LIBYA: A spokesman for the ruling interim National Transitional Council says time is crucial if the transitional government are to move on and begin to function as a state

Record ID: 560950

  • Title: LIBYA: A spokesman for the ruling interim National Transitional Council says time is crucial if the transitional government are to move on and begin to function as a state
  • Date: 15th September 2011
  • Summary: NEAR BANI WALID, LIBYA (SEPTEMBER 14, 2011) (REUTERS) CHECKPOINT MANNED BY NATIONAL TRANSITIONAL COUNCIL (NTC) FIGHTERS CLOSE OF ASSAULT RIFLE WITH "FEBRUARY 17" WRITTEN ON TAPE HOLDING TWO MAGAZINES TOGETHER VARIOUS OF FIGHTERS NTC SPOKESMAN ABDULLAH KINSHIL SPEAKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) NTC SPOKESMAN ABDULLAH KINSHIL, SAYING: "The only thing I can confirm is that this will not continue for a long time because of the suffering and also because we should move on to build our country, to build our institutions, and to go forward and forget (deposed leader Muammar) Gaddafi and his era behind us, so that's why it should be soon. However it's in the hands of the NTC and the commanders of the Libyan national army and also the local commanders." KINSHIL SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) NTC SPOKESMAN ABDULLAH KINSHIL, SAYING: "The town is completely surrounded, however we left the exits (open) for anyone, we don't stop anyone at all. We give them the supply with food, with water, with juice, and also to guide them to places and anyone with no place to stay... it's very rare really because of the social frame, luckily we have very good social frame of life so I'm sure they will not be suffering." CHECKPOINT FIGHTER LOOKING DOWN ROAD FIGHTER CHECKING TRUNK OF CAR LEAVING BANI WALID
  • Embargoed: 30th September 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Libya
  • Country: Libya
  • Topics: Conflict
  • Reuters ID: LVADLJAV1VU766KSU5HNP0TR0W4E
  • Story Text: Fighters loyal to Libya's new rulers will resort to heavy weapons to quickly capture a desert outpost held by Muammar Gaddafi's forces if needed, a military commander said on Wednesday (September 14), urging civilians to flee.
    Hundreds of residents have poured out of the town in the past three days in cars crammed with children and possessions.
    They say street battles and severe food and fuel shortages have made it impossible to stay.
    Along with Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte on the Mediterranean coast and Sabha, in the southern desert, Bani Walid is one of the last major pro-Gaddafi strongholds in Libya.
    Forces backed by the National Transitional Council (NTC), the country's interim rulers, have met stronger resistance in Bani Walid than expected. They had initially estimated pro-Gaddafi forces in the low hundreds.
    "The only thing I can confirm is that this will not continue for a long time because of the suffering and also because we should move on to build our country, to build our institutions, and to go forward and forget (deposed leader Muammar) Gaddafi and his era behind us, so that's why it should be soon. However it's in the hands of the NTC and the commanders of the Libyan national army and also the local commanders," said local NTC spokesman Abdullah Kinshil.
    "The town is completely surrounded, however we left the exits (open) for anyone, we don't stop anyone at all. We give them the supply with food, with water, with juice, and also to guide them to places and anyone with no place to stay... it's very rare really because of the social frame, luckily we have very good social frame of life so I'm sure they will not be suffering," he added.
    The central, densely populated part of Bani Walid is proving difficult to capture, NTC fighters say. It is on higher ground, allowing pro-Gaddafi forces to take aim from above.
    Loyalist fighters were reported to have covered the road up to central Bani Walid with oil, impeding the NTC's advances.
    A local commander said earlier about a quarter of the town's 100,000 residents had left but many are reported trapped in loyalist-controlled areas.
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