Libya conflict: France air-dropped arms to rebels

[Gerald]

France has air-dropped weapons to rebels fighting Col Muammar Gaddafi's troops in Western Libya, the French military has confirmed.

Light arms and ammunition were sent to Berber tribal fighters in the Nafusa mountains in early June, it said.


Libyan rebels have been making military gains in the west of the country.

Earlier, a report in Le Figaro newspaper said the arms included rocket launchers and anti-tank missiles.

France, a leading force in the Nato operation in Libya, did not inform its allies about the move, Le Figaro said.

"We began by dropping humanitarian aid: food, water and medical supplies," said Col Thierry Burkhard, spokesman for the French general staff.

"During the operation, the situation for the civilians on the ground worsened. We dropped arms and means of self-defence, mainly ammunition," he told AFP.

He said the arms were "light infantry weapons of the rifle type", dropped over a period of several days "so that civilians would not be massacred".

The BBC's Christian Fraser in Paris says the statement is likely to bring further criticism from the likes of Russia and China, who believe Nato and its allies have already gone beyond the remit of the UN resolution authorising international military action in Libya for the protection of civilians.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13955751

Note: 29 June 2011 Last updated at 14:21 GMT

[Herr-Berbunch]

Good.

I'm glad somebody finally has, and I'm glad it's also not coming out of my pocket!

[Gerald]

Giving weapons to the rebels,have been quite controversial in some countries, and even within parts of the NATO.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

Good.

I'm glad somebody finally has, and I'm glad it's also not coming out of my pocket!

Too bloody right!!

Light arms and ammunition

Better than nothing I suspect...but only just.

[Gerald]

[Castout]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Too bloody right!!



Better than nothing I suspect...but only just.

Absolutely better than nothing at all. Glad they did that.

The rebels have taken some armors(saw a T-55 and a ZSU SPAA on TV) from an arms depot they won near Zintan in the west as well as tonnes of ammunition and weapons before being pushed back later by Gaddafi forces.

[Skybird]

Anyone willing to bet against me that some of these weapons sooner or later will be pointed and fired at Western troops, and will be used in the supression of opposition to orthodox Islamic agendas, and will be traded like cheese or carpets - in Lybia, and/or outside Lybia?

But I guess I must already be happy that they did not deliver any hightech weapons, or mustn't I? Like the French selling most modern Milan ATGMs, amongst other most modern military equipement, to the bad man Gaddafi himself in the recent two years?

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Anyone willing to bet against me that some of these weapons sooner or later will be pointed and fired at Western troops, and will be used in the supression of opposition to orthodox Islamic agendas, and will be traded like cheese or carpets - in Lybia, and/or outside Lybia?

But I guess I must already be happy that they did not deliver any hightech weapons, or mustn't I? Like the French selling most modern Milan ATGMs, amongst other most modern military equipement, to the bad man Gaddafi himself in the recent two years?

I wouldn't bet against you on this. In my opinion things are little bit too "oddly" in Middle East and North Africa to predict future.

Two of topic questions for you Skybird:
- I have quite often (like in your post) Libya written as Lybia. Is this how you write the name in German language?
- I like your Dr. House quote. Can I copy it to my own sig?