Senior NATO Allies to Visit Libya

Tripoli---The French and British leaders are expected in Libya for their first official tour since ending of Col Muammar Gaddafi’s four decade rule.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron are expected in Libyan capital, Tripoli, on Thursday alongside other NATO leaders for their first talks with officials of the new interim government, the National Transitional Council (NTC).

A report by NTC’s chief Mustafa Abdul Jalil has assured of safety for the leaders who are expected also to tour the revolution’s eastern stronghold of Benghazi, where there will be speeches in the city’s Liberty Square.

Both leaders have been instrumental in the NATO campaign in Libya that sought to protect civilians. On Wednesday Abel Jalil held talks with the US assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs Jeffrey Feltman, discussing the roadmap of Libya’s future after the ousting Col Gaddafi.

The two leaders said in a statement after their meeting that the US and other allies have a commitment to support the Libyan people as they plan their future, saying that the NATO airstrike will continue until civilians were no longer under threat.

In an interview Abdel Jalil told the BBC that Col Gaddafi was in possession of all the gold and was plotting revenge attacks. He appealed for arms to aid anti-Gaddafi fighters to seize areas still loyal to the ousted leader, saying the NTC would not move whole base to Tripoli until all remaining pockets have been captured.

On Wednesday a written message attributed to Col Gaddafi on Syrian TV channel called upon the UN to intervene immediately and stop terrorism and destruction by NATO on his hometown of Sirte. The message which had been signed: “Muammar Gaddafi, the leader of the revolution”, read out by a presenter termed “crimes” as being beyond description and could not be matched in past history of wars.

The NTC forces have been besieging the desert town of Bani Walid, 180km south of Tripoli, Gaddafi’s birthplace, Sirte and Sabha a southern desert town, the last seen pockets loyal to the ousted leader.

Hundreds of cars packed with families and their belonging were seen leaving Bani Walid on Wednesday after the NTC forces announced to vacate the town before they stormed

Over 32 members of Gaddafi’s inner circle including his son Saadi have fled to neighbouring Niger but whereabouts of Col Gaddafi who was last seen in public in June remain unknown.

Luanda, Angola

Military Plane Crush Kills 30

A plane belonging to the Angolan air force crushed on Wednesday in Angola killing 30 passengers on board among being military delegation military officials have said.

The aircraft said to be a relatively new Embraer-120 jet purchased to transport top military officials was bound for the capital, Luanda after taking off from Albano Machado airport in Huambo.

The aircraft had 32 passengers on board including three army generals and is believed to have crushed shortly after take off at about midday.

Luis Caetano a spokesman for the Huambo authorities told the BBC that the planed divided into two when it crushed; with passengers in the front surviving, killing those in the back after the section caught fire.

26 bodies-20 men and six women have been recovered from the wreckage, where six survivors of the accident including the pilot and the co-pilot were taken to hospital. A hospital official said five of the survivors suffered second degree burns, while one was in critical condition with third degree burns.

State-owned news agency Angop issued a photograph showing the wrecked aircraft in two pieces, saying that 17 people had died in the incident. The agency identified two of the dead army generals as Lt Gen Bernardo Leitao Francisco Diogo, known by his civil war name as “Lelo Kizua”, and Lt Gen Elias Malungo Bravo da Costa Pedro, known as “Kalias”.

The plane’s pilot captain Jose Goncalves, speaking from hospital where he looked seemingly shaken said the plane was fine before and after take off but did not know what happened, insisting that he had complied with all instructions from the control tower.

The incident is the third in two months involving military aircrafts, following two recent helicopter accidents in Moxico and Malange.

Being one of Africa’s largest oil producers, Angola still struggles with depressions of the 27-year civil war that ended in 2002 with killing of rebel warlord Jonas Savimbi.