Libya: Interim Gov’t Calls for Unity

Tripoli---Head of Libya’s interim cabinet has called for unity among allies who helped to overthrow Col Muammar Gaddafi, until his supporters were completely defeated.

Mahmoud Jibril who is second in command in the National Transitional Council (NTC) told a press conference on Thursday that the battle of liberation was not finished.

“Our biggest challenge is still ahead, this is a stage where we have to unify and be together”, said Jibril.

He said that forces loyal to Col Gaddafi-whose whereabouts are still unknown-still controlled several cities adding that the liberation war would only end with capture or elimination of Gaddafi.

On Thursday Gaddafi’s loyalists fired rockets from the Bani Walid town, 140km southeast of the capital Tripoli, landing in the nearby Wadi Dinar town where interim government fighters have converged ahead of a Saturday deadline for the loyalists to surrender.

In his recent audio message broadcast on Syria's Al-Rai TV Col Gaddafi denied allegations that he had fled the country to Niger, terming it as a “psychological warfare and lies.” He called upon all Libyans to defend their land against “traitor and dogs” who are trying to take over it, accusing the NTC of being a front of western powers.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported that nearly 300 black African immigrants were crossing over from Libya into Niger daily. IOM said that the black Africans were fleeing attacks by the NTC forces who have accused them of being mercenaries supporting Gaddafi’s regime.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo has requested for Interpol to issue a “red notice” to arrest Gaddafi and his son Saifal-Islam and former Libya’s intelligence chief Abdullah Al-Senussi for alleged crimes against humanity.

Officials claim that the deposed leader and other prominent loyalists are holed up in the besieged Bani Walid town, which is among the four last remaining pockets under Gaddafi.

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Sudan, South Sudan Agree on Abyei

Both Sudan and the newly independent South Sudan have agreed to withdraw their forces from the disputed oil-rich region of Abyei ahead of this month, following an agreement brokered by the African Union, UN official has said.

Deputy Head of UN peacekeeping Edmond Mulet said that both sides had agreed during talks held at the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa that between 11 and 30 September there will either be a redeployment or withdrawal of troops from the region which both claim.

Mr. Mulet was addressing reporters on Thursday after briefing the UN Security Council on the same issue where he said that the Khartoum government had dropped its earlier condition that it would only withdraw its troops when an administration was in Abyei.

A referendum to determine possible citizenship of Abyei residents was expected to be held alongside that of south’s secession last January 9, but was postponed following disagreements between the two sides over voting rights of the region’s two varying communities.

Occupation of the region by the northern forces in May led to armed clashes between the two sides, raising fear of a renewed north-south conflict that had lasted for 21 years. A 1,700-strong UN peacekeeping force made up of Ethiopian soldiers has been deployed in the region since last month. Over 100,000 people have been displaced in the clashes fleeing mainly to South Sudan.

South Sudan became legitimately independent on July 9 following an overwhelming pass of the January 9 vote in favour of secession. The referendum was the final phase of the implementation of the 2005 peace accord that ended the long-standing strife.

Mogadishu, Somalia

Somalia Rejects CIA Detention Base Claims

Somalia has denied claims of a report by a UK rights group that the US runs an underground detention centre in the capital, Mogadishu where the CIA helps to interrogate terror suspects.

The UK based Reprieve rights group says it has evidence about existence of the detention centre alleged to be under the presidential palace in Mogadishu. The report comes after the US Nation magazine reported existence of the detention centre.

Claira Gutteridge of Reprieve told the BBC that she possessed evidence from multiple concurrent sources, saying that one man had been abducted from the streets of Nairobi in Kenya 18 months ago and flown there where he has been since detained.

“It's an underground prison in the compound of the presidential palace, the guards are Somali but it appears American personnel have access to the prisoners whenever they like”, she said.

Ms. Gutteridge said it was unclear whether agents from the American intelligence agency were the ones conducting the abductions and transferring suspects, or were rendering Kenyans and Somalis to perform it.

Its unclear how many people were held at the base where most prisoners are claimed to be Somalis, with some being as young as 14. At least three Kenyans are reported to be held at the centre.

Somalia’s Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohammed Ali has rejected claims by the report, denying having information about such a centre which he said did not existence. He however admitted that the US was helping the Somali authorities to improve security situation in the country.

The US from its base in Djibouti has been carrying out air strikes in Somalia to root out the Al-Qaeda linked Islamic militia, Al-Shabab that has been responsible for major terror attacks in the region. The Al-Shabab which controls swathes in central and southern Somalia has been a major resisting force to the UN-backed transitional government.

Somalia has had no stable government since ousting of dictatorial leader Siad Barre in 1991.