeera's correspondent who is in Libya, reported. She said that no Libyan officials had been manning the border where Al Jazeera's team crossed into the country.

Capital paralysed

Tripoli, the Libyan capital, meanwhile, is said to be virtually locked down, and streets remained mostly deserted, even though Gaddafi had called for his supporters to come out in force on Wednesday and "cleanse" the country from the anti-government demonstrators.

He described citizens who opposed him as "rats" and "mercenaries".

Libyan authorities said food supplies were available as "normal" in the shops and urged schools and public services to restore regular services, although economic activity and banks have been paralysed since Tuesday.

London-based newspaper the Independent reported, however, that petrol and food prices in the capital have trebled as a result of serious shortages.

'Advisory role'

In the first comments from a Gaddafi family member regarding a post-Gaddafi Libya, Saadi, the Libyan leader's third son, told London-based newspaper the Financial Times that his father would play an advisory role in any new re

"My father would stay as the big father who advises," he said. "After this positive earthquake, we have to do something for Libya... We have to bring in new blood to govern our country."

He claimed that 85 per cent of the country was "very calm" and that army battalions were ready to strike at protesters.

On Wednesday, an army general told Al Jazeera that two pilots had ejected from their air force jet near the town of Agdabia after refusing to bomb civilians in Benghazi, which has been a stronghold of the anti-government protesters.

In addition to desertions by many army troops, Gaddafi has also been faced with several diplomats in key posts, as well as cabinet ministers, refusing to recognise his authority and calling for him to be removed.

Hundreds killed

Foreign governments, meanwhile, continue to rush to evacuate their citizens, with thousands flooding to the country's borders with Tunisia and Egypt. The United States, Britain, France, Italy, Turkey, China, France and India, among others, have made arrangements for their nationals to leave the country.

James Bays, Al Jazeera's correspondent, reported that there was "a desperate scene at Tripoli's airport". He said that there was a "log-jam" there, with some saying that they have been trying to leave the country for three days.

He said it was "almost impossible to buy a ticket", and that police were beating people with clubs to stop them from getting inside the airport.

"The airport is still very firmly under the control of Gaddafi's people," he reported, adding that secret police are patrolling the area, and several checkpoints have been set up on the road leading there.

While authorities have placed tight restrictions on reporting from the country, rights groups say that hundreds of people have been killed in the violent crackdown on anti-government protests that began on February 17. Witnesses say that government-employed foreign mercenaries have been patrolling the streets of cities, firing indiscriminately at people.

The use of warplanes against civilian targets has also been widely reported.

The Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights put the number of people killed at 640, though Nouri el-Mismari, a former protocol chief to Gaddafi, and Frattini, the Italian foreign minister, put the number closer to 1,000.

Denying these figures as "fabrications," the Libyan interior ministry on Wednesday said the death toll since the violence began is only 308.

'Industry of extermination'

Alain Juppe, the French defence minister, on Thursday said he "hop[ed] wholeheartedly Gaddafi is living his last moments as leader". He repeated calls for economic sanctions to be imposed on Libya, including halting purchases of oil from the country.

William Hague, the British foreign minister, said that the United Kingdom was seeking an international investigation into the use of violence against Libyan protesters, and that the "odds are stacking heavily against [Gaddafi]". In earlier comments, Hague had suggested that mass desertions and defections from the diplomatic corps and military meant that Libyan state institutions were in danger of collapse.

Opposition parties in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, meanwhile, have made a joint statement on the government crackdown in Libya, calling on their governments to intervene.

"It is a genuine industry of extermination that has been unleashed. We must stand up to it, as any conscious individual would, and do everything to stop this massacre," read the statement.

As condemnations for the crackdown continue to pour in, international oil prices have hit two-and-a-half year high on the back of instability in the country, which is one of Africa's largest oil producers.

World slams Gaddafi brutal crackdown

Libyans prepare to bury their dead after 1,000 pro-democracy protesters were killed in airstrikes on Monday

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/166774.html

The Libyan regime is facing growing international condemnation over its brutal crackdown on pro-democracy supporters as the death toll from the country's revolution climbs.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said Wednesday that the 27-member bloc has decided to suspend talks with Libya on the EU-Libya Framework Agreement and promised to "take further measures" in response to the brutal violence against Libyan civilians.

The UN Security Council has also condemned Libya's deadly crackdown on the pro-democracy protesters and demanded an immediate end to the violent repression of peaceful demonstrations against Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi's regime and expressed "deep regret for the death of hundreds of civilians."

A statement from the 15-member council called for those responsible for the violence against protesters to be brought to account and said Libya's regime had to "address the legitimate demands of the population."

The African Union (AU) also slammed the brutal crackdown on civilians in crisis-hit Libya, asking for an end to the suppression of the pro-democracy protesters.

The African body said in a statement issued on Wednesday that it "condemns the disproportionate use of force against civilians and deeply deplores the many human lives lost so far."

US President Barack Obama condemned the "outrageous" crackdown by Libyan security forces on protesters and said Washington would work with international partners to hold Gaddafi's government accountable.

"The suffering and bloodshed is outrageous and it is unacceptable. So are threats and orders to shoot peaceful protesters," Obama said in his first public comments on the violence in Libya.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday deplored the Libyan government's violent crackdown on protesters and warned that the unrest could threaten the global economy.

This comes just a day after Gaddafi pledged to fight the intensifying revolution against his four-decade-long grip on power.

As many as 1,000 Libyans have so far been killed by the Libyan forces under Gaddafi's rule.

A total of 130 Libyan soldiers have been executed for refusing to open fire on anti-Gaddafi protesters.

Gaddafi, who came to power 41 years ago in a bloodless military coup, delivered a televised address on Tuesday in which he vowed to fight on to his "last drop of blood" and called on his supporters to take to the streets to confront the pro-democracy protesters.

He also declared that he has no intention of relinquishing power and referred to the protesters as "rats and to be held to account d cockroaches."

Libyan protesters closing in on Tripoli

Protesters are seen close from the sea port of Benghazi city, Libya, February 23, 2011

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/166738.html

The Libyan government vigilantes and snipers struggle to regain control of the capital after pro-Gaddafi forces lost several cities to revolutionary protesters.

Reports say the revolution flag is now flying over Tajuraa city close to Tripoli. The western cities of Zwaara and Azzawiya are also under the control of the protesters.

This comes as more and more soldiers are now joining the popular revolution.

Anti-government protesters have also overrun the eastern province of Cyrenaica. This follows the fall of the second largest city of Benghazi.

Soldiers in the coastal town of Tobruk say Gaddafi's forces have lost control of the region. They say they no longer back the Libyan ruler. Tobruk lies close to the Egyptian border.

Many governments and international bodies across the world have reacted strongly to the crisis in Libya.

Reports widely indicate that government-led violence in the country has left at least one thousand protesters dead over the past several days.

Reports say the Libyan Revolution has gained momentum despite brutal crackdown by Gaddafi's regime.

The developments come as popular revolutions continue to sweep US-backed autocratic regimes across the Middle East and North Africa.

'US sends warships, troops to Egypt'

USS Kearsarge warship

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/164038.html

The US is sending warships, including one with 800 troops, and other military assets to Egypt as the revolution in the North African country gains momentum.

Officials in Washington have stated that the move is to be prepared in case of an evacuation of Americans from Egypt.

Pentagon has dismissed widespread assumptions that military intervention in Cairo is being contemplated, asserting that the objective of the deployment is mainly for the evacuation of US citizens in case the situation in Egypt further deteriorates.

Separately, a US aircraft carrier has been asked to abort its mission and stay in the Mediterranean.

The move comes after reports last month that a US Army aviation regiment had been mobilized for deployment to Egypt's Sinai Peninsula to back the Multinational Force and Observers overseeing the Egypt-Israel peace treaty.

The recent move comes against the backdrop of deepening political stalemate in Egypt, where swarms of demonstrators are still spilling out into central Cairo's Liberation Square, demanding the ouster of embattled President Hosni Mubarak.

On Sunday, opponents of Mubarak, including Egypt's main opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, held negotiations with Vice President Omar Suleiman as part of efforts to extract the country out of its political standoff.

Muslim Brotherhood, however, has discarded the regime's proposed reform plans, asserting that protesters would not accept anything but Mubarak's resignation.

In another development, US President Barack Obama called for a "representative government" in Egypt after government and opposition parties failed to narrow down their differences.

Millions of Egyptians took to the streets on Sunday to honor hundreds of protesters killed during the anti-government rallies of the past 13 days.

According to the United Nations, at least 300 people have so far been killed and thousands more have been injured during nationwide protests in Egypt.

US, Israeli warships move to PG: Report

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=131181§ionid=351020205



An armada of more than twelve US and Israeli warships has passed through the Suez Canal toward the Red Sea and is reportedly heading to the Persian Gulf.

Egypt allowed the vessels to pass through the Suez Canal to the Red Sea Friday, UPI reported on Saturday.

The final destination of the fleet, which also includes an aircraft carrier, is not yet known; but some say it may be heading towards the Persian Gulf.

Special security measures were implemented by the Egyptian authorities for the safe passage of what is believed to be the largest US armada to pass through the canal in years.

All commercial and civilian traffic through the Suez Canal was halted and beefed-up security forces posted along both sides of the waterway.

The fleet is led by the aircraft carrier, the USS Harry Truman and its strike group of 60 fighter-bombers and 6,000 seamen and marines, Debka File reported from its military sources.

Meanwhile, Jeff Steinberg from the Executive Intelligence Review in Washington told Press TV that the US Defense Department had confirmed the report. He further added that the move should be closely watched.

Egyptian opposition parties have criticized the government for allowing the passage at a time when tension is high in the Middle East over the recent Israeli attack on the Gaza-bound aid convoy.

On May 31, Israeli forces attacked the flotilla, killing nine activists on board. The attack was condemned by the international community and prompted global protests.

Israeli warships fire on Gazan boats

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=124665§ionid=351020202


Israeli navy warships have once again opened fire on Palestinian fishermen along the shore of the Gaza Strip, inflicting damage on their boats.

The Tuesday fire drove the Gazan fishermen away though they had stayed close to the coastline, the International Middle East Media Center reported.

The fire caused no casualties, it added.

Marine life and agriculture remain two of the Gaza Strip's staple sources of livelihood ever since mid-June 2007, when Tel Aviv subjected the coastal sliver to an all-out embargo, tightening the restrictions it had already put in place.

The coastline has, however, been polluted with sewage which Gaza has nowhere else to dump, given its broken waste disposal system.

The Israeli navy also carries out regular patrols of the shore to prevent the fishermen from sailing deep into the sea where they can net quality fish.

Israel has, meanwhile, declared 20 percent of the arable lands in Gaza a no-go area. Israeli forces would keep surveillance of the area and attack any farmer who might approach the “buffer zone.”