Libya government destroys Misrata fuel tanks: rebels

Reuters ^ | May 7, 2011 | Lin Nouiehed

[Jet Jaguar]

Libyan government forces bombed large fuel storage tanks in the contested western city of Misrata, destroying the tanks and sparking a huge fire, rebels said on Saturday.

The bombardment came as artillery rounds fired by forces loyal to Libya's Muammar Gaddafi fell in Tunisia in an escalation of fighting near the border between Libyan soldiers and anti-Gaddafi rebels.

Misrata is the last remaining city in the west under rebel control. The port city has been under siege for more than two months and has witnessed some of the war's fiercest fighting between loyalists and rebels.

Rebels gave varying accounts of the Misrata bombardment but said the overnight attack, which hit fuel used for export as well as domestic consumption, came as a blow to their ability to withstand the seige.

"Four (fuel) tanks were totally destroyed and huge fire erupted which spread now to the other four. We cannot extinguish it because we do not have the right tools," rebel spokesman Ahmed Hassan told Reuters.

"Now the city will face a major problem. Those were the only sources of fuel for the city. These tanks could have kept the city for three months with enough fuel," he said by telephone.

Hassan said government forces used small planes normally used to spray pesticides for the overnight attack in Qasr Ahmed. He later told Al-Jazeera television that three helicopters bearing Red Crescent insignia conducted the attack.

[csmusaret]

Is this the little war that the Boy Genius President said would take “days not weeks”?

[tobyhill]

As long as they aren’t targeting civilians then the US can’t say a darn thing.

[wendy1946]

Rebels gave varying accounts of the Misrata bombardment but said the overnight attack, which hit fuel used for export as well as domestic consumption, came as a blow to their ability to withstand the seige.

Thanks, I always enjoy good news in the morning.

This thing is about Soros wanting to control that $5T which Libya represents

George Soros and Bork Obunga are trying to perpetrate a bank robbery in broad daylight and using American military assets to do it.

Libya is by all accounts the best run country in Africa and better run than most European states. Russian investigators came back and told Putin and Medvyedev that life in Libya was so good that a person would have to be deranged to want to rebel and yet the NWO crowd tries to go on feeding this bullshit about an "Oppressive Regime(TM)" as if it were still 1990 and nobody had a way to figure it out.

Here's hoping they (the NWO crowd) get their noses really bloody.

[Red_Devil 232]

"These tanks could have kept the city for three months with enough fuel ... "

Hey dummy that is exactly why they were destroyed!

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Jet Jaguar. I think it's a healthy sign that the Libyan government forces are called that, instead of "Gaddafy loyalists" or "African mercenaries".

Libyan government forces bombed large fuel storage tanks in the contested western city of Misrata, destroying the tanks and sparking a huge fire... came as artillery rounds... fell in Tunisia in an escalation of fighting near the border between Libyan soldiers and anti-Gaddafi rebels. Misrata is the last remaining city in the west under rebel control... the overnight attack, which hit fuel used for export as well as domestic consumption, came as a blow... "Now the city will face a major problem. Those were the only sources of fuel for the city. These tanks could have kept the city for three months with enough fuel," ...three helicopters bearing Red Crescent insignia conducted the attack.

[keat]

#LOSING

[rawhide]

Interesting how resorceful Gaddafi is becoming, using small planes to attack. Almost like going back to WWI.

[org.whodat]

Hasten makes it up as fast as he can, how do we know NATO did not screw up again, are that the ragtags blew it up in an attempt to prompt more aide.

[BenLurkin]

Heckuva job Barry.