Reply #49: NATO says Libya, not Britain, behind oil attack [View All]

[pinboy3niner]

NATO says Libya, not Britain, behind oil attack


HADEEL AL-SHALCHI and TAREK EL-TABLAWY, Associated Press


Updated 09:00 a.m., Thursday, April 7, 2011


TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — NATO on Thursday dismissed Libyan claims that Britain had struck the North African country's largest oil field, blaming Moammar Gadhafi's forces for the attacks that halted production. The eastern Sarir and Messla fields came under fire just as the rebels had sold their first oil cargo in weeks.

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NATO said it had been monitoring the Sarir oil fields over the past week and that attacks by pro-Gadhafi forces had resulted in a number of skirmishes and at least one fire at an oil facility.

"We are aware that pro-Gadhafi forces have attacked this area in recent days," said Canadian Lt. Gen. Charles Bouchard, who commands the allied operation. "To try and blame it on NATO shows how desperate this regime is."

Bouchard said in a statement released Thursday that alliance warplanes had not bombed the region because Gadhafi's forces were not threatening any civilian population center there.


Read more: http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/NATO-says-Libya-not-Britain-behind-oil-attack-1325464.php#ixzz1IqJcN4Tb