• Is this it? Fifty miles of sparsely-populated, indefensible land now lies between the Nafusa Mountai
    72 replies, posted
[img]http://imgkk.com/i/47yf.gif[/img] • Libyan rebels based in the Nafusa Mountains have captured Bir al-Ghanam, 53 miles south-west of Tripoli. No major settlements lie between it and the capital, making the land very hard to defend. • They say their next target is the previously rebel-held town of Zawiyah, where they will join with the suppressed western rebels and push east towards Tripoli, just 20 miles from the town. • Unlike other Libyan rebel groups, the Nafusa Mountain rebels have been supplied with weapons by France, and are commanded by professional officers who defected from Gaddafi's army. • Bir al-Ghanam represents their breakout from the mountains themselves. [url]http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/08/06/libya.war/index.html?hpt=hp_t2[/url] [quote=CNN][b]Near Bir Al-Ghanam, Libya (CNN)[/b] -- Libyan rebel forces gained ground against ruler Moammar Gadhafi's forces Saturday after a massive offensive in the western town of Bir Al-Ghanam. Rebel commanders said 1,500 opposition members joined in the battle, which lasted five hours. Rockets and gunfire were exchanged from both sides, and rebels took on Gadhafi fighters from three fronts. At least eight rebels were killed and dozens more wounded, according to medical sources. Casualties inflicted on Gadhafi forces were not immediately known. Rebel fighters said Gadhafi's forces had retreated from Bir Al-Ghanam and claimed victory over the town. The offensive began at dawn as hundreds of rebels swept in from the west off the Nafusa mountains and into the plains below. The fighters in Saturday's attack are part of what some have dubbed a Mad Max army -- a fleet of pickup trucks modified to take heavy weapons speeding across the desert. Most of the men were civilians before the fighting broke out. Bir Al-Ghanam is about 85 kilometers (53 miles) from the capital city of Tripoli. Capturing the town is significant because not much else stands in the way between Bir Al-Ghanam and the Libyan coastline -- where Tripoli is situated. "It was very, very fierce," one rebel fighter told CNN after the offensive was over. "But there is no time to rest. The next step, Tripoli." For months, rebel fighters -- who have controlled the eastern city of Benghazi and other areas -- have been trying to move closer toward Tripoli, in the west. They are seeking the ouster of Gadhafi, who has ruled Libya for 42 years.[/quote] [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14432108[/url] [quote=BBC News][b]Libyan rebels in the country's west say they have launched an offensive towards key towns on the Mediterranean coast.[/b] Commanders say they have captured the town of Bir al-Ghanam, 50 miles (80km) south of Tripoli, from forces loyal to Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi. However, there has been no official comment from the Libyan government. Hundreds of rebel fighters have moved from the mountain town of Yafran to the front lines, where heavy fighting has taken place, AP news agency reports. It quotes rebel fighters as saying the initial aim was to "liberate Bir al-Ghanam" before moving on Zawiya, a key city on the Mediterranean coast about 50km (30 miles) away. Meanwhile, Reuters news agency quotes rebel spokesman Mohammad Zawawi as saying fighters were also advancing on the government-held oil town of Brega, further east. "There's a big movement on all fronts around Brega, we are attacking from three sides," he said. [b]Landmines[/b] However, he added that troops were advancing slowly because government forces had sown landmines on the approaches to the town. Late on Saturday, rebel commander Col Jumma Ibrahim told AP that opposition forces had captured Bir al-Ghanam and had moved a few miles beyond it. "Now he (Col Gaddafi) can only defend himself against us," he said. "Our main destination is Tripoli but we cannot jump directly to Tripoli. We go one by one." The assault is being seen as an attempt to open a new front and break the military deadlock that has emerged. Rebels have been fighting government forces since March but Col Gaddafi's regime still controls much of the west, with its stronghold in Tripoli. The rebels hold the east, with pockets in the west. These include the Nafousa Mountains, where Yafran is located, and the city of Misrata on the coast, east of the capital. Earlier in the week, government forces launched a counter-offensive against rebels near the strategic western town of Zlitan. Rebels had reached the city's eastern suburbs but were being hampered by a lack of ammunition.[/quote] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7QcMKGoxcQ[/media]
Something tells me the Battle of Tripoli is going to be bloody as hell. I can't say the outcome.
Alright go rebels!
If they are able to link up with the western rebels it will be the first time two rebel groups have joined forces throughout the course of the war. The eastern rebels looked likely to link up with the Misrati rebels during the late-March offensive but they didn't make it.
Video not available in Australia :(
[QUOTE=The Pretender;31578524]Something tells me the Battle of Tripoli is going to be bloody as hell. I can't say the outcome.[/QUOTE] The most dangerous thing in war is a cornered enemy. I'm scared to see what Gadaffi will use.
[QUOTE=Pat.Lithium;31578601]Video not available in Australia :([/QUOTE] It's largely the same as the CNN article but there are some interviews with the rebels
nt for india.[img]http://plugin.name/4/PYQl61[/img]
[QUOTE=Trunk Monkay;31578609]The most dangerous thing in war is a cornered enemy. I'm scared to see what Gadaffi will use.[/QUOTE] Its going to be bloody and he'll probably go out bloody.
I read 'Nafusa' as 'Mufasa' :v:
Although we don't have the daily report yet, given that this battle only lasted a day it's unlikely that NATO played a significant role in it. They did strike a military facility in Bir al-Ghanam on Thursday however.
[QUOTE=Pat.Lithium;31578601]Video not available in Australia :([/QUOTE] Not available in Canada either...
[QUOTE=Tac Error;31578774]Not available in Canada either...[/QUOTE] ...or the US.
I've often thought about going over there to help the rebels, but I have no means to do so. Glad to see them finally staring down Tripoli.
For once, the war will be over before Christmas. (god, please let this be true)
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;31578896]For once, the war will be over before Christmas. (god, please let this be true)[/QUOTE] I could certainly see this ending within 4 months time, but you never know.
[QUOTE=Fhenexx;31578846]...or the US.[/QUOTE] What the fuck, it's CNN
Fuck yea. Here's hoping that the rebels will win the day.
I wish there was some media outlet that only covered stuff like this. No boring politics.
[QUOTE='[sluggo];31579067']I wish there was some media outlet that only covered stuff like this. No boring politics.[/QUOTE] © 2011 Smurfy News I mostly cover interesting politics... mostly
[QUOTE=The Pretender;31578524]Something tells me the Battle of Tripoli is going to be bloody as hell. I can't say the outcome.[/QUOTE] I want to see NATO advisors or something directing as much ground support as they can for the Free Libyan troops. [editline]7th August 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=smurfy;31579086]© 2011 Smurfy News I mostly cover interesting politics... mostly[/QUOTE] I'd pay for that. And I have this terrible feeling that Gaddafi will use Chemical Weapons on advancing troops.
[QUOTE=Zambies!;31579095]I'd pay for that.[/QUOTE] In future threads you will have to pay $5 for the bullet-point summary and $15 for the image
[QUOTE=smurfy;31579086]© 2011 Smurfy News I mostly cover interesting politics... mostly[/QUOTE] politics? interesting? ha!
[QUOTE=smurfy;31579118]In future threads you will have to pay $5 for the bullet-point summary and $15 for the image[/QUOTE] Lets do some Moroccan shit here, how about 3.5 dollars for a Bullet point summary, and 7.5 dollars for the image? What about multiple images? Will there be a thread by thread system where you can buy a all inclusive 450 dollar package to see Smurfy news events for the year?
[QUOTE=Trunk Monkay;31579134]politics? interesting? ha![/QUOTE] What about when [url=http://www.facepunch.com/threads/1111491-The-White-House-responds-to-Twitter-criticism-with-quot-entertaining-quot-video?highlight=]the White House rickrolled someone[/url], or when [url=http://www.facepunch.com/threads/1089020-David-Cameron-quot-punched-a-baby-repeatedly-in-the-face-quot-while-visiting-working-class-family?highlight=]David Cameron visited a working class family and punched their baby repeatedly in the face[/url]? [editline]7th August 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Zambies!;31579146]Lets do some Moroccan shit here, how about 3.5 dollars for a Bullet point summary, and 7.5 dollars for the image? What about multiple images? Will there be a thread by thread system where you can buy a all inclusive 450 dollar package to see Smurfy news events for the year?[/QUOTE] I like the 450 dollar idea but the first two I'm not so sure about [editline]7th August 2011[/editline] Okay lets shut up now before my thread is ruined
large amounts of civillians are going to die in the upcoming battle, that's the only thing that's certain
It'll be another 6 weeks before they reach Tripoli. They are spending more time fighting amongst themselves over who will rule Libya once NATO kills Gadhafi for them...
[QUOTE='[sluggo];31579067']I wish there was some media outlet that only covered stuff like this. No boring politics.[/QUOTE] Al-jazeera is pretty close enough.
[QUOTE=Trunk Monkay;31578609]The most dangerous thing in war is a cornered enemy. I'm scared to see what Gadaffi will use.[/QUOTE] I wish I could say Gadaffi wasn't a complete nutter, but he is, and if he's backed into a corner he'll bust out everything short of a nuclear arsenal, simply because he doesn't have access to nukes. I guarantee, if he still has that (rumored?) chemical weapons supply, he'll use it immediately as a deterrent. Which also means his funeral, because then Tripolians can be expected to start uprising. Nothing is more inspiring to a rebellious cause than the enemy you're rebelling against commiting a crime against humanity. It's basically an open invite for literally every human being to hunt him down and arrest him/kill him on charges of crimes against humanity.
What the fuck! Let me watch the goddamn video!
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