Middle East Thread of Despair: More Broken Than Syria

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Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

Video of Libyan women being taught how to use weapons by the rebels:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjRje7NdGdI

More videos from Misrata's western front:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eFsE4XLClM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qsp3-e1H4t4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B405u10I42s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6nP2Zce6ns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1DppbyRTuA

There's also more reports that the city centre and hospital in Yefren has been liberated, still waiting for more independent verification, although that'll probably take a while to come through.

[edit]Here's more detail on the Qatar deportation story:

quote:

Eman al-Obeidy had been awaiting resettlement as a refugee, and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees had prepared papers for her departure from Qatar to begin a new life. But Qatari authorities took her and her parents from a hotel in the capital, Doha and forced them onto a military plane that left Qatar early Thursday.
A UNHCR official told CNN that his agency had made repeated requests to the Qatari authorities not to deport al-Obeidy, and that unnamed third parties had also made appeals to Qatar.

�We tried all night to prevent her deportation,� said Vincent Cochetel of the UNHCR office in Washington. He said the Qatari authorities had informed UNHCR that they had a court order that al-Obeidy�s visa had expired; and they ignored UNHCR�s arguments that she already had refugee status.

Cochetel said al-Obeidy and her parents were kept at the airport for several hours while last-ditch negotiations continued.

Eventually, the plane left Doha, arriving in Benghazi, which is held by Libyan rebels, a few hours later. Al-Obeidy�s whereabouts are currently unknown.
The UNHCR said it had received no explanation for al-Obeidy�s sudden deportation and it was urgently seeking an explanation from Qatari authorities. CNN is also attempting to get a response from the Qatari authorities.

Hours before her forcible deportation Obeidy told CNN that armed guards had been posted outside her room preventing the UNHCR representative from assisting her.
Human Rights Watch says such deportations are illegal under international law.

Brown Moses fucked around with this message at 18:47 on Jun 2, 2011

# ? Jun 2, 2011 18:43

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? Jun 3, 2024 14:25

Spiky Ooze: Oct 27, 2005; Bernie Sanders is a friend to my planet (pictured)

click the shit outta^

What the gently caress would Qatar gain from this? Money? It's an incredibly evil thing to do.

# ? Jun 2, 2011 19:06

Zedsdeadbaby: Jun 14, 2008; You have been called out, in the ways of old.

It should be added that Qatar takes a very dim view of rape victims.

# ? Jun 2, 2011 19:39

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

Seriously, what the gently caress are they doing (from Nic Robertson)

quote:

Eman Al Obeidy spoke to CNN's Khalil Abdallah after landing in Benghazi. She says Qatari security forces beat & handcuffed her before they put her on plane. Eman said they took everything from her & her parents, including cell phones, her laptop, and some money.

Abusing and robbing the most famous rape victim in the world?

# ? Jun 2, 2011 20:34

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

A very

of a protester in Daraa Syria via Jenan Moussa:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpZ2EfA18d8
Do not watch it if you have a thing about blood, because there's fountains of it.

# ? Jun 2, 2011 20:35

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

feb17voices is posting a lot of updates at the moment:

quote:

The Gaddafi forces that were pushed out of Yefren city center went to an area called Oulad Attia. Rebels are currently clearing Yefren city center & the area of Zimla, checking for remaining Gaddafi forces. Caller said it's now possible to reach the city with aid, but call was dropped before details could be given.
Oulad Attia, where caller from #Yefren says Gaddafi forces are now positioned, is west of Yefren, at the foot of the mountain.
Zimla, which Rebels are currently clearing of Gaddafi forces, is where the university is located in #Yefren

Jadu: There are no more Gaddafi forces in the area of Shakshook and Qasr al Hajj, most likely they've relocated, caller believes they've relocated to either Tiji or the area of Al Aziziyah. Caller says there is a new sense of calm in the city, after weeks under the threat of Grad fire from Qasr al Hajj. "Imagine living everyday under the threat of rocket attack, & then one day the threat is lifted...It is a relief."
Caller says, the road leading to #Yefren from the foot of the mountains is mostly clear, but there are still risks

Yefren is accessible from 2 routes, one at the foot of the mountain & the other at the mountain top. Both routes were blocked by Gaddafi forces, but are slowly being cleared. According to LPCs, the route at the foot of the mountain is currently safer. Rebel forces have not completely swept the areas. Gaddafi forces had previously blocked aid to #Yefren.

If Rebels secure routes to #Yefren, they can bring much needed aid to Kikkla & Qalaa, towns that have been under siege for weeks

# ? Jun 2, 2011 20:44

KillerKatten: Oct 26, 2010

Brown Moses posted:

A very of a protester in Daraa Syria via Jenan Moussa:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpZ2EfA18d8
Do not watch it if you have a thing about blood, because there's fountains of it.

God damnit, not an understatement.

Why do I keep subjecting myself to these loving movies...

Anyway, thanks to Brown Moses for keeping us more up to date than any news service, even if it is gruesome.

# ? Jun 2, 2011 21:35

Lustful Man Hugs: Jul 18, 2010

Wait, isn't Qatar one of the more progressive countries in the middle east? After all, I believe it's where Al Jazeera is based. I could be completely wrong, though.

# ? Jun 2, 2011 21:46

Ace Oliveira: Dec 27, 2009; "I wonder if there is beer on the sun."

Where is Yefren located? I presume it's in the west, south of Misrata, isn't it?

# ? Jun 2, 2011 21:50

Ireland Sucks: May 16, 2004

Ballz posted:

Which is strange as hell, because I thought Qatar was openly siding with the Libyan rebels.

Edit: They did say she was deported to eastern Libya, which is fully under rebel control, right? That... well, that only raises more questions.

Qatar is still an Arab dictatorship: they are not going to want to keep a shameful rape victim immigrant who is a major symbol of revolution and fighting the power. I'm suprised she even went there and not Sweden or whatever country likes to take in famous refugees.

# ? Jun 2, 2011 22:22

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

Ace Oliveira posted:

Where is Yefren located? I presume it's in the west, south of Misrata, isn't it?

It's about 80km Southwest of Tripoli, around 200km west of Misrata, in the Nafusa mountain region. About halfway between Misrata and Yefren is Bani Walid, where there's also been reports of recent fighting by local rebels and Gaddafi forces, but it's not a place where reporters could ever hope to reach at the moment, so it can't be verified.

# ? Jun 2, 2011 22:37

Ace Oliveira: Dec 27, 2009; "I wonder if there is beer on the sun."

Brown Moses posted:

It's about 80km Southwest of Tripoli, around 200km west of Misrata, in the Nafusa mountain region. About halfway between Misrata and Yefren is Bani Walid, where there's also been reports of recent fighting by local rebels and Gaddafi forces, but it's not a place where reporters could ever hope to reach at the moment, so it can't be verified.

So, I presume the Nafusa rebels are the ones who captured Yefren? It seems like they're attacking whole citys now, which is good. There hasn't been much information outside of the Nafusa mountains before this.

# ? Jun 2, 2011 22:45

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

I believe Zintan to the west of Yefren has been under artillery attack by Gaddafi's troops, but it was rebel held, I think Nic Robertson reported from there until he went off to Syria. Yefren has been totally cut off and occupied for two months, and if the roads can be cleared the rebels should now have a supply route to it from the Tunisian border.

# ? Jun 2, 2011 23:03

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

Someone just posted this on Twitter, it's a map of who controls which towns and cities:

A lot of those towns are really tiny, that's why there are so many.

# ? Jun 2, 2011 23:08

Randandal: Feb 26, 2009

ChaosSamusX posted:

Wait, isn't Qatar one of the more progressive countries in the middle east? After all, I believe it's where Al Jazeera is based. I could be completely wrong, though.

This might blow your mind but I really think you should check Al-Jazeera for information about Eman al-Obeidy. You could even use their search function to search the entire website for "rape Qatar".

Al-Jazeera isn't progressive, it only appears to be when it can be used to its advantage.

# ? Jun 2, 2011 23:13

dj_clawson: Jan 12, 2004; We are all sinners in the eyes of these popsicle sticks.

ChaosSamusX posted:

Wait, isn't Qatar one of the more progressive countries in the middle east? After all, I believe it's where Al Jazeera is based. I could be completely wrong, though.

In Qatar women are often allowed to show their full face; in Saudi Arabia a veil is more than likely required. So, extremely progressive.

# ? Jun 2, 2011 23:14

Ace Oliveira: Dec 27, 2009; "I wonder if there is beer on the sun."

Brown Moses posted:

Someone just posted this on Twitter, it's a map of who controls which towns and cities:

A lot of those towns are really tiny, that's why there are so many.

Zintan is where the first Misrata rebels that went after they won the battle there, right? While a bit later, more Misrata rebels went south, right? I'm just trying to understand where the Misrata rebels got sent off to, and where the grunts that came from Benghazi are going to.

# ? Jun 2, 2011 23:24

Amused to Death: Aug 10, 2009; google "The Night Witches", and prepare for

Randandal posted:

This might blow your mind but I really think you should check Al-Jazeera for information about Eman al-Obeidy. You could even use their search function to search the entire website for "rape Qatar".

Al-Jazeera isn't progressive, it only appears to be when it can be used to its advantage.

This might be true, in fact searching those nothing came up for rape in Quarter and the only article that came up for Eman was:
http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/listeningpost/2011/04/201142141233146945.html

But if you just search rape Al-Jazeera does run reports on it:
http://english.aljazeera.net/video/africa/2011/05/20115381016787271.html
http://english.aljazeera.net/video/africa/2011/03/201132845516144204.html
http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/rizkhan/2011/03/20113281926561788.html

I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt to an organization actually at least covering the problem of rape in a region where to convict a rapist you often need multiple witnesses who have to be men. Al Jazeera isn't out to be a progressive force of nature unless you count actual free reporting in the Arab world as progressive.(which it is) Also searching Eman al-Obeidy can get you vastly different results depending on how much the news source at hand wanted to go with the story. Huffington post for example has numerous articles about or mentioning her, NPR turned up two.

Also Al Jazeera does more than just news and actually makes some great programing, some of which is far more progressive than anything on American television including a great documentary they did on racism in the US, as well as ones on the horrors of female circumcision, and one I really liked, Lebanon's women warriors:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5K949l_qs0

I'm not defending Al Jazeera for its faults, I'm not just not crucifying them for not intensely covering one woman or rape in one specific place, when in fact they have done numerous programs about rape not only in Libya but in DRC, Afghanistan and many other nations of the area. They might not be bleeding heart liberals but they are a decent news agency which often features quite progressive reporting, and progressive from a general western viewpoint, not an Arabian peninsula one.

*edit*
Granted this is all Al Jazeera English. Does anyone speak Arabic and can testify to the differences between Al Jazeera and Al Jazeera English?

# ? Jun 2, 2011 23:51

ecureuilmatrix: Mar 30, 2011

Ace Oliveira posted:

Zintan is where the first Misrata rebels that went after they won the battle there, right? While a bit later, more Misrata rebels went south, right? I'm just trying to understand where the Misrata rebels got sent off to, and where the grunts that came from Benghazi are going to.

The Misratans are fighting in the outskirts of Zliten on the western coast and Tawergha to the south, both only some distance out of Misrata.
http://www.libyafeb17.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/misrata-map-june-1.jpg

Zintan is in the Nafusa mountains pocket, still far from their fellow rebs. On Brown Moses' map, see Gharyan on the lower right? Less than 100km of southbound highway gets you to Mizdah. From there, driving about 100km to the northeast and you're in Bani Walid, and then it's the long road to Misrata.
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/libya_pol93.jpg

Also: Gaddafi and the Canadian far-right? The gently caress? :psyduck:

# ? Jun 3, 2011 01:42

Lustful Man Hugs: Jul 18, 2010

ecureuilmatrix posted:

Also: Gaddafi and the Canadian far-right? The gently caress?

As a Canadian, I have no words to describe the sheer weirdness of this.

# ? Jun 3, 2011 01:47

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mSJ6vRGdCE

Building on fire in Hasaba, center of the fighting in Yemen.

Also reports of security forces firing on protesters (not fighters) in Sana'a.

# ? Jun 3, 2011 02:38

Ace Oliveira: Dec 27, 2009; "I wonder if there is beer on the sun."

ecureuilmatrix posted:

The Misratans are fighting in the outskirts of Zliten on the western coast and Tawergha to the south, both only some distance out of Misrata.
http://www.libyafeb17.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/misrata-map-june-1.jpg

Zintan is in the Nafusa mountains pocket, still far from their fellow rebs. On Brown Moses' map, see Gharyan on the lower right? Less than 100km of southbound highway gets you to Mizdah. From there, driving about 100km to the northeast and you're in Bani Walid, and then it's the long road to Misrata.
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/libya_pol93.jpg

Wow, that's a very informative post, thanks.

I presume the rebels captured all those towns from Naimah to Zintan's outskirts, right?

# ? Jun 3, 2011 03:14

Nckdictator: Sep 8, 2006; Just..someone

ecureuilmatrix posted:

Gaddafi and the Canadian far-right? The gently caress?

Gaddafi: the one dictator both the far right and far left approved of.

He must be doing something right then!

On a serious note though ere's something i'm curious about but i'm not sure has been adressed.

Do the Libyan rebels have any form of a navy whatsoever?

# ? Jun 3, 2011 03:28

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Doubtful, I think the NATO warships are covering that. They do have smugglers going by sea though.

# ? Jun 3, 2011 03:34

Young Freud: Nov 26, 2006

Xandu posted:

Doubtful, I think the NATO warships are covering that. They do have smugglers going by sea though.

They did do some interdictions early on, seizing an oil tanker headed to Tripoli and sending it to Benghazi.

# ? Jun 3, 2011 03:46

ecureuilmatrix: Mar 30, 2011

ChaosSamusX posted:

As a Canadian, I have no words to describe the sheer weirdness of this.

I know, right?

Ace Oliveira posted:

Wow, that's a very informative post, thanks.

You're welcome! :tipshat:

Ace Oliveira posted:

I presume the rebels captured all those towns from Naimah to Zintan's outskirts, right?

Oh sorry, I was unclear; I didn't mean to imply that these towns (Gharyan/Mizdah/BWalid) were taken by the rebels. I was just tracing the possible path between the pockets of Nafusa and Misrata. The two fronts are still widely separated. Unless Brown Moses has new info?

On naval matters: The rebels have the naval bases of Benghazi, Dernah, Tobruk and Misrata. That leaves the Q-navy with Tripoli, Sirte and Al-Khums only.
:wikipedia: The rebs seized at least 1 frigate (Al-Hani) and 1 corvette (Tariq-Ibn Ziyad), half of the 'heavy' fleet! Considering the shellacking NATO gave the remaining Q-ships, the NTC might actually have a bigger navy today! Here's a photo of Al-Hani with the tricolor flag.

edit: Nice try, Muammar. Attacking NATO ships is such a good idea!

ecureuilmatrix fucked around with this message at 05:23 on Jun 3, 2011

# ? Jun 3, 2011 05:10

Jut: May 16, 2005; by Ralp

Zedsdeadbaby posted:

It should be added that Qatar takes a very dim view of rape victims.

No kidding, I read poo poo like this while living there more frequently than i would have liked.
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/printArticle.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=419286&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16

http://www.qatarliving.com/node/150928

This is a country where incidences like this are seen in the local papers on a weekly basis
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=336623&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16

100 lashes for not being married to a girl you're dating.

# ? Jun 3, 2011 07:02

Randandal: Feb 26, 2009

Amused to Death posted:

This might be true, in fact searching those nothing came up for rape in Quarter and the only article that came up for Eman was:
http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/listeningpost/2011/04/201142141233146945.html

But if you just search rape Al-Jazeera does run reports on it:
http://english.aljazeera.net/video/africa/2011/05/20115381016787271.html
http://english.aljazeera.net/video/africa/2011/03/201132845516144204.html
http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/rizkhan/2011/03/20113281926561788.html

I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt to an organization actually at least covering the problem of rape in a region where to convict a rapist you often need multiple witnesses who have to be men. Al Jazeera isn't out to be a progressive force of nature unless you count actual free reporting in the Arab world as progressive.(which it is) Also searching Eman al-Obeidy can get you vastly different results depending on how much the news source at hand wanted to go with the story. Huffington post for example has numerous articles about or mentioning her, NPR turned up two.

Also Al Jazeera does more than just news and actually makes some great programing, some of which is far more progressive than anything on American television including a great documentary they did on racism in the US, as well as ones on the horrors of female circumcision, and one I really liked, Lebanon's women warriors:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5K949l_qs0

I'm not defending Al Jazeera for its faults, I'm not just not crucifying them for not intensely covering one woman or rape in one specific place, when in fact they have done numerous programs about rape not only in Libya but in DRC, Afghanistan and many other nations of the area. They might not be bleeding heart liberals but they are a decent news agency which often features quite progressive reporting, and progressive from a general western viewpoint, not an Arabian peninsula one.

*edit*
Granted this is all Al Jazeera English. Does anyone speak Arabic and can testify to the differences between Al Jazeera and Al Jazeera English?

I certainly can't attest to Al Jazeera Arabic but I can't imagine that would be a more progressive (or western-friendly) news source than Al Jazeera English. What impressed upon me was that Al Jazeera has entirely failed so far to mention the fact that Qatar has deported Eman al-Obeidy and that Al Jazeera is coincidentally funded by the Qatari government.

# ? Jun 3, 2011 07:29

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

The best way to look at the Libya conflict is as three seperate rebellions.

First you have the northeast of the country, where the rebels have just started to make a push towards Brega. There's rumours that apache helicopters are being used in Brega, and NATO are currently negoiating a surrender/defection of Gaddafi forces currently in Brega.
Rebels in that region are probably the most professionally trained and well equiped of all the different groups of rebels, having received equipment that includes body armour, MRE's, MILAN missile systems, and improved communication equipment. They are also closely in touch with NATO, and are clearly working directly with NATO on their strategy.

Next you have the Misrata region, where they've had to learn things the hard way. Having secured Misrata they've now secured enough land around Misrata to prevent further artillery attacks on the city, allowing it to rebuild and for supplies to arrive unmolested into the port. These supplies include weapons, equipment, and soldiers from Benghazi, and as each day passes the rebels in Misrata getting stronger and stronger. It also means they are getting access to soldiers trained to effectively use MILAN missiles and to spot for artillery, making them far more effective in their fight against Gaddafi.
Currently it appears if NATO have told them to halt their advance, and they seem to be mainly harassing Gaddafi troops on the outskirts of Zliten while Zliten rebels do the same from the inside of the city. There's also reports of them building facilities in Misrata airport that are likely to be used by helicopters.

Then you have the Nafusa mountain region, which is like a bit strip of mountains running from the Tunisian border in the west, to Yefren, 200km to the east. The whole area is full of small town and a few major towns, mainly Nalut, Zintan and Yefren. The other key area is the Tunisian border crossing near Wazin, which the rebels have managed to capture and hold, allowing them to get a lot of supplies across the border, including weapons and equipment donated by unknown foreign elements. This includes sat phones, night vision equipment, and MILAN missiles.
I believe the situation was that Nalut was under rebel control, Zintan was under rebel control but being shelled on a regular basis, and Yefren was totally under seige by Gaddafi's troops, with them moving freely around the city. It seems that Yefren has now had their seige broken, Gaddafi troops have been pushed out of the city, and the rebels are trying to clear a route between Yefren and Zintan to get more supplies and reinforcements to Yefren. At the same time NATO has been bombing Gaddafi troops and ammo stores around the whole region.

There's also been reports from Bani Walid between the Nafusa and Misrata region of attacks on Gaddafi troops by local rebels, but as of yet the scale of them and intensity is impossible to confirm.

# ? Jun 3, 2011 09:25

Lascivious Sloth: Apr 26, 2008; by sebmojo

You've also got the Tripoli underground, and those on the border of Tunisia and Libya (but more specific to the Dehiba-Wazin border crossing.) But to be honest if there was one of those groups I would put my money on it would be the heroes of Misurata. Those guys are some seriously hard men. Once NATO starts clearing the way to Tripoli with the Apaches that will be the beginning of the end of the regime, and Tripoli will rise up.

Lascivious Sloth fucked around with this message at 11:00 on Jun 3, 2011

# ? Jun 3, 2011 10:58

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

The Dehabia-Wazin border can be considered as part of the Nafusa rebels, but it does seem like there's seperate group operating around the northern border crossing closer to the coast. I think once the rebels secure the mountain area they'll be trying to clear the plains around the base of the mountains to prevent Gaddafi troops from shelling them, not unlike what the Misrata rebels have done.

Reuters recently put up this article which helps explain the situation in the region:

quote:

Supplies reaching blockaded Libyan town by donkey
Libyan rebels in the Western Mountains are using donkeys to carry supplies along trails behind enemy lines to the blockaded town of Yafran, where forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi face off with armed residents on the hilltops.

The nearby town of Gelaa is in a similar position, rebels and residents who left say, and rebels are urging NATO to carry out humanitarian aid drops in the area to alleviate severe shortages of food and drinking water.

"It's a disaster," said a man who gave his name as Mohammed, adding that he had walked to Zintan from Gelaa, between the positions of forces loyal to Gaddafi.

"I'm asking the rebels for help to open a route to Gelaa," he said at the rebel military council headquarters in Zintan.

Last week, a foreign doctor in Zintan said two men walked two nights through the mountains from Yafran to get there.

The area lies some 20 km east of Zintan, the last in a chain of towns under rebel control stretching more than 200 km (125 miles) along the mountain plateau from the rebel-held border crossing with Tunisia.

Zintan itself is suffering food and water shortages. The town and several others in the Western Mountains have been without electricity for a week, cut off by pro-Gaddafi forces in the desert plains where electricity sub-stations are located.

Rebels are scrambling to import diesel generators to pump water from wells.

"Why can't NATO do an aid flight (to Yafran)?" asked Colonel Juma Ibrahim, a senior rebel in Zintan and former MiG 25 fighter pilot in the Libyan air force. "It's very easy," he said. "Gaddafi's forces pull back as soon as they hear the planes."

HIT AND RUN

Like much of the Western Mountains, Yafran is populated by Arabs and Berbers, an ethnic minority in Libya who have joined the rebellion against Gaddafi's 41-year rule, seeing a chance to reassert an identity denied them under the Libyan leader.

The conflict in this region has descended into stalemate, punctuated by random shelling of the desert and the outskirts of rebel-held towns in what rebels say is a harassment tactic by pro-Gaddafi troops to force people to flee.

More than 40,000 have already done so, finding refuge in Tunisia.

Aid groups have been unable to reach Yafran and Doctors Without Borders this week pulled out of Zintan after shelling of the town centre threatened the hospital.

Rebels and residents who fled Yafran say pro-Gaddafi forces hold the centre, but men of the town who have taken up arms occupy a cluster of houses on high ground at the edge of town.

Fethi al-Ayab, a senior rebel in Zintan, said civilians remained in Yafran, Gelaa and the town of Kikla. The rebels have resorted to hit and run attacks, stealing weapons and ammunition to continue the fight.

This week they hit Kikla and came close to Yafran, losing a number of fighters but seizing at least three trucks mounted with anti-aircraft guns.

"We were very close (to Yafran)," said al-Ayab. "We killed eight and arrested three."

He said rebels were sending supplies, weapons and ammunition through mountain trails, using the kind of detailed knowledge of the plateau honed through generations of sheep farming and cultivating the olives, almonds and figs that this region was once renowned for.

"We're using donkeys and horses," he said. "We are sending ammunition through the mountains, but only during the night, because it's too dangerous."

A NATO spokesman said on Tuesday that "brutal and indiscriminate shelling" by pro-Gaddafi forces was making life "extremely difficult and dangerous for the population of Yafran."

# ? Jun 3, 2011 11:25

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

Live blogs June 3rd
Feb17.info
LibyaFeb17.com
Guardian
AJE

Libya

quote:

Lisa Holland tweets: �Four large explosions within 1.5 kilometres from Rixos Hotel in #Tripoli. Six more previously heard in the south-west of the capital.�

quote:

The US House of Representatives will vote on two different Libya resolutions on Friday. House Speaker John Boehner set up the unusual menu of options after a resolution by Democrat Dennis Kucinich that would insist on withdrawal from operations in Libya within 15 days, was yanked from the voting agenda on Wednesday amid signs it might pass. At a closed-door meeting on Thursday, Boehner urged his majority Republicans to support the less harsh alternative he offered, giving lawmakers a way to send a message to Obama without �pulling the rug� from under U.S. allies conducting operations in Libya, Republicans leaving the meeting said. The Pentagon has warned that if the resolution passed it would send an �unhelpful message of disunity� to both allies and foes.

quote:

France said on Friday it was working with those close to Muammar Gaddafi to try to convince him to leave power as well as stepping up military pressure at the start of a second three-month NATO-led mission in Libya. �He is more and more isolated,� Foreign Minister Alain Juppe told Europe 1 radio. �There have been more defections around him and we have received messages from his close entourage which has understood that he must leave power.�

quote:

On June 2nd, NATO aircraft flew 172 sorties, including 63 strike sorties. Some of the key targets included:
In Tripoli: 1 Vehicle Storage Facility.
In the vicinity of Tripoli: 4 Surface-To-Air Missile Launchers, 4 Armoured Personnel Carriers.
In the vicinity of Mizdah: 1 Ammunition Storage Facility, 1 Tank, 2 Armoured Personnel Carriers.
In the vicinity of Hun: 1 Ammunition Storage Facility.
In the vicinity of Qaryat: 1 Ammunition Storage Facility.
In the vicinity of Sirte: 2 Armoured Fighting Vehicles.
In Brega: 1 Command & Control Node.
In the vicinity of Brega: 1 Radar.

quote:

A Chinese diplomat met the leader of the Libyan rebel National Transitional Council fighting to oust Muammar Gaddafi, Beijing said on Friday, its first confirmed contact with the group. The terse statement from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei did not disclose details of the talks between Beijing�s ambassador in Qatar, Zhang Zhiliang, and Mustafa Abdel Jalil, but the meeting itself was an indication that Beijing wants to keep open lines of communication even as it urges a political solution to the conflict.

quote:

At least two people have died, with many more feared dead among about 250 people who went missing after a fishing boat carrying migrants to Italy from Libya capsized off the coast of Tunisia, officials said.

About 570 people were rescued, Agence Tunis Afrique Presse, the state-run news agency, said on Thursday.
The passengers are migrants from Africa and Asia who planned to enter Italy illegally, according to the Tunisian agency.

quote:

The bodies of 150 African refugees have been recovered off the Tunisian coast after the vessels carrying them illegally to Europe got into difficulty earlier in the week, according to a UN official earlier we heard 250 people were believed to be missing.

Yemen

quote:

Reuters reports that forces loyal to Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh have fired at protesters in Sana'a this morning.

In other parts of the capital, tribesmen siding with the protesters have fought pitched street battles with Saleh's troops, including his special forces which were set up to fight al Qaeda, for control of government buildings.

More than 350 people have been killed since the uprising started in January, but least 135 of them have been killed in the past 10 days in a marked escalation that began when tribal groups started fighting government troops in the capital Sana'a.

Worries are growing that Yemen, home to a branch of al-Qaeda known as AQAP and next to the world's biggest oil exporter Saudi Arabia, could implode and become a failed state that poses a risk to global oil supplies and security.

Political veteran Saleh has backed away three times at the last minute from signing a Gulf-led deal to step down, clinging to power despite global pressure to resign and the defection of ministers and military leaders to the opposition.

"But even if the president would agree, and so far he has shown no intention, one could not ensure the transition to go smoothly given that there are so many risks involved," said Christian Koch, director of international studies at the Gulf Research Center in Dubai.

Saleh's special forces were deployed to help "clean up" a ministry held by tribal forces, the Defence Ministry said on Thursday, as battles near the airport briefly grounded flights.

quote:

The Times has an interesting piece today from Iona Criag in Sana'a, about water running out in the Yemeni capital (paywall).

quote:
The price of water trebled overnight in Yemen's battle-scarred capital and basic provisions were dwindling as thousands of tribesmen fought their way into Sana'a yesterday to join the rebellion against President Saleh...

...

Amid the ancient tower houses of Sana'a's Old City, men, women and children rushed to a water tanker when it arrived outside a mosque yesterday. Tensions rose as residents jostled to fill cans and plastic containers.

The cost of a water tanker delivery, usually 1,300 Yemeni rials (�3.50), soared to 7,000 amid the escalating conflict. With 40 per cent of Yemen's 23 million people living on less than �1.50 a day, the prices will inevitable add to the cycle of violence.

"They spend their money on bullets, but I can't even afford water for my family," shouted one desperate resident as he waited for his can to fill from a communal water tanker.

Yemen already has really bad problems with water, with the wells of Sana'a expected to run dry by 2015 � check out this audio slideshow, produced before the Middle East unrest, on the water crisis in the country.

Syria

quote:

Protests are planned in Syria today to mark "children's Friday", in memory of Hamza al-Khatib, a 13-year-old boy who was killed in the Deraa area and whose battered and mutilated corpse has become a rallying-point for anger at the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, Ian Black wrote yesterday.

quote:
Ammar Qurabi, head of the Syrian Organisation for Human Rights, referred to the names of 1,113 civilians killed since the protests erupted on 18 March. International media are banned by a government which talks of facing "armed terrorist gangs" not largely peaceful protests.

Although media are banned, it is possible to get some reports from the country. The Guardian has been told that the internet is not working "anywhere in the country" today � previously the al-Assad regime has attempted to block web access.

Bahrain

quote:

Associated Press reporting that Bahraini police have fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters marching toward Pearl Square in the country's capital.

quote:
The downtown square was the epicenter of weeks of Shiite-led protests against Sunni rulers earlier this year in the Gulf kingdom.

Friday's march in Manama comes two days after authorities lifted emergency rule. It was imposed in March to quell demonstrations by Bahrain's Shiite majority demanding greater freedoms and inspired by uprisings across the Arab world.

At least 30 people have died since February, when protests erupted in the tiny island nation, which hosts the US Navy's 5th Fleet.

There were no immediate reports of injuries. The eyewitnesses spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing reprisals.

# ? Jun 3, 2011 11:38

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

Vodafone tries to rewrite history in Egypt, insults everyone:

quote:

Fury over Vodafone Egypt advert claiming revolution as its own
Vodafone is facing a backlash in Egypt over an advert suggesting it helped inspire this year's revolution in the country.

The three-minute commercial featured excerpts from a Vodafone ad campaign entitled Our Power, which was launched three weeks before an anti-government uprising swept the country. The video goes on to show images from protest rallies in Cairo's Tahrir Square before claiming: "We didn't send people to the streets, we didn't start the revolution � We only reminded Egyptians how powerful they are."

The short film features screengrabs of Facebook and Twitter messages posted by Egyptians approving of the Vodafone ad campaign, then an audio recording of Hosni Mubarak's resignation as president being announced on TV.

In fact, many pro-change activists blame Vodafone and other mobile phone companies for following Egyptian government orders and implementing a communications blackout at the height of the revolution. They have condemned the advert as a "sickening" attempt to push up sales by "riding the revolutionary bandwagon", and an insult to the hundreds who died in the struggle to bring down Mubarak.

"Apparently this tagline inspired people to take the streets," said prominent blogger Mohamed El-Dahshan in one of many angry and satirical responses that have quickly spread across the web. "I mean, never mind the years of activism, the protests, the decades of cumulated grievances, the terrible economic situation, the trampled political freedoms, the police brutality, the torture, etc. Nah � we just watched a Vodafone ad, and thought: 'Hey! We're powerful! Let's topple the president!'"

Vodafone has strongly disassociated itself from the commercial, which was produced by the international marketing firm JWT . "The company does not have any connection to this video and had no prior knowledge of its production or posting on the internet," said Hatem Dowidar, the chief executive of Vodafone Egypt.

The advert appeared on the public website of JWT, who were hired by Vodafone Egypt to mastermind their recent communications strategy The agency said the video was for "internal use" only and "not intended for public display". It has since been removed from the website � as have copies posted on YouTube.

Egyptians queued up to vent their disbelief online. One YouTube comment said: "Are you guys seriously planning on leeching something out of this after you cut the phones and internet, after protesters who were being shot at could not call others and warn them about being shot at by snipers because of you? SHAME!"

Pro-change activist and former Google executive Wael Ghonim, who became an international media star of the revolution following his arrest and subsequent TV interview about the ordeal, also denounced the advert as unethical and accused JWT of using his name in the advert without permission. Meanwhile a new website named ihatevodafoneegypt.com has rapidly become an online sensation.

To make matters worse for Vodafone and JWT, both the original ad campaign and the latest video feature Adel Emam, a veteran Egyptian actor who initially denounced the pro-change protests in January and has been widely derided in Egypt for his close links with the Mubarak family.

Vodafone is one of several firms in Egypt that agreed to shut off its mobile and internet networks in the early stages of the revolt as the government attempted to isolate anti-Mubarak protesters. It also allowed the Mubarak regime to send out anti-revolutionary text messages en masse to subscribers. It said it had no choice and has since apologised. The firm is facing a series of legal challenges over what some critics have called its "complicity in dictatorship". It is accused of passing on information about opposition activists to the Mubarak regime's security services � a claim seemingly confirmed by Vodafone's global head of content standards Annie Mullins in February 2009 but later denied by Vodafone Egypt.

"All companies in Egypt are trying to use revolutionary and nationalist imagery right now to drive sales and in most cases it doesn't concern me," said Ramy Raouf, an activist with the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights who had his own Vodafone Egypt service cut off for several months under orders from Mubarak's apparatus. "But when the communications companies try it � the ones who handed out our personal information to state security, the ones who shut down our lines and who helped the government cut us off � it's too far. People are talking about compensation but we don't want money. We want to see people on trial."

Vodafone is not the only mobile firm to come under fire for its alleged use of revolutionary material for marketing. Rival company Mobinil launched a major advertising campaign at Cairo airport with billboards featuring quotes from world leaders such as Barack Obama and Silvio Berlusconi praising the Egyptian revolution, stamped with the Mobinil logo.

"We have not used any images of the Egyptian revolution at any time in any of our external promotional material," a Vodafone spokesperson told the Guardian. "Any suggestions to the contrary are incorrect."

# ? Jun 3, 2011 11:59

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

Jenan Moussa has been Tweeting some stuff about the situation in Syria and Yemen in the past hour:

quote:

Alarabiya is reporting that two grenades hit the #yemen presidential palace. Officials hit

More than 50 thousand protesters in the streets of #hama #syria now.

Al Arabiya: "dead black bodies inside the #yemen presidential palace due to two grenades that hit the place."

Deputy of #yemen head of parliament was hit severely in the attack on presidential palace: Al Arabiya reports

#yemen presidential guards destroy house of opposition tribesman leader Hamid el Ahmar. #yemen

Head of #yemen parliament is also injured in the attack: al alrabiya reports #sanaa

aljazeera is giving more emphasis till this moment on news coming out of #syria while Al Arabiya focuses on #yemen. Do they agree on this?

Two #yemen officials and parliament speaker injured in palace attack: Al Jazeera reports.

# ? Jun 3, 2011 13:10

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

Jenan Moussa is now saying there's reports that the Yemeni president was in the palace's mosque, and was lightly injured, and four of his guards were killed. The Paliamentry speaker is apparently in a critical condition.

If that's true, then I hope Saleh is reconsidering his plan to stick around and cause chaos.

# ? Jun 3, 2011 13:23

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

Jenan Moussa and other journalists are Tweeting there's reports Saleh is dead, and the officals at the presidental palace aren't answering there phones to deny it. All very unconfirmed at the moment, pinches of salt for everyone.

[edit]The leader of the ruling party is claiming Saleh will give a statement soon.

[double edit] They are claiming he'll be giving a statement in an hour, which based off other dictators time keeping will be about 5 hours. This probably isn't a situation where he can afford not to be on time.

Brown Moses fucked around with this message at 13:48 on Jun 3, 2011

# ? Jun 3, 2011 13:34

Zedsdeadbaby: Jun 14, 2008; You have been called out, in the ways of old.

There's also a breaking news indicator on the Al Jazeera English website that Saleh has been injured in an attack on the presidential palace.

# ? Jun 3, 2011 13:55

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

He's either slightly injured, or very dead, depending on who you ask. The latest is Al Arabiya saying he received a head injury, and that could be anything from a small cut to a gaping hole. Even if he's alive it's still pretty significant he was that close to being killed.

# ? Jun 3, 2011 13:58

Brown Moses: Feb 22, 2002

From a BBC journalist

quote:

bbclysedoucet‎ #Yemen TV now says no press conference by Pres Saleh but a statement will be issued.

Probably not the best way to convince everyone he's not dead or badly injured.

# ? Jun 3, 2011 14:23

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# ? Jun 3, 2024 14:25

2ndclasscitizen: Jan 2, 2009; by Y Kant Ozma Post

What are the ramifications if he has been killed? Judging by the events leading up to it it seems as though there could still be some serious conflict for control of the country.

# ? Jun 3, 2011 14:44

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Middle East Thread of Despair: More Broken Than Syria

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