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صحيفة الوطن الليبية | بلغاريا تطرد دبلوماسيا ليبيا انشق عن النظام الليبيhttp://fb.me/LwZsM61a
Washington fears of a missile system the hands of Libyan terrorists
After five months of the outbreak of armed conflict in Libya, Western governments have expressed their concern over the incidence of advanced weapons in the hands of «terrorist groups», which will threaten the air navigation in the Mediterranean region and elsewhere.
According to reports from Libya that the quantities of anti-aircraft missiles lost from the stores of weapons seized by the rebels in the east. In February, when the revolution was in its infancy, it lost the Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi control over the weapons stores after the seizure of opposition to the eastern cities, and today there are new stores for the rebels in the mountain west.
Experts say that the leaking of rockets from areas controlled by rebels indicates weak organization and lack of experience in the military field, which raises concern in Western circles, as is likely to go quantities of these missiles to the black market.
Western journalists noted during field visits to the liberated areas, the disappearance of boxes containing the missile site in the days after the rebels seized it. The Libyan forces equipped with light missiles of the type «SA 7», a copy of an old Russian rocket equivalent to the U.S. «Stingrz», used by the Afghan mujahideen against the Russians during the war. During his reign, which lasted more than four decades, Gaddafi received a 20 thousand rockets of this type of rockets that carry on the shoulder and used to target enemy aircraft, and often came from the east of the camp at the time. U.S. officials believe that most of those weapons are still in possession of a system of Tripoli, while part of it was used in the fighting, which means that the hidden quantities far less than the original stock.
There is no evidence of the involvement of the Libyan opposition in the smuggling of rockets, and rebel commanders say that the weapons in their possession which is used in the battle against al-Gaddafi, and refers them to the soldiers that Gaddafi might be behind the smuggling and sale of this type of missiles to a third party.
But U.S. officials and analysts in the field of security, they said that there are serious concerns that the views you can access to the opportunism of rockets seized by the rebels, these actors will not hesitate to sell it.
In a telephone interview describes the Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, Andrew Shapiro, the missile is locked in Libya as «the question does not make him sleep through the night». While emphasizing two American officials declined to be named, in order to preserve diplomatic relations with the Transitional Council, the U.S. government has consistently requested by the Council, after the disappearance of a number of missiles, collection and secure and to prevent the loss of more of them, but these demands did not find an application on the ground . When you hit the bottom, western Libya, where there are significant stores of ammunition and arms, the rebels came from all regions of the western mountain and equipped themselves with what they want and left. The United States provided $ 1.5 million to the two international institutions - Mines Advisory Group and the Swiss Foundation for Landmine Action - in the hope that help secure the arms depots, and to prevent smuggling missiles from Libya. Washington is also working on coordination with neighboring countries of Libya, Algeria, Chad, Mali and Niger, to avoid the smuggling of rockets across the borders of these countries. In this context, the transfer of officials in Algeria, Chad, saying that the rockets «Manbad» anti-aircraft leaked to «al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb», which is active in North Africa, since the beginning of the war. Officials did not give evidence in the two countries on these allegations, while the Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the subject.Shapiro suggests that Washington is seeking more funds to strengthen efforts, in terms of preventing the smuggling of rockets «the land of Joe» outside Libya.
Were seen on the boxes containing rockets «SA 7» lying on the side of the road near the place where the rebels. It seems that they have been trained to use this type of weapon well, and during a visit by journalists to the east of the country, the rebels fired a rocket in the sky. It seems that the rebels lack the military experience, both in terms of weapons knowledge, or lack of discipline of the elements, as well as failure to take necessary security precautions, the things that led to the existence of these dangerous missiles on the side of the road.
The parents that after the fall of the bottom was seen rebels and local residents come out missiles mounted in boxes, and because NATO aircraft (NATO), which flies in the sky is not hostile, there was no need to use the missiles. Military officials say the armed opposition, this behavior results from the expected chaos that took place where the forces is composed of trained civilians, as I think many of them that they could use these missiles in the fighting on the ground. In a military spokesman says the rebels, Colonel Joumaa Ibrahim: «They think that if they did not use anti-aircraft missiles, they can target military vehicles». While emphasizing that it prevents another officer to bring anti-aircraft missiles on the front.Shows the military commander of the rebels in the west of Libya, Colonel Mukhtar Farhana, said: «Our troops are prohibited from use», but reports say that the military leadership of the rebels has not done enough to collect the missiles acquired by the elements from the warehouses of the bottom, or stop further leaks. In spite of the Declaration of stores military zone off-limits to anyone who does not hold a permit, seen civilians in the last few days looking at the rubble, and allowed the guards to people to take the empty boxes to use as fuel or tools for storage in the home, but the guards allowed to take the funds by making sure they are empty. Whatever the case, this is the situation in Libya, currently, no one knows what will happen after months of conflict.
Translation: Maki Mammeri - Emirates Today