A mass defection of senior military officers puts more pressure on the regime of Col Muammar Gaddafi as the last chance for a negotiated settlement to the crisis seemed to pass and Nato prepared to intensify air strikes.
President Jacob Zuma of South Africa (left) spent all afternoon with regime officials, including a long one-on-one discussion with Col Gaddafi, at the Libyan leader's Bab al-Azizia compound in the centre of Tripoli Photo: REUTERS
By Richard Spencer, Tripoli 7:38PM BST
30 May 2011
Five generals, two colonels and a major told a news conference in Rome that they fled Libya in protest at the killings of civilians and that Col Gaddafi's military strength had been reduced by 80 per cent.
Only ten generals remain loyal, Gen Melud Massoud Halasa, one of the defectors, said.
At least 100 more army officers have left Libya in recent days, according to Abdurrahman Shalgam, Libya's ambassador to the United Nations, who defected himself in the early days of the uprising against Col Gaddafi's regime.
The mass defection will place more pressure on Col Gaddafi's military, which is now fighting rebel forces on three fronts – to the west in the Nafusa mountains, in the enclave around Misurata and against the main opposition forces in Benghazi and Ajdabiya in the east.
The rebels in both Benghazi and Misurata are being assisted by western advisers. Britain has confirmed it has sent advisers to Benghazi to help with organisation and logistics, and western troops were filmed in Misurata for the first time by al-Jazeera at the weekend.
The defence secretary, Liam Fox, also warned at the weekend that RAF Tornado jets would be loaded with 2,000 bunker-buster bombs and targeted on compounds used by the regime in Tripoli in the coming days.
Nato's secretary-general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said: "Gaddafi's reign of terror is coming to an end. He is increasingly isolated at home and abroad. Even those closest to him are departing, defecting or deserting."
Col Gaddafi has still refused to listen to demands that he leave office – regarded by the rebels and Nato as essential for a resolution of the crisis.
The latest attempt to forge a compromise was made on Monday by President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, who was sent by the African Union to present their “road map” for peace.
A clip of Mr Zuma being greeted by Col Gaddafi, who had not previously been seen in public since May 11, was later shown on state television.
Mr Zuma spent all afternoon with regime officials, including a long one-on-one discussion with Col Gaddafi, at the Libyan leader's Bab al-Azizia compound in the centre of Tripoli.
Mr Zuma said afterwards that the “Brother Leader” had accepted the road-map and was willing to call a ceasefire as long as it included an end to Nato bombing.
He made no mention of having urged Col Gaddafi to leave, as demanded by Nato powers and the rebels.
But there were no immediate signs of a breakthrough. The plan agreed by the African Union is similar to Libya’s own — a ceasefire to be followed by reconciliation talks, without a guaranteed departure for Col Gaddafi — and has already been rejected by both Nato leaders and the rebels.
The generals who defected may have been forced out – according to one account, one motive was the rise of younger, more assertive Gaddafi loyalists, many from the leader's own tribe, in the ranks.
But they will give credibility to stories told by rebels in areas freed from control by pro-Gaddafi troops of multiple rapes and brutal treatment of the civilian population. Gen. Halasa also told the news conference that Col Gaddafi's support was rapidly weakening and his military running at 20 per cent capacity.
Nato bombers have not struck Tripoli since Saturday morning, but are expected to renew their attacks after Mr Zuma's departure.
They did hit the town of Zlitan, which lies between Misurata and Tripoli, killing 13 people according to the Libyan government. Rebels in Misurata say they have been told to expect attacks, possibly by Apache helicopters, on government front lines there in the next few days.
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