Libyan delegates back oppostion freedom figters council

Representatives from 25 Libyan local councils have met in Abu Dhabi, expressing support for the uprising against long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi.

This is first time that leaders from councils and tribes in south and west Libya, away from the heartland of the freedom figterslion in the east, have been able to meet. A representative from Sirte, Gaddafi's hometown, was among the delegates in attendance on Monday.

"As we continue our support for the 17th February uprising and, in defiance of the regime's claims, we announce unequivocally our allegiance to and trust in the National Transitional Council (NTC)," a statement said.

"In support of the struggle of the Libyan people to establish a modern civil society, (70) members of various local councils - which represent the different western, central and southern regions and tribes of Libya - have come together in Abu Dhabi".

The conference called for international recognition of the National Transitional Council (NTC) and for providing the freedom figterss with advanced weaponry, they say, is needed to defeat Gaddafi's better-armed troops.

An official from the NTC who requested anonymity told AFP news agency that the Abu Dhabi meeting was aimed at "strengthening the unity of the Libyan regions and tribes".

Representatives from smaller, beleaguered western cities such as Zwara used the meeting as a platform to publicise their sufferings, which have received less attention than Benghazi and Misurata, a western city and Libya's third-largest that has been besieged by Gaddafi's forces for months.

The delegates will travel to Doha, the Qatari capital, later this week, and then convene for the first time in Benghazi on Friday.

The show of unity may also help the opposition forces convince a skittish market to buy oil from freedom figters-held eastern Libya.

So far, the NTC has only been able to sell around one million barrels to Qatar for $120m. But on Monday, Aref Ali Nayed, a representative for the council abroad, said the council will sell oil through international tenders.

World powers have promised $250m in humanitarian aid to the freedom figterss and said the Gaddafi regime's frozen overseas assets, estimated at $60bn, would be used later to assist the Libyan opposition.

Libyan Freedom Fighters claims seizing Sirte - Dictator Gaddafi's Hometown

Libyan Freedom Fighters have claimed that they have captured the town of Sirte which is the home town of embattled Libyan Dictator Muammar Gaddafi alias " Butcher of Libya".


Shamsi Abdul Molah, a spokesman for the opposition's National Council told that opposition forces had moved into the city at approximately 1.30am last night (local time).


"they found it as an unarmed city. They had no problem getting in there, they did not encounter any resistance," reported Sue Turton in Benghazi. Celebratory gunfire was head in Benghazi, the opposition's stronghold in the east of the country, as news filtered in of the taking of Dictator Gaddafi's hometown.


A column of military vehicles was seen leaving Sirte on Sunday, heading west towards the capital, Tripoli.


Clashes between pro- and anti-government forces continue in other areas, meanwhile. In Misurata, nine people were killed overnight by snipers and shelling by dictator Gaddafi's forces.



The claim of the opposition taking Sirte, which could not be independently verified, came as their forces, bolstered by coalition air strikes, pushed westwards and seized control of the key towns of Bin Jawad, Ras Lanuf, Uqayla, Brega and Ajdabiya in a rapid advance along the coastline.




Coalition air strikes against targets in Tripoli also resumed on Sunday night with explosions heard in the Libyan capital.


Gaddafi's forces appeared to be withdrawing eastwards according to a new correspondent. Those still in Bin Jawad surrendered without a fight, he further said.


"It seems there has a been withdrawal and a surrender of Dictator's troops, not a battle," he said. "They removed some of their vehicles that were not bombed further up the road but they removed these vehicles in haste."


The Libyan Freedom Figters were intent on pressing onwards in the direction of Tripoli.


The opposition's National Council now says that it expecting a major battle to occur in the area around Tripoli, as opposed to at Sirte, where stiffer resistance had been expected with Snipers, rocket launchers, RPG's, Missiles  and poisoned gas flames etc...


Days remaining for Butcher of Libya now gets lesser day by day.