Libya Crisis - NATO Special Forces Poised for Deployment - Thurs 24 Feb

Morning gang,

The new thread is up

the latest I have from the wires is that the vast majority of Libya now seems liberated away from the Gadaffi regime. Apart from isolated pockets of resistance, only Tripoli seems to be holding out under the regime

Jason_CP Jason Potter
reports of 3 German naval warships in waters between #Malta & #Libya, carrying 600+ soldiers. Task unclear !

UK SPECIAL FORCES LIKELY TO PUT BOOTS ON THE GROUND

The emergency committee COBRA will meet this morning. Top of the agenda is deploying SAS and other military assets into Libya to mount urgent rescue missions.

It is quite possible that these teams will come under fire as Libyan approval has not been given!

Morning Janey. Good that u feel better!

BelgianBoy wrote:Jason_CP Jason Potter
reports of 3 German naval warships in waters between #Malta & #Libya, carrying 600+ soldiers. Task unclear !

I can tell you why I was talking to a military official about an hour ago. UK, Europe and some US support troops are likely to be on the ground before the end of the day in a joint operation to secure key staging areas and evacuation of nationals.

The current plan is for large contingents of regular forces to hold ports whilst special forces teams rescue nationals and return them to the port staging areas.

BelgianBoy wrote:Morning Janey. Good that u feel better!

thanks BB!

Gadaffi releasing prisoners from jails with offers of cash to support his mercenaries

Janey wrote:

BelgianBoy wrote:Jason_CP Jason Potter
reports of 3 German naval warships in waters between #Malta & #Libya, carrying 600+ soldiers. Task unclear !

I can tell you why I was talking to a military official about an hour ago. UK, Europe and some US support troops are likely to be on the ground before the end of the day in a joint operation to secure key staging areas and evacuation of nationals.

The current plan is for large contingents of regular forces to hold ports whilst special forces teams rescue nationals and return them to the port staging areas.

Mmmm... must be busy at Evere (NATO HQ).

Gadaffi Son - Denies any airstrikes have occured and calls it media exaggeration AP

Gadaffi threatens human shield policy against NATO intervention

dimitriodonnell Dimitri O'Donnell
What's next? Gadaffi due to address residents of tow n of az-zawiyah very shortly according to al arabiya tv

NickKristof Nicholas Kristof
Amazing: I hear by phone that Tajura, #Libya , less than 10 miles from Tripoli, has fallen. Rebel flag flying over it.

Gadaffi forces mounting a counter offensive at Misrata

#Libya - centre of Misrata remains under control of anti- #Gaddafi forces -witness #Reuters

latest: Gadaffi's aide and cousin flees to Egypt - AP

Eyewitness from Misurata, #Libya live on Aljazeera: Attacks and bombings going on right now

BelgianBoy wrote:Eyewitness from Misurata, #Libya live on Aljazeera: Attacks and bombings going on right now

confirmed, a tank offensive trying to retake the town

Al Arabiya: The International Criminal Court says that the President of Chad tried to send troops into #Libya to support Gaddafi

Are you bored or in a crappy mood? Cheer up. There's a third speech by Qaddafi coming soon, according to #Libya state TV

Off topic: Assange to be extradited.

BelgianBoy wrote:Off topic: Assange to be extradited.

his team have already postponed it with an appeal filed within minutes!

BelgianBoy wrote:Are you bored or in a crappy mood? Cheer up. There's a third speech by Qaddafi coming soon, according to #Libya state TV

it is being billed as a "major announcement".

I really suspect thet we will see Romanian-like images before the beginning of next week.

NATO assessment, even if Gadaffi stands down now, Libya likely to fall further into civil war.