Libya’s interim rulers said on Friday they would announce a “crisis” government within the next few days, signaling a breakthrough in efforts to form a more inclusive administration after the war that ousted Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi.
“We’ve agreed on a number of portfolios and who would hold the most important ones. There will be 22 portfolios and one vice premier,” said Abdel Hafiz Ghoga, a spokesman for the National Transitional Council (NTC). “It will be a compact government, a crisis government.”
NTC forces said they had tightened their grip on southern oasis towns that sided with Qaddafi. That progress is overshadowed by unsuccessful efforts to take two remaining strongholds loyal to the ousted leader.
Photo: Reuters
It remains unclear whether the NTC, still based in the eastern city of Benghazi, can unify a country split along tribal and regional lines.
Getting the oil on which the economy relies pumping again is key to building the NTC’s credibility and earning more of the cash it needs to build a new state after 42 years of one-man rule.
Those efforts were boosted on Friday when France’s Total said production at its al-Jurf offshore field had restarted and that crude shipments were likely to resume in about two weeks.
The announcement is the latest step towards getting oil pumping at full capacity again, though wresting control of Bani Walid and Sirte from Qaddafi’s forces remains the NTC priority.
Meanwhile, a reporter on the western edges of Sirte saw dozens of cars with civilians leaving the town on Friday. NTC fighters fired sporadic tank shells and artillery at suspected positions of Qaddafi loyalists. NATO aircraft could be heard overhead.
“In the city, as soon as you leave the main square there is shooting. It is an effort to scare the residents,” said Massoud al Adawi, a fleeing resident of Sirte. “[Qaddafi loyalists] don’t want people to leave the city. They want to use them as human shields.”
Amr al-Aswar, a NTC military commander on the western edge of Sirte, said avoiding civilian casualties in the town was the main problem for his forces.
Meanwhile, Syrian-based Arrai TV broadcasted a bad-tempered audio message from Qaddafi’s daughter Aisha on Friday. It was the first time she had spoken publicly since fleeing into exile in Algeria last month along with two of his sons.
“I reassure you about your leader, oh Libyans,” the 35-year-old lawyer said, sounding distressed. “He is well and thank God his spirits are high. He is carrying his weapon and fighting along with his sons at the fronts.”
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