PARIS/MISURATA – France said yesterday it had airlifted weapons to Libya’s rebels this month, the first time one of the Nato countries bombing Libya has openly acknowledged arming the insurgents seeking to topple Muammar Gadafy.
A three-month-old bombing campaign has so far failed to dislodge the Libyan leader, straining the Western alliance. The bombing is justified by a UN Security Council resolution authorising force to protect civilians, but Britain, France and the US say they will not stop until Gadafy falls.
The rebels’ advances have been slow, although they say they have made considerable progress in the past week on the front nearest Tripoli. On Sunday rebels advanced from the mountains southwest of the capital to 80 km (50 miles) from the capital.
A French military spokesman confirmed the delivery of weapons after Le Figaronewspaper cited unnamed sources as saying France had parachuted rocket launchers, assault rifles, machine guns and anti-tank missiles into the western mountains.
“There were humanitarian drops because the humanitarian situation was worsening and at one point it seemed the security situation was threatening civilians who could not defend themselves,” armed forces spokesman Thierry Burkhard said.
“France therefore also sent equipment allowing them to defend themselves, comprising light weapons and munitions,” he said, adding that the drop also included medicine and food.
Le Figarosaid the decision to send arms had been taken without consulting Nato partners. – (Reuters)