FRANCE AND Britain yesterday upbraided Nato partners over the conduct of operations in Libya, saying more should be done to protect civilians there.
The criticism came as hostilities continued between Muammar Gadafy’s forces and rebel fighters after opposition leaders rejected a ceasefire proposal mooted by the African Union at the weekend.
Since late last month Nato has been enforcing a UN-authorised no-fly zone aimed at protecting civilians, and conducting airstrikes in Libya.
“Nato wanted to take over military operations, and we accepted that,” French foreign minister Alain Juppé told France Info radio. “But it must play its full role, that is to say it must prevent Gadafy from using heavy weapons against the civilian population.” What Nato is doing now, Mr Juppé said, “is not sufficient”.
British foreign secretary William Hague also called on Nato allies to do more to ensure air strikes are more effective against regime forces besieging the rebel-held city of Misrata and trying to wrest control of Ajdabiya, a key town close to the de facto rebel capital Benghazi.
“We must maintain and expand our efforts in Nato,” Mr Hague said. “That is why the UK in the last weeks supplied additional aircraft capable of striking ground targets that threaten the civilian population. Of course, it would be welcome if other countries also did the same.” The rebels, a ragtag collection of untrained volunteers and army defectors, have been unable to make much progress on the ground. They made their greatest gains under the aerial protection of a campaign led by the US, France and Britain last month but these have been reversed during the period Nato has been in charge.
Rebel leaders have claimed that the level of support they are receiving is less than before. Nato officials, however, have insisted the number of sorties – more than 100 a day – has remained constant. The difference, they argued, is that Gadafy’s forces have changed tactics and now position artillery in residential areas to make aerial attacks difficult without putting civilians at risk. Since Nato took over operations, 18 rebel fighters have been killed in two friendly-fire incidents, both of which have soured attitudes.
Nato responded officially to Juppé’s remarks by saying it was conducting military operations in Libya “with vigour within the current mandate. The pace of the operations is determined by the need to protect the population.” Analysts have speculated that Mr Juppé’s barbs may be partly to pre-empt criticism that French president Nicolas Sarkozy pressed allies into an unwinnable war without a clear exit strategy.
Earlier this week, the opposition Libyan National Council rejected the African Union ceasefire proposal as “outdated” because it did not meet their minimum demand that Gadafy and his sons concede power – and leave Libya – immediately.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International has accused forces loyal to Gadafy of executing prisoners. It said its researchers had seen bodies of rebel fighters who were shot in the back of the head.