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No NATO Ceasefire in Libya Despite Ramadan
Vittorio Hernandez

Tripoli, Libya

Despite the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, North Atlantic Treaty Organization officials announced that there will be no ceasefire in its air strikes in Libya.

French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet said the month will be intense. In support of the NATO stand, Libyan rebels said they will fight more, not less. However, some rebel soldiers said they would still observe the Muslim tradition of fasting from sunrise to sunset, while battling pro-Muammar Gaddafi forces.

Followers of the Islam religion worldwide observe Ramadan by not taking food from sunrise to sunset, and by praying.

They justified the continuous battle against the Gaddafi forces even during Ramadan, citing that prophet Muhammad, who founded the Islam religion, waged war in the Battle of Badr in 624 against Meccan idolaters during the month of fasting and prayer.

Gaddafi challenged a powerful Libyan tribe to go to the rebel-controlled city of Misurata and retake the area. To further weaken the rebels, Libyan Defense Minister Abubakr Yunus Jaber promised members of the army who defected and return to the government fold would be given a general pardon.

Although the rebels are slowly gaining ground, they have been slowed down by severe fuel shortages. They, however, managed to push the heavy artillery of Gaddafi's forces back in Brega, an oil refinery town, while continuing the battle in the mountain town of Tiji.

The rebels also arrested 63 members of the militia group, the Katiba Yussef Shakir, whom they accused of holding a raid on a Benghazi prison and releasing more than 300 prisoners believed to be linked to the Gaddafi regime.

Their rank has been weakened by the assassination last week of rebel military leader, General Abdel Fattag Younes. Many of the soldiers under Younes's command have returned to the war front, but only few were apparently eager to fight again.

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