FOREIGN MILITARY REVIEW No. 4/2011, pp. 102-103
Details
NATO OPERATION JOINT DEFENDER IN LIBYA
On 31 March 2011, the Alliance began a full range of land and sea operations in Libya under Operation Joint Protector, which "came fully under NATO command from national commanders on 31 March at 0600 GMT".
Great Britain - three ships and a submarine, about 50 combat aircraft, including Tornado, Typhoon, Nimrod, Sentinel, and more than 10 tanker aircraft.
Turkey - five ships and a submarine (the country has completely refused to participate in air operations in Libya, but maintains a naval blockade of the coast).
Italy - 15 ships, including AVL "Giuseppe Garibaldi", EM URO "Andrea Doria" DVKD "San Marco" and "San Giorgio", about 30 combat aircraft, in particular "Typhoon", "Tornado", "Harrier".
Belgium - ship, six F-16 combat aircraft.
Greece - two ships.
Denmark - six F-16 combat aircraft.
Spain - ship and submarine "Tramontana", five F-18 combat aircraft and a tanker aircraft.
Canada - ship and nine combat aircraft, including CF-18, CP-140A.
Norway - six F-16 combat aircraft.
Poland - ship (ShK "Rear Admiral K. Chernitski").
In addition, the UAE was ready to provide 12 fighters of various types to the alliance grouping for Operation Joint Defender, Qatar - six combat aircraft, Sweden, if the government's decision is approved by Parliament - eight combat aircraft, a tanker aircraft and a reconnaissance aircraft, and Romania planned to transfer one frigate to the force.
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NATO war against Libya. March 19, 2011. Tsunami in the Mediterranean
In Moscow bookstores "Moskva", "Biblio Globus", MDK Arbat, and others - new books "Rebellion" and "Aggression", with which the Klyuch-S Publishing House continues the ARAB CHRONICLES series of publications. Author - N. Sologubovsky, journalist, witness of the events of 2011-2014 in Tunisia, Libya, Syria, Ukraine.
On March 19, NATO warplanes and warships began to launch missile and bomb attacks on Libyan cities.
The book contains the author's notes and reports about the tragic events in the Jamahiriya, Tunisia, and Syria. Opinions of Russian Arabists-orientalists, politicians, journalists, experts and bloggers are also published.
One of these days, the stores will also receive the book "The Tripolitan Tragedy". All books have electronic disks with video and photo materials.
I publish an excerpt from the book "Aggression".
On March 19, 2011 International Affairs published my article “Tsunami in the Mediterranean”, written especially for this magazine.
The UN Security Council adopted a resolution, the implementation of which means a declaration of war in the Mediterranean. "Any foreign military operation against Libya would seriously endanger all air and sea traffic in the Mediterranean," a Libyan Defense Ministry spokesman said.
In the event of aggression against Libya, "any civilian and military facility will become the target of a Libyan retaliatory strike," added a spokesman for the Jamahiriya Defense Ministry. “And the Mediterranean basin will be exposed not only to short-term, but also to long-term serious danger.” This was reported by the Libyan news agency Jana.
On March 19, Libya completely closed its airspace to the flights of all foreign civil aircraft, reports Reuters, citing a statement by the European airspace control organization Eurocontrol (Eurocontrol).
Libya has warned against any foreign military operation against its territory. In the event of this aggression, Libya will attack civilian and military air and sea targets in the Mediterranean. Such a statement was made a few hours before the UN vote on resolution 1973, according to which a “free-fly zone” is established over the territory of Libya.
After the adoption of resolution 1973, the secretary of the Main People's Committee for Foreign Relations and International Cooperation of the Libyan Jamahiriya, Moussa Kusaton, lowered it. He announced the cessation of hostilities by Libyan troops against the rebels, but called the sanctions of the UN Security Council and the use of force against Libya "unreasonable". The UN Security Council resolution causes "regret", because as a result of such sanctions "peaceful citizens suffer". The minister again invited international special commissions to the country, which will be able to sort out what is happening on the spot.
After the Libyan government announced a truce, US President Barack Obama called on Gaddafi to comply with the requirements of the UN Security Council resolution. Obama's statement is an ultimatum to Gaddafi personally.
“Gaddafi has lost the trust of the Libyan people and lost the right to lead the country. He chose the path of violence, - said the President of the United States. - Muammar Gaddafi has a choice: to comply or not to comply with the terms of the resolution. The document specifies the conditions that must be met. Gaddafi must withdraw troops from Benghazi, Misrata, Ajdabiya, and promote the resumption of normal life in these cities. These terms are not discussed.
Observers note that Obama spoke as if he alone knows what the Libyan people want. Obama blamed Gaddafi for all the troubles that have befallen Libya this past month. Moreover, in Obama's ultimatum, the cities of Misrata, Ajdabiya are indicated, which, at his request, must again be transferred under the control of the rebels. And it is Gaddafi who is responsible for whether there will be "normal life" in these cities and in Benghazi.
With his ultimatum, the US president set unrealistic conditions for Gaddafi, observers say. “If he does not fulfill these conditions, we will proceed to military action. I can say for sure what we will not do - there will be no ground operation, and we will not look for benefits for ourselves, all our actions will be aimed at protecting civilians, ”Obama said.
Against the background of this speech of the President of the United States, the words of his Secretary of State sounded sensational. Either there is still no common understanding of what is happening in Washington, or different groups of politicians there are trying to take the American position under control, but the fact remains that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton bluntly stated that the adoption by the UN Security Council of a resolution on Libya is only one of the steps to resolve problems, others will follow, reports Reuters. Clinton called the main goal of putting pressure on Gaddafi to remove him from power.
All in plain text - they do not even hide their intentions!
To get what they want, NATO is threatening Libya with a "sixth generation" war using the latest weapons. NATO experts believe that the armed forces of Libya will not be able to give an adequate rebuff to their military strength.
True, there is no unity in the North Atlantic Alliance either - not all of its members support the plans for a military operation against Libya. If the combat aircraft of the United States, England, France and even Denmark and Norway (!) Are ready to strike at Libya, then Germany, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Hungary refused to participate in hostilities. Poland agreed to participate only in logistic support, and Italy will present its bases, nothing more.
But the United States continues to put pressure on some Arab countries, and Jordan, Qatar and the UAE are already among the possible participants in the raids on Libya.
In a situation of extreme tension in the Mediterranean, provocations are also possible, which could lead to a chain reaction of hostilities. So, observers say, NATO forces are hanging over Libya, and there will be a reason for their use.
There is no need to talk about the strategic importance of North Africa for Europe, writes in this regard the Chinese newspaper, the central organ of the Communist Party of China, Zhenmin Ribao. The situation in the region affects the security of the southern European wing. The flow of refugees is one of the most worrying European countries. The imposition of a no-fly zone would likely trigger military intervention that would lead to total chaos. Then the inhabitants of North Africa will be in distress, and the Europeans will suffer from this.
North Africa is an important oil supplier for the EU, and the region helps the European Union balance its dependence on Russia. According to statistics, oil and gas supplies from North Africa account for over 15% of total EU imports. It is important that crude oil, which is produced in Libya, has a low sulfur content, raw materials are easy to process and turn into high-quality gasoline and diesel fuel, oil is directly supplied to Italy, Germany, Spain and Switzerland, the newspaper notes. Due to the unrest in Libya, the daily production of crude oil has decreased by 750,000 tons.
In this regard, the position of many European countries on the Libyan issue is incomprehensible, they are in indecision. However, as European countries, why do Britain and France take such an unusually strong position? Since separated from the mainland, England has no direct interests in North Africa. However, French activity is a bit unpredictable. According to the analysis of some European media, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, by his "passive reaction" to the events in Tunisia, hoped to regain the support of the people in order to win the presidential elections in 2012.
Each of the Western countries pursues its own interests in the Libyan issue. Following the further development of the situation in West Asia and North Africa, one thing will be clearly seen: due to their own interests, Western countries will adhere to a more pragmatic position.
This weekend promises to be intense and bloody.
The Libyan armed forces were attacked by rebels near the city of Benghazi in the east of the country, the official Libyan news agency JANA reported on Saturday March 19. According to the agency, helicopters and a rebel fighter attacked the positions of Libyan units. "This is a flagrant violation of the flight ban imposed by the UN Security Council," the statement said. The Libyan armed forces were forced to respond to the attackers. "The rebels are attacking in an attempt to provoke foreign intervention," a government spokesman told Reuters.
The military operation of the NATO countries in Libya will last 5; 8 hours, during which the air force and missile defense systems of the state will be destroyed, experts suggest. After that, Western participation in the hostilities will be reduced to arming and training the rebels.
The most active participants in the operation will be three countries - the United States, Great Britain and France. These states are already ready for hostilities. All preliminary measures have already been taken - plans have been worked out, goals have been outlined, space reconnaissance has been carried out, a data bank has been compiled. Now it remains only to press the button.
From the author.
The article "Tsunami in the Mediterranean" was published in "International Affairs" before the military intervention of Western countries in Libya, before the bombing and missile strikes ...
Unfortunately, the NATO alliance still pressed the button despite the warnings of the Arab League, Russia, China and other countries…
And the consequences of this for the entire Mediterranean region will be catastrophic ...
The “tsunami”, which the West brought down on the African coast, was beautifully named: “Odyssey. Dawn". Don't be ashamed! Don't blush!
Of course, the day of reckoning for the crimes committed on Libyan soil will come!
Dawn will come, bloody and terrible, when the Western countries will declare that they, like Odysseus, have been misled by sweet-voiced sirens, short-sighted politicians who will have left their posts by this time, greedy financiers who set out to seize Libyan oil, military men who did not care that they are bombing there in the deserted Arab-African desert ...
But the smart Odysseus, who went through fire, water and copper labors, will not forgive the authors of military plans that his honest name was so defiled. And the gods of Olympus, who blessed Odysseus on his way, will punish those who touched, stirred up the calm, peaceful Mediterranean Sea ...
March 20, 2011.
Libya. All-devouring fire...
March 19, 2011. The French Air Force launched the first strikes on Libya. French President Sarkozy gathered in Paris the leaders of some countries of the Arab League and the EU. As a result, it was stated that "a military operation against Libya" could begin "in the next few hours."
On the evening of March 19, the French Air Force launched the first strikes on Libyan military equipment, said Colonel Thierry Burkar, spokesman for the French General Staff.
French Defense Ministry spokesman Laurent Tesser said the destroyed equipment "posed a threat to the civilian population of Libya."
"We are operating in two areas: firstly, to ensure a no-fly zone, and secondly, to protect the civilian population from attacks," he said.
The war, the plans of which were developed in advance, began on Saturday, the United States, Great Britain, France, Italy, Canada, Norway, Denmark and other countries are participating in it ... The French Air Force attacked the armored vehicles of the Libyan army, then the US aircraft joined (B2 stealth bombers ) and the UK to suppress air defense radars. Norway, Denmark, Spain, Canada and Qatar announced the transfer of their aircraft to bases in Italy.
So the armed forces of the NATO alliance, under the guise of UN Security Council Resolution 1973, under the pretext of "enforcing a no-fly zone, an embargo on the supply of arms and protecting the civilian population" (???) began an undeclared war against the Libyan Jamahiriya. Western politicians and the media still call this war a "military operation" "Odyssey. Dawn". This is the same as saying that fascist Germany, having occupied all of Europe, launched a “peacekeeping” “military operation” against the Soviet Union called “Barbarossa” to “protect the local population” from the “dictator”. And how did Hitler not guess before? .
…
On March 19, in the evening, I was sitting by the fireplace in my daughter Olga's cold dacha in Khrapunovo, in the suburbs, and looked at the blazing, devouring fire ...
And turned on the TV! There was some bad feeling...
So I learned about the beginning of the bombing of Libya ...
“The first blows were delivered by French aircraft ...”
"The Americans are going to attack Libyan air defenses with cruise missiles from American ships"...
“Russia recalled its ambassador…”
“Yesterday Vietnam, then Afghanistan, Iraq, Yugoslavia… Today Libya…”
Western leaders repeat one after another like a mantra, in their defense:
"for the protection of civilians" ...
In Iraq, the US and its allies have killed far more civilians than the ruler of Iraq! And there is no end in sight to the bloodshed either in Iraq or in Afghanistan...
"NATO is a military bloc and has the right to interfere in the affairs of other countries." When it is "necessary, legal and lawful."
Who made the decision? Who pressed the button? Who gave the go-ahead?
Despite the warnings of the Arab League, Russia, China and other countries, a big war broke out in the Mediterranean...
... In the fireplace, the fire flared up more and more, the flame covered more and more logs, and far away - and so close! - cruise missiles and aircraft rushed to far and near Libya ...
The most bitter thing is to feel powerless. And I was ashamed and hurt ...
Thus began the War!
On March 19, the first reaction of Russia followed ... I am publishing a statement by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry A.K. Lukashevich on the situation around Libya:
“On March 19, Air Force units of a number of countries began military operations in Libya. Moscow took with regret this armed action, undertaken with reference to the hastily adopted UN Security Council Resolution 1973.
Once again, we strongly urge both all the Libyan parties and the participants in the military operation to do everything to prevent the suffering of the peaceful civilian population and to achieve an early ceasefire and violence.
We demand that comprehensive measures be taken to ensure the security of foreign diplomatic missions and their employees. We especially insist on ensuring the inviolability of the Russian Embassy in Tripoli and Russian citizens in Libya, about which the Russian side has already made corresponding demarches.
We remain convinced that for a reliable settlement of the intra-Libyan conflict in the interests of a democratic and stable future for this country, it is necessary to immediately stop the bloodshed and start a dialogue between the Libyans themselves. We consider it important to use for this purpose the forthcoming visit to Libya of representatives of the Special High-Level Committee of the African Union.”
Recall that during the voting on resolution 1973 of the UN Security Council, Russia did not oppose, but abstained. Now “in Moscow, this armed action, undertaken with reference to the hastily adopted Resolution 1973 of the UN Security Council, was received with regret” ...
hastily accepted...
The NATO military operation against Libya was also criticized by China and the League of Arab States.
And NATO member Germany said it would not send soldiers to Libya but would support "the humanitarian efforts of the international community."
Has Berlin really remembered what the Germans did to Libya during World War II?
From the History of Libya. Rommel in 1942: "We have terrified the Libyan population."
During the Second World War, the territory of Libya, which had been a colony of Italy since 1931, became the arena of military confrontation between the Western powers. 127 battles took place here, in which one and a half million people took part. Cities and towns were bombarded by air and sea more than 3,000 times.
Field Marshal E. Rommel, who commanded in 1941-1943. German and Italian expeditionary forces in North Africa, leaving Tobruk in June 1942, boasted that in this Libyan city "all the buildings are razed to the ground or are heaps of rubble."
Retreating from Benghazi, the fascist troops blew up the port and its facilities, put out of action all major facilities and, in the words of the same Rommel, "brought terror to the population of the poor city."
The ashes and ruins were left by the Nazis in Tripoli.
The total damage caused to Libya by the Second World War, according to UNESCO, amounted to about $ 2 billion.
Four years have passed since the NATO aggression against the Libyan Jamahiriya, but the damage and losses have not been calculated...
This is unprofitable for the West… After all, sooner or later it will have to pay…
March 20, 2011.
The Libyan Jamahiriya considers UN Security Council Resolution 1973 prohibiting flights to be no longer "invalid" and may "use military aviation," the Libyan Foreign Ministry said in a statement quoted by the Libyan news agency JANA.
The document emphasizes that the bombing of the Air Force and missile attacks from the sea, which Libya was subjected to, led to civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure. In particular, roads, hospitals and airports were destroyed.
"Libya reserves the right to use military and civil aircraft in self-defense after France violated the no-fly zone," the document says.
In just two days, on March 19 and 20, 124 American Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired at Libyan air defense facilities and civilian targets, as reported by the Libyan media.
On March 20, 2011, President Dmitry Medvedev signed Decree No. 329. Here is its content:
"To appoint Margelov Mikhail Vitalyevich as a special representative of the President of the Russian Federation for cooperation with African countries, releasing him from the duties of a special representative of the President of the Russian Federation for Sudan."
March 21, 2011
Arab League (LAS): "We don't want to be under the umbrella of NATO."
The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is approaching Libya.
Seven bases in Italy serve as airstrips for NATO bombers.
Following the United States, France stated that it had no information about the victims among civilians in Libya.
Russia called for a "ceasefire and start a peaceful dialogue."
Part of the staff of the Russian embassy was evacuated from Tripoli.
21 March. Libya did not have time to realize its plans to modernize the air defense system. Libya took too long to choose a possible foreign partner who was supposed to modernize its air defense system, and therefore turned out to be ill-prepared for the actions of the countries of the anti-Libyan coalition.
This point of view was expressed in an interview with the correspondent. ITAR-TASS one of the leading Russian experts on Libya, chief researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor Anatoly Yegorin.
“Libya has had enough time to modernize its air defense system - the previous sanctions against the Jamahiriya, which had been in effect for 11 years, were lifted back in 2003,” the expert recalled. “However, its plans to equip the air defense system with modern radar stations and develop the strike component of the system seem to have remained unrealized.”
“There were 15 air squadrons in the combat aviation of the Libyan Air Force at the time the attacks on the Jamahiriya began, and 12 squadrons in the auxiliary aviation,” said Yegorin. - Seven out of nine Libyan air bases are concentrated in the coastal zone. Now the question is - did the Libyan military manage to disperse this equipment to alternate airfields?
“A special air defense command in Libya was organized after American air raids on Libyan targets in 1986,” Yegorin recalled. - It consists of 4 anti-aircraft missile brigades (zrbr) equipped with the S-200V E Vega anti-aircraft missile system (SAM), six zrbr equipped with the S-75M Desna air defense system, three zrbr equipped with the S-125M air defense system, three zrbr equipped with the Kvadrat and Osa air defense systems.
“The command of the Libyan army considered France as the most promising partner in the field of equipping the air defense forces with modern radars. And the development of the strike component of the national air defense system was planned through the acquisition in Russia of the Buk-M2E air defense system, the Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft missile and gun systems (ZRPK), Yegorin noted.
March 21, 2011 Muammar Gaddafi's personal adviser told Izvestia:
“Of course, it is difficult to fight NATO. On the other hand, it is impossible not to see the processes of awareness by the peoples of the Middle East of their primordial aspirations and rights, as happened in Tunisia, Egypt and other places. It is quite appropriate to convene a representative international conference on the Middle East, where to try to comprehend the ongoing processes and look for common solutions.
I am sure that it is high time for Russia, which has unequivocally declared its doubts, to come out with a positive initiative together with its partners. We need to find a diplomatic solution that could stop the escalation of hostilities.
Different positions of Russian politicians
March 21, 2011. The positions of Russian politicians in assessing what is happening in Libya turned out to be different. Here are some quotes from various interviews broadcast on TV and published in the media. I deliberately do not name who exactly said this, because such statements are typical for various figures of that time:
“I do not consider resolution 1973 wrong, moreover, I believe that this resolution as a whole reflects our understanding of what is happening in Libya. Therefore, we did not use our veto power.”
“This resolution of the Security Council is certainly defective and flawed. If you look at what is written, it will immediately become clear that it allows everyone to take any and all actions in relation to a sovereign state.
"I hear that the resolution is bad - this is wrong, the resolution is completely normal."
“You know, it reminds me of a medieval call for a crusade, when someone called someone to go to a certain place and release something.”
“In no case is it permissible to use expressions that, in fact, lead to a clash of civilizations such as the Crusades. This is unacceptable"! (according to media reports)
March 22, 2011 Libyan air defense destroyed. NATO Air Force bombed Tripoli, Sirte, airports, civilian facilities. A fishing village near Tripoli has been razed to the ground.
An American fighter jet crashed.
Russia continues to evacuate its citizens from Libya.
On March 23, 2011, Radio Tripoli broadcast at night a three-minute emotional speech by Muammar Gaddafi: “We will not surrender. We were attacked by a crowd of European fascists.”
The Qatari television channel Al Jazeera constantly broadcasts anti-Gaddafi appeals and propaganda programs in favor of the rebels.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is personally involved in spreading lies. She claims that "the colonel is looking into the possibility of fleeing Libya."
The State Duma of the Russian Federation is discussing the issue of Libya. Concern was expressed about the scale and forms of hostilities. An appeal to the parliaments of European countries to cease fire was adopted. Libya has the right to decide what to do, MPs say.
Russia is ready to act as a mediator in resolving the situation in Libya. Such is the tone of Dmitry Medvedev's meeting with US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, which was held behind closed doors. Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko took part in it from the Russian side, and Deputy Pentagon chief Alexander Vershbow from the American side.
Even before this meeting, Gates, speaking in St. Petersburg, invited Russia to join the participation in the international coalition against Libya. Dmitry Medvedev answered him: "We will not take part in any operations to close the airspace, we will not send any contingents, if, God forbid, this operation still takes place on the ground."
Libyan TV reports on the victims of rocket attacks. Mostly they are civilians. Roads, bridges, a cardiological center were destroyed.
February 17 in the second largest city of Libya - Benghazi - there were clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement officers.
February 27 The Libyan opposition announced the formation of a national council and preparations for the election of the head of state.
March, 6 in Libya, in the area of the settlement of Bin Javad, violent clashes took place between rebels and pro-government forces. Several people died.
March 17 The UN Security Council adopted a resolution providing for the introduction of a no-fly zone over Libya.
March 19 In Libya, a military operation began against the Gaddafi regime with the participation of the armed forces of a number of states: Great Britain, France, the United States, Canada, Belgium, Italy, Spain, and Denmark. Aircraft of the French Air Force, taking off from the air base in Saint-Dizier, delivered the first blow to Libyan military equipment in the vicinity of Benghazi.
March 31 leadership of the campaign in Libya completely passed to the representatives of the NATO command.
April 9 Gaddafi's forces subjected the city of Ajdabiya, located southwest of Benghazi, to massive shelling and began an attack on it in all directions.
On the night of The 1 of May the youngest of the seven sons of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi - 29-year-old Saif al-Arab, as well as three grandsons of the head of state, became victims of NATO airstrikes.
June 1st NATO extended the operation for 90 days - until the end of September. The previous mandate for the operation expired on 27 June.
June 7 Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation Mikhail Margelov visited Benghazi, the stronghold of the Libyan rebels. Despite the fact that no specific agreements were reached, Russia agreed to become a mediator in the intra-Libyan settlement.
July 10 Opponents of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi blocked an oil pipeline supplying oil to a plant near the city of Zuwarah in order to prevent the supply of government forces in the west of the country.
8 August Libya's Transitional National Council dismissed the rebel government it had created.
August 16 The Libyan government used the Soviet R-11 ballistic missile, which entered service with the USSR back in 1964, in the fight against the rebels. The rocket fell in the desert 80 kilometers from the strategically important city of Marsa el Brega. There were no victims.
August 20 Libyan rebels said they captured the strategically important city in the east of Libya, Marsa el Brega, which houses a large oil refinery complex.
On the night of August 21 rebel detachments carried out the first attack on government troops entrenched in the capital, and then captured Gaddafi's military base, 27 kilometers from Tripoli.
August 22 The Libyan capital Tripoli was occupied by the rebels. According to Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya TV channels, Gaddafi's presidential guard capitulated in Tripoli.
August 23 world news agencies reported that the rebels broke into the fortified residence of Gaddafi, located in the Bab al-Aziziya quarter in Tripoli, and resistance from Gaddafi's units was stopped.
24 August Libyan rebels have taken control of a military base located west of Tripoli. According to the Al-Arabiya TV channel, as a result of clashes, the Mazraq al-Shams military facility passed into the hands of the rebels as a result of clashes.
August, 26th The commander of the rebel forces in Tripoli, Abdelhakim Belhadj, announced the unification of all rebel groups under the authority of a single Military Council. The military council announced its intention to disband all rebel formations and unite them into state institutions.
August 29 Reuters reported that the Libyan rebels once again stated that one of the sons of Muammar Gaddafi Khamis was killed in armed clashes.
Later, a representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Transitional National Council (PNC) of Libya confirmed the death of Khamis. Gaddafi's son died on the outskirts of the city of Tarhuna. Buried on the outskirts of Bani Walid.
August 29 Libyan embassy staff in Moscow changed the green banner of the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya to the red-black-green banner of the rebels.
Previously, the "new-old" flag of the rebels was raised over the Libyan embassies in a number of countries, in particular in the Czech Republic, the Philippines and Mexico.
September 1 Russia has recognized the GNA of Libya as the current government. As emphasized in a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Russian Federation notes the reform program proclaimed by the Transitional National Council of Libya, "which provides for the development of a new constitution, the holding of general elections and the formation of a government."
September 1 A conference on the future of Libya was held in Paris. The conference was attended by representatives of 63 countries. It replaced the "contact group", which was created for the political leadership of NATO's military operation in Libya.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy said that the conference participants agreed to demand that the funds of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi be unfrozen in favor of the current Libyan authorities - the Transitional National Council (PNC).
4 September It was announced that the negotiations, which were conducted by representatives of the armed formations of the Transitional National Council (PNC) with the forces of the overthrown regime of Libyan Jamahiriya leader Muammar Gaddafi, failed. The talks were held within the framework of the ultimatum announced by the opposition forces, according to which the defeated troops of Gaddafi, who had entrenched themselves in a number of cities, should lay down their arms.
9th of September Interpol has issued a "red notice" to search for Muammar Gaddafi, as well as his son Seif al-Islam and the former Libyan military intelligence director Abdullah al-Senussi. Issuing a "red notice" is tantamount to putting a person on the most wanted list.
11 September Chairman of the Transitional National Council of Libya, Mustafa Abdeljalil, flew to the capital Tripoli for the first time as leader of the GNA.
On the same day, the head of the foreign intelligence service of the deposed leader of the Libyan Jamahiriya, Muammar Gaddafi Buzaid Dorda, was arrested in Tripoli.
September 15th British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in Libya for talks with the country's new interim government. Cameron and Sarkozy are the first foreign heads of state to visit Libya since the fall of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's regime.
16 of September representatives of the Transitional National Council of Libya received the right to take their country's seat in the UN General Assembly. 114 countries voted in favor of this resolution, 17 voted against, and 15 countries abstained.
September 21 representatives of 28 NATO member countries reached an agreement in Brussels to extend the military operation in Libya for three months, until the end of December.
September 21 The forces of the Transitional National Council (PNC) of Libya completely captured the city of Sabha, located in the desert in southern Libya, one of the last bastions of Gaddafi's supporters.
23 September Arab media reported that the armed groups of the Libyan opposition, opposing the troops of Jamahiriya leader Muammar Gaddafi, united in a single "Union of Libyan Revolutionary Battalions". This decision was made by the commanders of disparate paramilitary groups and detachments from various regions of the country at a general meeting in the city of Misrata.
October 1 units of the Libyan forces of the Transitional National Council announced a complete blockade of the city of Sirte, which in recent weeks has been stubbornly defended by the troops of the deposed leader of the Libyan Jamahiriya, Muammar Gaddafi.
2 October The PNS of Libya called for a two-day truce at the front in the area of one of the last strongholds of Muammar Gaddafi - the city of Sirte.
October 3 The forces of the Transitional National Council of Libya took control of the native village of the leader of the Libyan Jamahiriya Muammar Gaddafi Qasr Abou Hadi, located in the vicinity of the city of Sirte.
October 9 Representatives of the Transitional National Council of Libya announced that they had taken control of the airport in the city of Beni Walid, one of the last strongholds of Muammar Gaddafi.
October 12 It became known that Spain is reducing the grouping of troops participating in the operation in Libya, in particular, returning four F-18 fighter jets to their permanent bases.
October 13 it became known that the son of Muammar Gaddafi Muatasem was detained by representatives of the armed forces of the Transitional National Council (PNC) of Libya in the city of Sirte, after which he was transported for interrogation to Benghazi.
According to the Libyan PNS, Muatasem Gaddafi was detained on October 11, when he and his family tried to leave Sirte by car.
October 14 Several dozen armed supporters of Muammar Gaddafi clashed with the troops of the Transitional National Council on the streets of Tripoli.
According to eyewitnesses of the events, a group of people appeared in the capital's Abu Salim quarter, chanting slogans in support of the leader of the Libyan Jamahiriya. After some time, trucks with PNS fighters arrived in Abu Salim, who started a shootout with Gaddafi supporters.
October 16 supporters of the Transitional National Council of Libya began the demolition of the wall around the residence of Muammar Gaddafi in Tripoli. The complex with an area of 6 thousand square meters, called Bab al-Aziziya, was considered the official capital residence of Gaddafi, from where he ruled the country and where he simultaneously lived.
17 October it became known that the troops of the Transitional National Council of Libya completely captured the city of Bani Walid, located 170 kilometers southeast of the capital Tripoli, one of the last strongholds of supporters of the former government.
The 20th of October in the world media there was information that Gaddafi was ambushed near the city of Sirte, was captured, and then died from wounds received in battle near Sirte. This information was disseminated by sources in the PNS, and later it was confirmed by the military head of the Transitional National Council, Abdelhakim Belhadj.
The troops of the Transitional National Council of Libya completely captured the coastal city of Sirte, the "small homeland" of the leader of the Libyan Jamahiriya, Muammar Gaddafi, who remained the last major stronghold of supporters of the former government.
An international military operation has begun in Libya. Over the past night, military aircraft from France, Great Britain, the United States, Denmark, with the participation of the military forces of Italy, Spain, Germany and Canada, carried out air raids on Libyan military facilities. Qatar aviation is also joining the operation. In response to the bombing and shelling, the Libyan leader promises to strike at NATO bases in the Mediterranean. He promised the coalition members a protracted war in Libya. Gaddafi is sure that the goal of Western countries is Libyan oil. However, Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein made the same statements 8 years ago. It is noteworthy that the international military operation "Fear and Trembling" in Iraq began to the same day eight years ago - on March 20, 2003.
France. Airbase Saint-Desier. On Saturday at 19-00 Moscow time, twenty fighters took off from here. This became the starting point for an international military operation in Libyan airspace.
Just an hour earlier, in Paris, the decision to carry out the operation was supported by all the leaders of the EU, the League of Arab States and the African Union. This Emergency Summit was convened by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. For Paris, this is a chance to renew its influence on the countries of Africa and the East.
(Total 23 photos)
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1. Exploding cars supporters of Muammar Gaddafi during an air raid by coalition forces. The picture was taken on the road from Benghazi to Ajdabiyah on Sunday, March 20. Over the night from Saturday to Sunday, military aircraft of France, Great Britain, the USA, Denmark, with the participation of the military forces of Italy, Spain, Germany and Canada, carried out air raids on Libyan military facilities. Qatar aviation is also joining the operation. (Goran Tomasevic/Reuters)
2. Libyan rebels with a flag on a padded tank of government forces on the outskirts of the city of Benghazi on March 20. (Patrick Baz / AFP - Getty Images)
3. An RAF VC10 passenger jet and a Tristar air tanker, together with RAF Typhoon and Tornado fighter jets, left for Libya. British Prime Minister Cameron said: "The military operation in Libya is necessary, legal and correct." (SAC Neil Chapman / MOD via AP)
4. The explosion of a tank belonging to the Libyan government forces during an air strike by coalition forces on the road between the Libyan cities of Benghazi and Ajdabiyah March 20. (Goran Tomasevic/Reuters)
5. A Libyan rebel empties the pockets of a dark-skinned teenage soldier from Gaddafi's forces, who was killed during an air strike by French fighters in the village of al-Wayfiyah, located 35 kilometers from Benghazi. (Patrick Baz / AFP - Getty Images)
6. An F-18 fighter flies over the NATO air base in Aviano, Italy, on Sunday, March 20. (Luca Bruno / AP)
7. A representative of the anti-government forces next to a burning Gaddafi forces truck after an air strike by coalition forces on the road between the Libyan cities of Benghazi and Ajdabiyah on March 20. (Goran Tomasevic/Reuters)
8. A representative of the rebel forces shoots into the air on the outskirts of Benghazi, standing against the backdrop of burning military equipment after being hit by French fighters. More than 90 people became victims of clashes near the city of the largest stronghold of the rebels - the city of Benghazi - in less than two days. (Finbarr O "Reilly / Reuters)
9. The shelling of Libyan territory with cruise missiles from US warships in the Mediterranean on March 19. In total, according to the military of the Western coalition, more than 110 Tomahawk missiles were fired at Libya. (US Navy via Reuters)
10. A woman supporting Muammar Gaddafi, during a protest of his supporters, which took place in Tripoli on March 19. Thousands of supporters of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi gathered on Saturday at the international airport of Tripoli, as well as in the area of Gaddafi's capital residence Bab al-Azizia, to prevent the bombing of these facilities by foreign coalition forces. (Zohra Bensemra/Reuters)
11. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton welcomes French President Nicolas Sarkozy before the start of the crisis summit on Libya, which was held in Paris at the Elysee Palace on March 19. The summit of the heads of Europe, the United States and the Arab states was held last Saturday in the French capital. The meeting may decide to launch a military operation against the forces of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. (Franck Prevel/Getty Images)
12. In this picture provided by representatives of the French Ministry of Defense, a French Rafale fighter jet takes off from the French military base in Saint-Dizier on March 19. On Saturday, the French Air Force Mirage and Rafale fighters, located in the skies over Libya, were ready to launch the first strikes on the armored vehicles of the forces of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. (Sebastien Dupont / French Minist / EPA)
13. Hundreds of crammed cars left the Libyan city of Benghazi on March 19 after airstrikes inflicted on the city by the troops of Muammar Gaddafi. People travel to the east of the country, to the border with Egypt. On Saturday, March 19, tanks were brought into the city of Benghazi, a stronghold of the Libyan opposition, and the outskirts were subjected to rocket and artillery attacks. (Reuters TV / Reuters)
14. Libyan rebels against the backdrop of burning cars after Gaddafi's forces were repulsed while trying to take Benghazi March 19. (Anja Niedringhaus / AP)