Rebels: Why don’t they attack Gaddafi forces? Why do they shoot our freedom fighters?
“Down with NATO,” chanted some 400 demonstrators gathered Friday in Benghazi, the Libyan rebel fiefdom, a day after an error by the Alliance, which resulted in deaths among insurgents.
The demonstrators, mainly women and children, were gathered on the banks of the country’s second largest city in front of the former palace of justice that became the headquarters of the rebels, which took control of the city in February.
“Why NATO does not provide our combatants with weapons?” Wondered a participant at the demonstration, Rouquia Jibril.
This demonstration is a sign of growing disapproval expressed by many Libyans in the NATO, a day after a second raid on a rebel convoy within a week.
If the protesters have questioned NATO’s role in Libya, they thanked France and the United States who advocated a ban on air flight that led to the disappearance of pro-Gaddafi air force power.
Thursday, NATO aircraft opened fire on a group of tanks of the rebels, killing four people – two fighters and two doctors – and caused the disappearance of six others and injuring 14 people, according to the Chief of Staff of the insurgents, General Abdelfatah Younes.
This is the second time NATO opened fire on rebels since taking over, on March 31, the Coalition Forces leadership coordinated by the United States.
“It’s a very unfortunate incident” and “I deeply regret the deaths” caused, said in Brussels, NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen.