Libya: Tribes Could Replace Army In Misratah

Source: SKY

2:35am UK, Saturday April 23, 2011

The Libyan army could pull out of the rebel-held city of Misratah and be replaced by armed tribesmen, a senior government official has said.

Deputy foreign minister Khaled Kaim issued the warning amid reports of significant successes for opposition forces in the city and of fresh Nato airstrikes in capital Tripoli.

He said Nato airstrikes had prevented fighters loyal to Colonel Moammar Gaddafi retaking Misratah and that tribal leaders had given the army an "ultimatum".

"If they can't resolve the problem in Misratah then the people from the region will move in," he said.

"The situation in Misratah will be eased, will be dealt with by the tribes around Misratah and the rest of Misratah's people and not by the Libyan army.

REBELS WARNED TRIBES COULD MOVE IN

"The tactic of the army is to have a surgical solution but with the airstrikes it doesn't work."

Reports have emerged of some of the war-torn city's most strategically important sites - including its tallest building, the Tameen office block - being seized from the army by rebels.

Col Gaddafi's forces had used such buildings to retain control of Misratah, with snipers allegedly firing on people indiscriminately.

Mr Kaim also criticised America's move to start using drones, which he called a "dirty game" and said would "be another crime against humanity".

Predators, and the larger Reaper drones, are used by the US and Britain

Drones can fly lower and counter pro-Gaddafi forces' tactic of travelling in civilian vehicles that are difficult to distinguish from those of rebel forces.

Earlier, the US' most senior military officer Admiral Mike Mullen said Col Gaddafi's ground forces had been degraded by 30% to 40% - but warned the conflict is heading towards a "stalemate".

"It's certainly moving towards a stalemate," he said.

"At the same time we've attrited somewhere between 30% and 40% of his main ground forces, his ground force capabilities. Those will continue to go away over time."

SKY'S ALEX CRAWFORD REPORTS FROM MISRATAH PORT

He added that the allies would "put the squeeze" on the Libyan dictator "until he's gone". "Gaddafi's gotta go," he said.

Meanwhile, US senator John McCain used a visit to Tripoli to call for increased military support for the country's rebels, including weapons, training and intensified airstrikes.

Hailing the opposition fighters as "heroes", he denied they contained al Qaeda elements as has been suggested.