Snipers stationed on Bani Walid minarets as residents flee

Aiding those wounded in battles against Gaddafi troops in Libya Tripoli – Emad Agag Mahmoud Bouras, a member of Bani Walid’s Media Committee, has told Arabstoday that “Gaddafi has snipers on top of mosque minarets across the city, especially in the Tajamo’a Gharawat.” He said that Gaddafi’s troops are also stationed in Al Shamikh area, where many of the displaced have congregated. Bouras has accused Gaddafi’s forces of stealing humanitarian items given to the displaced, although acknowledged to date that the aid has largely consisted of baby formula and diapers. Bouras said that 8 rebel fighters were martyred during heavy clashes with Gaddafi’s troops.
He added that Gaddafi’s official spokesman was seen in Bani Walid on Thursday by residents fleeing the city centre. He also said that members of the Werfalleh tribe from Qararet Quttas in Libya’s east had sent an aid convoy containing food, medicine and tents for those who had fled the fighting in Bani Walid. Bouras added that further aid would be sent by Benghazi’s Chamber of Military Operations, who will shortly parachute humanitarian goods into Al Shamikh via military place. Bouras confirmed that rebels in the eastern and northern areas of the city are now preparing for a final attack to liberate the city.
Abdel Hakim Bilhaj, the head of the military council in Tripoli, has announced that rebels have obtained a number of leads about the location of the cemetery that holds the remains of those killed in the 1996 Abu Salim prison massacre. The leads are thought to have come from the interrogation of those accused of involvement in the event. The Rebels have also announced the liberation of Ubari.
The Military Council’s official spokesman, Brigadier General Ahmed Bani, said that a large number of Tuareg forces in Ubari had joined the rebels and assisted in the town’s liberation.
In a press conference, Bani said that more than 90 percent of cities in the south have been liberated and that the majority of Gaddafi’s troops had fled towards Niger. He also said that rebels have now full control of Sirte’s airport and the Qidabiya military base. They have surrounded the city.
Meanwhile, news reports announced on Thursday that the former-Libyan Prime Minister, Al Baghdadi Al-Mahmoudi, had been arrested in the city of Tozeur in Tunisia. Mohamed Al-Alaqi, a National Transitional Council (NTC) official, confirmed the arrest after Al-Mahmoudi attempted to illegally enter Tunisia. He confirmed that a Libyan arrest warrant would be issued for Al-Mahmoudi and that his extradition would be requested. Although Al-Mahmoudi had become an eleventh-hour supporter of the rebels following the fall of Tripoli, Al-Alaqi said that Libyans had not forgotten his actions under Gaddafi.
Meanwhile, officials in London and Tripoli have said that the Libyan government has discovered $1 billion Libyan dollars (US$23 billion) in Tripoli's Central Bank. The discovery was reported by the UK government last week.
The Financial Times said that officials described the discovery as “just like finding billions of dollars under your bed,” and said that it has given a huge push to the Libyan leaders to run the country properly through the vaults of the central bank in Tripoli.
Wafiq Al Shater, the financial coordinator of the Libyan Settling Team, which was formed after the fall of Tripoli, told the paper: “this money will be enough to run the country for 6 months based on old spending patterns, and will be put under intense security to ensure that it is spent solely on social services and reviving the country.”
In other news, Austria’s President Heinz Fischer announced that the Austrian Embassy will reopen in Tripoli soon. The announcement came hours after the US President Obama announced that the US ambassador to Libya was on his way back to Tripoli to reopen the embassy. Fischer said in a meeting with the NTC’s chief, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, that Austria will help Libya bilaterally, as well as through the EU and UN. He added that Austria will release Libya’s frozen assets early next month. At the end of his speech, the Austrian President congratulated Libyan people and the NTC for their struggle, which overthrew Gaddafi after 42 years of dictatorship.