United States Africa Command Public Affairs Office 23 Aug 2011 USAFRICOM - related news stories TOP NEWS

RELATED TO U.S. AFRICA COMMAND AND AFRICA Barack Obama: Libya conflict 'not over yet' (The Telegraph) VIDEO 22 August 2011 - The US President says that events in Libya are evidence of what the international community can achieve when it stands together as one but cautions that the conflict has not been won yet. Hillary Clinton Speaks with World Leaders on Libya (ABC News Radio) 22 August 2011 - (WASHINGTON) -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton continues her vacation in New York, but shes spent a busy day on the phone talking to world leaders about Libya. Experts: United Libyan gov't won't happen overnight (USA Today) 22 August 2011 - Libya is entering a dangerous period of creating a new democracy, but the six-month duration of the rebels' campaign against former strongman Moammar Gadhafi gave their leaders time to develop a working government and may improve the prospects of a smooth transition, some analysts say. Obama promises US aid for post-Gaddafi Libya (Reuters) 22 August 2011 - US President Barack Obama said on Monday the United States would be a friend and partner to Libya, but urged rebels poised to depose Muammar Gaddafi to not seek justice through violent reprisals. US Military Intervention in Libya Cost At Least $896 Million (ABC News) 22 August 2011 - The U.S. military intervention in Libya has cost American taxpayers an estimated $896 million through July 31, the Pentagon said. That includes daily military operations, munitions, and humanitarian assistance for the Libyan people. The U.S. has also promised $25 million in non-lethal aid, half of which has been spent on MREs. http://www.news24.com/Africa/News/AU-plays-waiting-game-on-Libya20110822

This USAFRICOM Public Affairs product was compiled by LTC Steven Lamb

AU plays waiting game on Libya (SAPA - South African Press Association) 22 August - The African Union Peace and Security Council wrapped up a preparatory meeting on the Libya conflict Monday, delaying any decisions until another session due later in the week. AU chairperson Jean Ping also spoke via telephone to UN chief Ban Ki-moon. World Leaders Praise Libyan Rebel Advances (Voice Of America News) 22 August 2011 - World leaders are applauding the rebel advance into Libya's capital, Tripoli, as a step toward ending violence in the country and beginning a democratic future. Pockets of resistance as rebels claim Tripoli (Al Jazeera) 22 August 2011 - Libyan leader's whereabouts unknown as rebels announce end of Gaddafi era, and UN chief calls for smooth transition. The head of Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) has announced the end of the Gaddafi era, while sporadic fighting continued across the capital, Tripoli. Fighting Rages for Libyan Capital (BBC) 22 August 2011 - Libyan rebels are battling troops loyal to Col Muammar Gaddafi for control of Tripoli, after they launched an assault on the capital from several directions. Libya: Rebels Surge Into Capital Tripoli (Radio France International) 22 August 2011-Heavy fighting continued on Monday near the Libyan capital Tripoli around the compound of embattled leader Moamer Kadhafi, one day after jubilant rebel forces surged into the heart of the capital. Liberia: Referendum Voting Amidst Rising Tensions Raises Security Concerns (All Africa) 22 August 2011-In the lead-up to Tuesday's constitutional referendum in Liberia, tensions have escalated between and within political parties jockeying for advantage in presidential and legislative elections that take place later this year. The Famine in Africa Gets Mapped (The Atlantic Wire) 22 August 2011-People at Development Seed, a D.C.-based firm that specializes in open source technology, have been making a series of maps in partnership with the UN's World Food Programme with data from the U.S. Agency for International Development that has been made open to the public--a rarity in the federal bureaucracy, according to the company. Somalia: 2 Soldiers Executed (NYT) 22 August 2011- Two government soldiers accused of killing a civilian and a soldier were executed on Monday, as the Western-backed government came under international pressure to hold its forces accountable for abuses.

Somalia: Massive School Dropouts As Famine Continues (All Africa) 18 August 2011 - Nairobi Jamaal Abdi, an eight-year-old boy at the Badbaado camp on the outskirts of Mogadishu, would like to have an education. He has his own dreams for the future. China donates 16 mln dollars to famine-stricken Somalia, WFP says (Xinhua) 22 August 2011 - BEIJING-- China has made its largest single donation to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) with 16 million U.S. dollars towards famine relief operation in Somalia, WFP said on Monday. Saudi donates $50 million to famine-hit Somalia - WFP (Agence France-Presse) 22 August 2011 - "The United Nations World Food Programme welcomes a generous contribution of US$50 million from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia... that will be used to feed more than half a million Somalia children suffering from malnutrition," it said. -----------------------------------------------------------------------UN News Service Africa Briefs Full Articles on UN Website Darfur: UN-backed ceasefire commission holds inaugural meeting 22 August A new ceasefire commission for Darfur held its inaugural meeting today, with the head of the joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force in the war-torn Sudanese region saying it plants the seeds for enduring peace. DR Congo: UN supporting probe as employee is implicated in mineral smuggling 22 August The United Nations peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) said today it is fully cooperating with the authorities there who are investigating an attempt by a local UN employee to smuggle about one ton of cassiterite ore from the country to neighbouring Rwanda. South Sudan: UN urges end to cycle of violence after deadly ethnic clashes 22 August The top United Nations official in South Sudan today called for an end to the cycle of violence engulfing the newly independent countrys state of Jonglei, where hundreds of people have been killed in recent days in fighting between ethnic groups.

Somalia: Disaster fatigue must not dull compassion for starving children UN 19 August The head of the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) today made an impassioned appealed to the world to save an estimated 390,000 starving children in famine-ravaged regions of Somalia, saying the international community must not let the so-called disaster fatigue numb compassion and generosity. UN boosts children nutrition to prevent stunted growth in droughthit Horn of Africa 19 August In an effort to tackle high levels of malnutrition among children in areas of the Horn of African affected by the severe food crisis, the United Nations reported today it had launched programmes to boost nutrition by providing special products to prevent damage to childrens physical and mental development. -----------------------------------------------------------------------UPCOMING EVENTS OF INTEREST: 1 SEPT 2011 WHEN: September 1, 2011, 5:45 p.m. 7:30 p.m. WHAT: The Long Shadow of 9/11: Americas Response to Terrorism WHO: Brian Michael Jenkins, Senior Adviser to the President of RAND WHERE: RAND Corporation, 1776 Main St., Santa Monica, CA CONTACT: events@rand.org. Media contact: http://www.rand.org/events/2011/09/01.html 8 SEPT 2011 WHEN: September 8, 2011, 12:00 p.m. 1:30 p.m. WHAT: Ten Years Later Public Diplomacy and the Arab World, Center on Public Diplomacy at the Annenberg School, Conversations in Public Diplomacy WHO: Several Panelists (see website) WHERE: USC; Tutor Campus Center Forum CONTACT: cpdevent@usc.edu Media contact: http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/events/events_detail/16973/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------Full Article Text Barack Obama: Libya conflict 'not over yet' (The Telegraph)

VIDEO 22 August 2011 The US President says that events in Libya are evidence of what the international community can achieve when it stands together as one but cautions that the conflict has not been won yet. "This is not over yet," the President warned in a statement from the farm where his family is vacationing on this island off the coast from Boston. Vowing the US would be a friend and a partner to help a democratic Libya emerge in the post-Gaddafi era, Obama also cautioned the Libyan opposition against acts of revenge for the four decades of Col Gaddafi's autocratic rule. Although he did not go into details about what help the United States would be prepared to offer Libya, Mr Obama said a top priority would be humanitarian aid to the wounded. But he did spell out that US engagement would continue to be part of a multinational effort and praised the role that Nato had played in the campaign to oust Col Gaddafi. "Nato has once again proven it is the most capable alliance in the world and its strength comes from both its firepower and the strength of out democratic ideals." --------------------------------------------------------------------------Hillary Clinton Speaks with World Leaders on Libya (ABC News Radio) By Non-Attributed Author 22 August 2011 WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton continues her vacation in New York, but shes spent a busy day on the phone talking to world leaders about Libya. Spokesperson Victoria Nuland says that Clinton has made separate calls to Chris Stevens, the U.S. envoy to the Libyan rebels; Jeffrey Feltman, the top U.S. diplomat in the Middle East; Mustafa Jalil, Chairman of the Libyan Transitional National Council and participated in a conference call with key members of the Libya Contact Group. In her conversation with Jalil, she discussed ways the international community can assist the rebels with providing humanitarian relief, restoring basic services, and protection of civilians. The Contact Group conference call with key foreign ministers discussed ways these countries could help Libya move forward, mainly in getting financial

support to them. Political representatives will meet this Thursday in Istanbul to coordinate the Contact Groups next steps. Nuland said the U.S. has been encouraged by the TNCs statements urging calm and reconciliation instead of settling of scores. Where is Gadhafi? We don't have any reason to believe that he's not in Tripoli, Nuland said. But again, he hasn't been seen. And the right thing for him to do is to show himself and step down, face justice. He is less powerful, she said. It's over for him. This is the word that the president used in his statement last night. --------------------------------------------------------Experts: United Libyan gov't won't happen overnight (USA Today) By Oren Dorell 22 August 2011 Libya is entering a dangerous period of creating a new democracy, but the six-month duration of the rebels' campaign against former strongman Moammar Gadhafi gave their leaders time to develop a working government and may improve the prospects of a smooth transition, some analysts say. "Democracy is always messy, and creating democracies is even messier," says Robin Wright, author of Rock the Casbah; Rage and Rebellion across the Islamic World. "There's always the danger that Gadhafi loyalists fade into the sunset and come back to launch a another insurgency like Iraq." They've been "dealing with everything from fighting the regime to picking up the garbage," she says. "They've had to learn how to govern and collaborate." The country has 140 tribes, and forging a united government between the western and eastern parts of the country "isn't going to be easy," Wright says. "This is not going to happen overnight." Still, Libya and the Transitional National Council, which has been waging a guerrilla war and governing the east from Benghazi, has advantages other nascent Middle East democracies don't. "Of the 22 Arab countries, it has arguably the most potential to make the transition in a reasonable amount of time," Wright says. Unlike Iraq, which became democratic through foreign intervention, "Libyans will be seen as having done this largely by themselves and with an international consensus," Wright says. "This will be seen as a far more legitimate regime."

Unlike Egypt and Tunisia, which have larger populations and little oil, Libya's 6.6 million people have reserves capable of pumping 1.5 million barrels of oil daily. And the TNC has developed experienced leadership, she says. The TNC's chairman is Mustafa Abdul Jalil, Libya's justice minister until February. Finance minister Ali Tarhouni taught at the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington in Seattle. "These are not people without experience," Wright says. "They will clearly have to widen their base or hold elections very quickly, but they've been working on these issues among themselves and with the international community diplomats in Benghazi." Although the Egyptian revolution has boosted the power and influence of the Muslim Brotherhood, which wants to see Arab countries ruled by a strict interpretation of Islamic law, Wright sees a moderate Islamic regime evolving in Libya, not a radical Islamist one. Mansour El-Kikhia, a Libya-born professor of political science at the University of Texas at San Antonio who spoke to members of the TNC during a recent trip to Libya, says most Libyans want a secular government. "They look at Iran and Saudi Arabia and say 'That's not what we want,'" says El-Kikhia, chairman of the department of political science and geography at the University of Texas at San Antonio. "This idea of fundamentalism is not part of our heritage, not part of our culture." Libyans are looking for power sharing, she says. "There will be an attempt to create a broader base in a transition govt as soon as possible." The first question the transitional government will have to decide is whether to create a constitution or hold elections first. She thinks they'll find a peaceful solution. ------------------------------------------------------------Obama promises US aid for post-Gaddafi Libya (Reuters) By Non-Attributed Author 22 August 2011 US President Barack Obama said on Monday the United States would be a friend and partner to Libya, but urged rebels poised to depose Muammar Gaddafi to not seek justice through violent reprisals. "The Gaddafi regime is coming to an end and the future of Libya is in the hands of its people," Obama said in a statement to reporters on the farm where he is on vacation.

The likely end of Gaddafi's rule is a lesson for leaders in the Middle East who ignore the demands of their people for change, Turkey said on Monday. "What is happening in Libya is a lesson for the leaders of the region. It shows that leaders who do not listen to their people cannot stay in power," state TV TRT reported Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as saying, without mentioning any other country. Russia also issued a statement on Monday saying it hopes the seizure of power by rebels will end Libya's bloodshed and warned against foreign interference in the internal affairs of the north African state. "The dramatic turn of events in the Libyan conflict bears witness, by all signs, to a shift of power into the hands of the rebels very soon," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "We hope that this will bring an end to the drawn-out bloodshed between Libyans, which has brought so much misfortune and suffering to the population of the country and caused serious damage to its economy." Turkey and Russia were the latest countries to issue a statement on developments in Libya that saw rebels enter and take control of most of the capital, with some calling on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to step down voluntarily and others demanding he be tried in the International Criminal Court in the Hague. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi urged Mummar Gaddafi on Monday to end "useless resistance" and called on rebels who have swept into Tripoli to avoid reprisals. "We ask Colonel Gaddafi to stop all useless resistance so as to save his people from further suffering," Berlusconi said in a statement. Australia also called for Gaddafi to step down and said he should face an international court for human rights crimes as his 41-year regime neared collapse. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said it was clear rebel forces were finally about to take control of the country as Libyans took to the streets of the capital to celebrate the end of Gaddafi's iron-fisted rule. "We continue to call on Colonel Gaddafi to get out of the way and of course we believe he should face the international charges that are against him," Gillard told reporters at parliament in Canberra. ---------------------------------------------------------------------

US Military Intervention in Libya Cost At Least $896 Million (ABC News) By Luis Martinez August 22, 2011 The cost of U.S. military intervention in Libya has cost American taxpayers an estimated $896 million through July 31, the Pentagon said today. The price tag includes the amounts for daily military operations, munitions used in the operation and humanitarian assistance for the Libyan people. The U.S. has also promised $25 million in non-lethal aid to the Libyan Transitional National Council, half of which the Defense Department has already spent on MREs (military lingo for Meals, Ready to Eat). The military delivered 120,000 Halal MREs to Benghazi in May and a second shipment that included medical supplies, boots, tents, uniforms, and personal protective gear in June. While Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi appears on the way out, NATO says flight missions over Tripoli will continue, with the U.S. playing a role in helping to keep a tight window over the area thats been in effect for weeks. Over the past 12 days, U.S. planes have flown 391 sorties for a total of 5,316 since April 1, according to figures provided by the Defense Department. That total includes 1,210 airstrike missions over the same three and a half month period. The U.S. has also conducted 101 Predator drone strike missions in Libya. A U.S. official credited NATO flight cover over the past many months with allowing the Libyan rebels enough time to eventually regroup and begin their pushes. One significant offset to the cost of U.S. involvement in the flights worth noting is the sale of military equipment to allies also involved in the cause. Pentagon officials say the sale of ammunition, replacement parts, fuel, and technical assistance to allies since March has totaled $221.9 million. --------------------------------------------------------------------AU plays waiting game on Libya Association) August 22, 2011 (SAPA - South African Press

Addis Ababa - The African Union Peace and Security Council on Monday wrapped up a preparatory meeting on the Libya conflict, delaying any decisions until another session due later in the week. "They exchanged information," spokesperson Noureddine Mezni told reporters, after one-and-a-half hours of talks between African ambassadors to the AU and other officials. "They had a lot of discussion on Libya, and they decided not to issue a statement because we will have a meeting in two days time." AU chairperson Jean Ping also spoke via telephone to UN chief Ban Ki-moon, as Libyan rebels advanced in Tripoli and vowed to topple Muammar Gaddafi's 42-year hold on power. "They agreed to work closely together to help the Libyan people during this phase," Mezni added. "It is important now to work closely to secure a smooth transition." The AU High Level Committee on Libya will meet Thursday to discuss the crisis on the eve of a Peace and Security Council meeting on August 26, which includes heads of state from Zimbabwe, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. It was not clear who would be in attendance. The committee last met in Istanbul in May, where Ping called for a peaceful solution to the conflict. "Only a political solution will make it possible to fulfil the legitimate aspirations of the Libyan people for democracy, good governance and the rule of law, and promote lasting peace in the country," the AU said in a statement. --------------------------------------------------------------------World Leaders Praise Libyan Rebel Advances (Voice Of America News) By Non-Attributed Author 22 August 2011 World leaders are applauding the rebel advance into Libya's capital, Tripoli, as a step toward ending violence in the country and beginning a democratic future. Calls for an end

The United States, the European Union, Britain and Italy all have said Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's rule is coming to an end, and they have urged the Libyan leader to step down in order to avoid more bloodshed. In Paris, the French Foreign Ministry spokesman told VOA Monday that Gadhafi's "time is over in Libya." France says the head of Libya's opposition group will travel to Paris in the next few days. France was the first country to recognize the rebel opposition's Transitional National Council as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people. Recognizing rebels Egypt formally recognized Libya's rebel national council on Monday. Libyan rebels began their uprising after an Egyptian revolt ended President Hosni Mubarak's three-decade rule earlier this year. Russia said Monday it hoped the rebel takeover would stop the "drawn-out bloodshed" that has brought suffering to the Libyan people. The Russian Foreign Ministry encouraged the international community to stay out of Libya's internal affairs. British Prime Minister David Cameron said the rebel advance into Tripoli has helped the Arab Spring revolutions in the Middle East establish the beginnings of democracy in the region. He said London soon will be able to unfreeze foreign Libyan assets for use by the Libyan people. Building a future The top U.S. Middle East official, Jeff Feltman, told ABC News Monday from Cairo that Gadhafi is now "part of Libya's past" and that the rebels are "clearly winning." He said Libyans now need to look to build a better future. China said Monday it "respects the choice of the Libyan people" and hopes stability returns to the country quickly. U.S. President Barack Obama called on Gadhafi Sunday to "relinquish power once and for all." He said the momentum against Gadhafi had reached a tipping point. Obama also said the United States will continue to work with the international community to support a peaceful transition to democracy in Libya, and he urged the opposition TNC to include the interests of all the Libyan people.

South Africa denied reports that it had sent a plane to Libya to evacuate Gadhafi. Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said Gadhafi has not and will not ask for asylum in South Africa. The International Criminal Court at The Hague The International Criminal Court at The Hague confirmed that the rebels have detained Gadhafi's son Seif al-Islam. The world court was quick to remind the rebels that they have "an obligation to surrender Seif to the ICC." The ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Gadhafi, his son and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi, all charged with crimes against humanity. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Sunday was one of the rare voices to criticize the events in Libya. He condemned NATO's airstrikes in the country. Chavez has long been a staunch defender Gadhafi and has denounced the popular uprising, claiming it is an oil grab by Western powers. -------------------------------------------------------------------Pockets of resistance as rebels claim Tripoli (Al Jazeera) By Non-Attributed Author 22 August 2011 Libyan leader's whereabouts unknown as rebels announce end of Gaddafi era, and UN chief calls for smooth transition. The head of Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) has announced the end of the Gaddafi era, while sporadic fighting continued across the capital, Tripoli. Fighting and gun battles erupted in parts of Tripoli on Monday after tanks left Bab al-Azizyah, Muammar Gaddafi's compound, to confront the rebel assault that gained control of much of the capital in a battle overnight. Many of the streets in the centre of the city - where anti-government supporters had celebrated hours earlier - were abandoned as pockets of proGaddafi resistance and the presence of snipers and artillery fire made the area dangerous. Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr, who entered the city with rebel fighters who advanced overnight, said the security situation in the city was "tenuous," despite there being celebrations in the streets. "There are some Gaddafi forces still putting up a fight," our correspondent said.

"And rebels still have one last push to make towards Bab al-Azizyah," Khodr added, saying that it was unclear when this advance would take place. In other developments: In an audio message, US President Barack Obama said the situation in Libya was still uncertain but it is clear the Gaddafi regime is coming to an end. Gaddafi's three sons are in custody. Saadi was captured by rebels in Tripoli; Saif al-Islam, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, was arrested in western Tripoli; and Mohammed surrendered to rebel forces and spoke to Al Jazeera shortly afterwards - though reports have surfaced that he escaped rebel custody on Monday. Egypt formally recognises the NTC as Libya's governing body, while Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez condemns NATO for demolishing Tripoli. The Libyan diaspora communities celebrate the advance of opposition forces. Throughout the night, euphoric Libyan rebels moved into the centre of Tripoli and thousands of jubilant civilians rushed out of their homes to cheer the long convoys of pickup trucks packed with fighters shooting in the air. Meanwhile, speaking at a press conference in the rebel stronghold Benghazi, the NTC's Mustafa Abdel Jalil acknowledged that Libya still faced many challenges, including maintaining law and order. "Jalil spoke at length saying that it wasn't going to be a bed of roses and a great number of challenges lay ahead for the Libyan people," Al Jazeera's Jacky Rowland reported from Benghazi. Rowland called Jalil "a very moderate voice, a voice calling for common sense and reason" at this sensitive time. She said: "He called on people in Tripoli to respect people's lives and people's property ... he also stressed that there should not be a case of people taking the law into their own hands". Jalil said Gaddafi had left a legacy of violence against his own people and the world. He said he hoped that Gaddafi was captured alive so that he could be put on trial. "We will provide him with a fair trial. But I have no idea how he will defend himself against these crimes that he committed against the Libyan people and the world," Jalil said.

Defiant audio messages There has been no word on the location of Gaddafi himself. The Libyan leader has delivered a series of angry and defiant audio messages in recent days, vowing not to surrender. In the most recent address, he acknowledged that opposition forces were moving into Tripoli and said the city would be turned into another Baghdad. He also called on Libya's tribes to rally to the city's defence. "How come you allow Tripoli, the capital, to be under occupation once again?" he said. "The traitors are paving the way for the occupation forces to be deployed in Tripoli." Opposition forces and Tripoli residents were trying to maintain order in the city on Monday, said Khodr. "The people of Tripoli really are maintaining law and order in the areas that they are now controlling in Tripoli," our correspondent said. "They have set up checkpoints, are searching cars and looking for possible Gaddafi supporters, because ever since late last night they were worried about sleeper cells in the capital." Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, meanwhile welcomed assurances from rebel leader Jalil that extreme care would be taken to protect civilians and maintain law and order. On Monday, he told reporters it was important that the conflict ended with no further loss of life and without retribution. Ban urged forces loyal Gaddafi to stop fighting immediately and make way for "a smooth transition'' that ensures a free and democratic future for the country. He also announced that he will hold a meeting on Libya later this week with major organisations, including the Arab League, African Union and European Union. Opposition hold majority control An opposition fighter in Tripoli told Al Jazeera that only about 20 per cent of the capital city was in the hands of Gaddafi supporters.

"NATO air forces are above us, I am not sure if they are going to strike or if they are just here for surveillance." Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the NATO secretary-general, said NATO was ready to work with the Libyan NTC, and "our goal throughout this conflict has been to protect the people of Libya". With Gaddafi's grip on power apparently slipping, speculation has begun on where he may flee if Tripoli falls into rebel hands. The Pentagon has said the US does not believe Gaddafi has already left Libya. Some have suggested that he could be in neighbouring Algeria or in remote southern Libya. There were also claims that he may be talking to regional allies in Africa. In a press conference, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, South Africa's foreign minister, said Pretoria was not facilitating Gaddafi's exit and did not know the 69-year-old leader's current whereabouts. Nkoana-Mashabane added that South Africa had no plans at the moment to recognise the rebel government if Gaddafi falls. The Libyans themselves must be given the chance to decide the future of their country and the future of Gaddafi," Nkoana-Mashabane said. Al Jazeera's correspondent in Johannesburg, Haru Matasa, said Angola and Zimbabwe had been cited as countries the embattled leader was most likely to go to. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Fighting Rages for Libyan Capital (BBC) By Non-Attributed Author 22 August 2011 Libyan rebels are battling troops loyal to Col Muammar Gaddafi for control of Tripoli, after they launched an assault on the capital from several directions. Rebel commanders say they have taken control of about 80% of the capital, including the headquarters of state TV. But fighting is still raging in parts of the city, and the rebels have not managed to find the Libyan leader. World leaders have urged Col Gaddafi to step down. US President Obama said his 42-year rule "was coming to an end".

The rebels were met by jubilant crowds in central Green Square, which was previously the scene of nightly pro-Gaddafi demonstrations. They have set up checkpoints in parts of the city, and claim that reinforcements are due to arrive by boat. But elsewhere in the city they have met stiff resistance. A rebel spokesman said his forces came under fire from tanks emerging from the Gaddafi compound at Bab al-Azizia in western Tripoli early on Monday, and witnesses say there has been sustained gunfire in the area throughout the day. Gaddafi loyalists remain in control of the streets around the Rixos Hotel, where many Western journalists are based. And rebels fighting in the west of the city were pushed back late on Monday. "We are bracing ourselves for another night of intense street fighting," a Tripoli resident told the BBC. "I think Gaddafi security forces will resort to guerrilla warfare because they know they do not have the support of the people." But another resident said rebel fighters were "breaking into people's houses, stealing everything", adding that the rebel assault would be "a disaster for Libya and Nato". Jubilant rebel fighters pushed their way into the heart of Tripoli on Sunday. BBC team attacked BBC reporter Rupert Wingfield-Hayes was accompanying rebels into central Tripoli when pro-Gaddafi forces attacked his convoy. Rebel leader Mustafa Abdul Jalil, head of the National Transitional Council (NTC), told a news conference on Monday afternoon that he had no idea where Col Gaddafi was. "We have no knowledge of Gaddafi being [in his compound], or whether he is still in or outside Libya," he said. Mr Abdul Jalil reiterated earlier claims that the rebels have captured Col Gaddafi's son, Saif al-Islam, who was widely expected to succeed his father as leader until the unrest broke out earlier this year.

Flags torn down The BBC's Tripoli correspondent, Rana Jawad, who has been unable to report openly since March, says people in her neighbourhood in eastern Tripoli were woken by the imam at the local mosque singing the national anthem of the pre-Gaddafi monarchy. She says there is a sense that the end is near, and that the rebels have achieved what they wanted. In Green Square rebel supporters tore down the green flags of the Gaddafi government and trampled on portraits of the colonel. In a statement, President Obama said: "The situation is still very fluid. There remains a degree of uncertainty and there are still regime elements that pose a threat. But this much is clear: the Gaddafi regime is coming to an end and the future of Libya is in the hands of its people." He appealed to Gaddafi to reduce further bloodshed by "explicitly relinquishing power to the people of Libya and calling on those forces that continue to fight to lay down their arms for the sake of Libya". UK Prime Minister David Cameron said the Libyan leader had "committed appalling crimes against the people of Libya and he must go now to avoid any further suffering for his own people". Russia and China also issued statements saying they were willing to accept what the Libyan people decided, and hinted that Col Gaddafi should step down. Meanwhile, neighbouring Egypt recognised the NTC as the sole legitimate representative of the Libyan people. The rebels now claim to have detained three of Col Gaddafi's sons - Saif alIslam, Muhammad and Saadi. The International Criminal Court in The Hague is negotiating the transfer of Saif al-Islam on charges of war crimes. The court is also seeking the arrest of Col Gaddafi and the head of the intelligence service, Abdullah al-Sanussi.

Earlier, the NTC announced earlier that it would move its centre of operations to Tripoli from Benghazi, which has been in rebel hands since the early days of the uprising. 'Armed gangs' A diplomatic source told the AFP news agency that Col Gaddafi could still be in Bab al-Azizia. He has not been seen in public since May, although he has broadcast audio messages from undisclosed locations. In an audio message broadcast late on Sunday, the Libyan leader urged residents to "save Tripoli" from the rebels. "How come you allow Tripoli, the capital, to be under occupation once again?" he asked. "The traitors are paving the way for the occupation forces to be deployed in Tripoli." Libyan Information Minister Moussa Ibrahim said the Gaddafi government still had 65,000 loyal soldiers under its command. However, other reports claimed some forces have surrendered to the rebels, including the special battalion charged with securing Tripoli. Mr Ibrahim said fighting in the city on Sunday had left 1,300 people dead and 5,000 wounded. There is no confirmation of the figures. He accused Nato of backing "armed gangs" with air power, adding that the Gaddafi government was prepared to negotiate directly with the NTC. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Libya: Rebels Surge Into Capital Tripoli (Radio France International) By Non-Attributed Author 22 August 2011 Heavy fighting continued on Monday near the Libyan capital Tripoli around the compound of embattled leader Moamer Kadhafi, one day after jubilant rebel forces surged into the heart of the capital. Fighting was also heard in the early hours in the south of the capital where there were exchanges of heavy weaponry and automatic rifle fire. Rebel leaders had earlier warned that pockets of resistance remained despite most of Kadhafi's defenders vanishing during the rebels' lightning charge through Tripoli on Sunday. The whereabouts of Colonel Kadhafi were unknown on Monday but one of his sons, Seif al-Islam had been arrested

while another, Mohamed Kadhafi was interviewed by Al-Jazeera television cowering in his house, afraid to leave. The International Criminal Court is seeking the transfer of Seif al-Islam to The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity, the court's spokesman said Monday. Kadhafi broadcast three defiant audio messages on Sunday, vowing he would not surrender and urging the people of Tripoli to "purge the capital, even as rebel forces swept through the capital and took over the symbolic Green Square at the waterfront. But he has not been seen in public for weeks. Kadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound has been blasted regularly since the start of the international military intervention in Libya on 19 March and most of the buildings in the complex have been flattened. But Kadhafi has many bunkers there where he could take cover in. EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton says the end of the Kadhafi regime in Libya is near and called on Kadhafi to relinquish all power to avoid further bloodshed. The spokesman for the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs also urged the rebel forces to "fully respect humanitarian and human rights law and protect citizens," as they gain control of the country. "It is critical that the authorities work to honour the aspirations expressed by the revolution for the establishement of a democratic, just and prosperous Libya," he added. ----------------------------------------------------Liberia: Referendum Voting Amidst Rising Tensions Raises Security Concerns (All Africa) By Reed Kramer 22 August 2011 In the lead-up to Tuesday's constitutional referendum in Liberia, tensions have escalated between and within political parties jockeying for advantage in presidential and legislative elections that take place later this year. Opposition calls for a referendum boycott, along with a series of politically connected outbreaks of violence, are heightening security concerns. In a report issued Friday, the International Crisis Group, a respected Belgiumbased think tank, warned that the conduct of the referendum will set the tone for the upcoming presidential contest and called on political leaders to "refrain from aggressive statements, particularly those exploiting the memory of the civil war."

Ellen Margrethe Loej, the United Nations representative in Liberia, has called for "an environment conducive to healthy political debate and competition" and said both the referendum and the presidential election "will be a litmus test for Liberia's progress towards peace and democracy." On this week's ballot are four amendments, each of which must be approved by two thirds of those voting to become law. They include decreasing the residency requirement for presidential and vice presidential candidates from 10 to five years, moving the date for national elections from October to November, raising the retirement age for Supreme Court justices from age 70 to 75, and ending run-offs in legislative and municipal contests, which will make candidates with the most votes the winner and end expensive secondround balloting. While run-offs would still be required in presidential contests if no contender receives more than 50 percent of first-round votes, supporters of this provision say the amendment would clear the way for local elections that have not been conducted in the post-conflict period due to excessive costs. In an appeal for calm broadcast nationwide Thursday night, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf warned that politically motivated violent acts "undermine and destroy democracy" and could cause Liberia "to retrogress into another civil conflict." She said gains made since the end of 14 years of war in 2003 are being jeopardized "by the intimidation and violence which some of our compatriots have engaged in during this early stage of the electoral process." Citing attacks aimed at a leading opposition party office holder and at a senior official in her own Unity Party, Johnson Sirleaf said she directed the security service "to vigorously investigate" these and all similar incidents "and swiftly bring the perpetrators and their collaborators to justice." And she called on politicians "to conduct themselves, and ensure that their supporters conduct themselves, in a responsible and law-abiding manner." Johnson Sirleaf, who is seeking a second term, faces stiff competition from several opponents including Charles Brumskine, a 60-year-old lawyer who ran third in the country's first post-war election in 2005, and Winston Tubman, a former Justice Minister and United Nations official whose uncle was the country's 19th and longest-serving president. Tubman, a Harvard-educated lawyer, has teamed with the Liberian soccer star George Weah, who led in the first round of presidential voting in 2005 but lost in the run-off to Johnson Sirleaf -- an outcome that defied most expert predictions.

[U.S. intelligence and diplomatic assessments also foresaw Weah as the near-certain winner, an outcome that was privately favored by at least some of the policymakers most closely involved, senior government sources told AllAfrica at the time.] To counter charges that he is insufficiently educated to lead the country, Weah recently completed a Bachelor's degree in business management from DeVry University, an online for-profit company with 90 campuses across the United States. (Johnson Sirleaf is a former Finance Minister, banker and United Nations Assistant Secretary General with a Master's from Harvard.) But instead of a widely anticipated rematch with the incumbent, Weah ended up as the vice presidential nominee of the party he founded, the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), joining with Tubman in an effort to mount a tougher challenge. During preparations last year for the 2011 contest, Weah sought to hire a U.S. consultant to formulate a campaign strategy. A Confidential Consulting Agreement prepared by Alan White Associates calls Weah "the right person at the right time for Liberia" and says he is well-placed to "develop a consensus" among those seeking to defeat Johnson Sirleaf in 2011. The 12-page agreement, dated June 13, 2010, designates the firm as "sole consultant and advisor in the United States" and sets an annual fee of $130,000. The document, a copy of which was obtained by AllAfrica, is marked "confidential" and has the signatures of Weah and Dr. Alan W. White, a former chief investigator for the United Nations Special Court for Sierra Leone, where former Liberian leader Charles Taylor is now on trial for crimes against humanity. To kick off a successful election effort, White recommended a "mass peaceful demonstration of a 100,000 men, women and children" to mobilize support and promote Weah "as undisputed leader of the opposition community." White told AllAfrica that there was dissension within the CDC and the agreement was never executed. "I did not provide any assistance to Mr. Weah," he said in an email. Nevertheless, a large rally involving thousands of supporters took place last month when Weah returned to the country after receiving his DeVry degree. A large and boisterous contingent accompanied him into Monrovia city center and tied up traffic throughout the capital.

Consensus within the opposition has proved elusive. Despite his popular appeal, Weah has been unable to forge the broad political alliance that many observers had expected to emerge to confront the incumbent. Efforts to effect a merger between the CDC and Brumskine's Liberty Party failed to materialize, after protracted negotiations. And rivalries within the CDC have slowed momentum and diverted the attention of the party standard bearers, Tubman and Weah. Last week, clashes erupted at the party headquarters, as dissidents assaulted party officials, including the chairperson, Geraldine Doe Sheriff. "Disenchanted CDC aspirants, who lost the primaries, were part of the plot to get rid of me in the party, ahead of the elections," she was quoted telling reporters. Doe Sherriff, along with the secretary general, Acarous Gray, another target of an attempted assault, are under pressure from Tubman and Weah to relinquish their positions on grounds that they cannot perform the jobs adequately while standing as legislative candidates themselves. A late-night arson attack was also launched against the home of a former CDC secretary general, Eugene Nagbe, who recently left the CDC to back Johnson Sirleaf and is serving as deputy campaign manager for the president's Unity Party. He and his family escaped unharmed, although a car was destroyed. In the run up to this year's elections, political alliances have been shifting rapidly. Several of Johnson Sirleaf's previous critics have joined her camp, while former allies are among her most outspoken opponents. There have also been reports of disagreements within the president's Unity Party. But disunity within the opposition, if it continues, has raised the prospects for a Johnson Sirleaf victory, perhaps in the first round. Although the date of the election - October 11 or November 8 - ostensibly will be decided by the referendum, the International Crisis Group predicts the outcome is likely to face legal challenges and warns that "any major delay could produce serious discord." Critics argue that holding a referendum this close to an election strains the country's resources and will likely confuse and distract the electorate. Some have said the proposed changes are designed to favor Johnson Sirleaf's candidacy. Tubman told AFP the referendum is "unconstitutional because we don't hold a referendum in the middle of an electoral campaign." In a speech on Friday, Tubman altered his stance, saying he still regarded the

referendum violates the Constitution but understands and accepts that there are those who "want to exercise Constitutional responsibility." Johnson Sirleaf is backing the proposed change, saying that "Vote Yes to All" will benefit all Liberians, not any one political campaign. She says she did not draft the referendum document and is not affected by the residency requirement, whether it is five or ten years, since she moved back to Liberia in 1997, when she made a first, unsuccessful run for the presidency. Residency restrictions were suspended in 2005, because so many Liberians were uprooted and forced to leave the country during the war. According to the National Election Commission, the timing of Tuesday's referendum is the result of a provision in Liberia's Constitution which stipulates that proposed changes approved by a two-thirds majority in the legislature must be presented for popular vote not sooner than a year later. The four propositions on the ballot passed both houses last August. Whether or not the referendum is a distraction, activity in the political arena has been dominated by presidential campaigning. All of the contenders are emphasizing the necessity to heal a country deeply wounded by years of dissension and killing, and each is proposing how best to carry this out. Tubman told Foreign Policy magazine [The Men Who Would Be Queen] that he and Weah have the backgrounds to address the "basic divide" between Liberia's indigenous people and the elite who are mostly descended from the freed American slaves who settled in the country in the mid-1800s. In an AllAfrica interview, Charles Brumskine said his reconciliation program will provide war victims the opportunity to talk about their suffering, will encourage students to join "a sort of domestic peace corps" to serve in various parts of the country and will finally "give teeth" to real unification. During her Thursday night address, Johnson Sirleaf stressed the need to maintain post-conflict peace. "Let us commit ourselves to the fundamental premise that never again shall we, as a people, individually or collectively, ever resort to violence or intimidation to settle our political differences, and that we will not allow violence or intimidation, in whatever form or nature, to mar the 2011 elections," she said. Interviewed in May, the president defended her record, citing a large increase in school enrollment, particularly for girls, reduction in child mortality, economic expansion and large-scale foreign investment, creation of jobs and elimination of the country's debt. "We're very pleased with the progress, although the challenges still remain many," she said, adding: "We've still got much more to do."

Corruption remains a problem, she said. Three decades of economic decline and the deprivations of war have helped entrench the problem "as a way of life," requiring a "multifaceted" and long-term solution. "We continue to fight it, vigorously," she said. According to the Crisis Group, security concerns remain paramount as the voting moves forward. The report, How Stable is Liberia's Recovery, points to the "persistence of mercenary activities and arms proliferation" as a looming threat, fueled by ongoing unrest in neighboring Cte d'Ivoire where "hundreds of young Liberian fighters were easily recruited for a minimum of $500." To emerge from conflict and become a functioning democracy, Liberia needs a "political transformation leading to the emergence of a new generation of leaders at local and national levels, removed from the culture of violence and corruption," the Crisis Group report says. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------The Famine in Africa Gets Mapped (The Atlantic Wire) By Dino Grandoni 22 August 2011 People at Development Seed, a D.C.-based firm that specializes in open source technology, have been making a series of maps in partnership with the UN's World Food Programme with data from the U.S. Agency for International Development that has been made open to the public--a rarity in the federal bureaucracy, according to the company. But the people at Development Seed, a D.C.-based firm that specializes in open source technology, have been making a series of maps in partnership with the UN's World Food Programme with data from the U.S. Agency for International Development that has been made open to the public--a rarity in the federal bureaucracy, according to the company. The map above, taken from the interactive visualization hosted on the WFP's website, shows the current famine situation in the Horn of Africa. Redder, darker shades indicate more severe famine. Some of the hardest hit areas include the regions of Somalia controlled by al-Shabaab, a terrorist group seeking to overthrow the Somali government, which makes getting aid to there extraordinarily difficult. Development Seed's maps are meant to help aid organizations can more effectively coordinate their food relief efforts and people in general become more aware of the problem. The code used to create the maps is open to the public, meaning that aid organizations can use and modify the data at their discretion. "We're trying to leverage data visualization to tell a complex

story," said Development Seed's Eric Gundersen in a phone interview. "Maps are really allowing us to show what's happening." Development Seed also has two maps out that project what the famine will look like in two to three months and six months (it will get worse before it gets better) and another pair that charts the drought that helped cause the food shortage. The team that led the project plans to meet with a half dozen aid organizations this week or early next week to discuss how they can use the maps and identify new data that may be incorporated in them. The help can't come too soon for East Africa. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Somalia: 2 Soldiers Executed (NYT) By Non-Attributed Author 22 August 2011 Two government soldiers accused of killing a civilian and a soldier were executed on Monday, as the Western-backed government came under international pressure to hold its forces accountable for abuses. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Somalia: Massive School Dropouts As Famine Continues (All Africa) By Isaiah Esipisu 18 August 2011 Nairobi Jamaal Abdi, an eight-year-old boy at the Badbaado camp on the outskirts of Mogadishu, would like to have an education. He has his own dreams for the future. But since Abdi and his family arrived at Badbaado camp - the biggest camp for people displaced by the drought and famine in southern Somalia and home to nearly 30,000 people, mostly women and children - he has done nothing but sit around all day. But for Abdi, it's nothing new. He's never been to school. "I learned from my friends how to write my name only. Now I just stay at the shelter and do nothing. I want to study because when I grow up I want to be a doctor and be a good man who helps people, sick people," Abdi told IPS, as he played with his friends outside his family's makeshift shelter at Badbaado. Apart from a few informal Islamic schools where children are taught to memorise the Quran, education at the camp is almost non-existent as aid agencies prioritise feeding and treating those affected by the famine and drought. And across the country the situation is no better. A rapid assessment conducted by the Education Cluster, which is co-led by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Save the Children, warned that the number of

children out of school, especially in southern and central Somalia, could double. The report noted that with an estimated 200,000 school-going Somali children have moved from their homes to other places in search for food. But for more than 20 years, only 30 percent of Somali children have been able to go to primary school. It is the lowest enrolment in the world. This compares very poorly with its neighbour, Kenya, which has an enrolment rate of 92 percent in primary schools. However, primary education in Kenya is free while in Somalia it is not and many children have to get financial support from their communities to attend school. But in September when schools reopen the number of children expected to attend will be lower than the already low 30 percent. In order to prevent this, the report estimated that over 20 million dollars would be needed in the next month for emergency intervention. "Funding received to date is inadequate - while funding gaps in the education sector have reached their highest levels in the last four years," UNICEF said. Despite the tough climatic conditions and conflict in the country, Somalis have demonstrated that they know the value of education. Before the famine they ran schools by themselves in a war-ravaged country where the government has a tentative hold of power. "Schools in Somalia are run by communities since there is no ministry of education. With support from humanitarian organisations, they give incentives to the teachers and donate funds for running school programmes," said Lisa Doherty, UNICEF's education specialist and programme manager at the Integrated Capacity Development for Southern Somali Education Administrations. Following the famine in parts of the country, most of the support from the international community has been to supply food and medical assistance. But according to Doherty, there is a need to attend to all the needs of a child, and education is an important need. Rozanne Chorlton, UNICEF's Somalia representative, echoed her sentiments and said that education is a critical component of any emergency response. "Schools can provide a place for children to come to learn, as well as access health care and other vital services. Providing learning opportunities in safe environments is critical to a child's survival and development and for the longer term stability and growth of the country," said Chorlton in a statement.

Humanitarian organisations are setting up schools in some camps. "At UNICEF alone, we are supporting 155 schools in camps of internally displaced persons, which at the moment benefits 37,000 students - 40 percent of them girls," said Doherty. However, there are plans to expand the number of classes subject to the availability of funds. But until schools reopen, the available classes are being used to provide psychotherapy for children and their parents who have been through traumatic times. Meanwhile, former teacher Burhan Mohamed, a drought victim himself, says things at Badbaado camp should change. "(These children) will grow to nothing and will be a further burden to society if education is never made part of the humanitarian effort," Burhan told IPS. Burhan, a father of four, was a teacher in a private school in Lower Shabelle Province, one of the five areas where the United Nations declared a famine. He and his family have been at the camp for two months. Burhan said he tried to find work as a teacher at the camp but could not find any schools. So he teaches his children himself, but believes other children should also have the benefit of an education. "Saving lives should always be a priority but educating the children and even the adults will go a long way in preventing a similar crisis in the future," he said. Most of the healthy children wonder around Badbaado camp with nothing to do. They told IPS they would attend school if they had the opportunity. Many parents at the camp say that educating their children is as much a priority as feeding them is. Muna Ali, a mother of eight, says none of her children go to school but would like them to be educated as well as fed at the camp. "I really want to educate my children once they are well fed and I believe that is the only way we can win over poverty in our communities. I will be the first to send my children to school if they can also be fed at the school ... our children are hungry for food and for education," said Ali as she stood in a queue waiting for her youngest child to be seen for a medical checkup at the camp clinic.

Latest reports indicate that people from central and southern Somalia are still fleeing to Mogadishu for aid. Meanwhile, arrivals to Kenya's Dadaab refugee camp continue to average 1,300 daily. But arrivals at Ethiopia's Dollo Ado camps have slowed to 270 daily, according to the latest report by the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. However, on Aug. 3, the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Food Security and Nutrition Analysis unit declared that the situation in Somalia had deteriorated to famine in new areas. This includes the Afgooye Corridor in northeastern Mogadishu, areas of high concentration of internally displaced persons in Mogadishu, and two districts in the Middle Shabelle region - Balcad and Cadale. The FAO further reports that tens of thousands of people have died as a result of the ongoing famine, which is expected to extend to other new areas in the coming days. Additional reporting by Abdurrahman Warsameh in Mogadishu. ----------------------------------------------------------------China donates 16 mln dollars to famine-stricken Somalia, WFP says (Xinhua) By Non-Attributed Author 22 August 2011 BEIJING-- China has made its largest single donation to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) with 16 million U.S. dollars towards famine relief operation in Somalia, WFP said on Monday. The donation will be directed towards WFP's food assistance operation in the Horn of Africa nation, where 1.5 million people are currently receiving food rations, the agency said via a press release. "This is an enormous gesture of goodwill from the people of China," WFP Deputy Executive Director Ramiro Lopes da Silva said, calling China "a vital donor to WFP programmes around the world." "Even more impressive is that China, which continues to make giant strides addressing its own development challenges, shows a genuine concern to support people in need beyond its borders," said the deputy director. Combined with earlier donations, China's support for WFP is beyond 20 million U.S. dollars in 2011, according to the release.

WFP plans to provide ready-to-use supplementary foods, which are specialized nutritious products designed to protect young children in particular from the ravages of malnutrition. "The Chinese donation will help ensure that these vital supplies, as well as general rations of basic foods such as cereals, pulses and cooking oil, reach those most in need over the coming months," said the release. Somalia has some of the world's highest malnutrition rates with one in four children acutely malnourished in the South. Prices for staple cereals in Somalia are at record levels, making any already desperate situation even worse. According to the WFP, though three districts of southern Somalia are the only parts of the Horn of Africa currently experiencing famine conditions, some eleven million people across the region are currently estimated to be in need of food assistance following the worst drought in 60 years. Other countries affected include Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Djibouti. -----------------------------------------------------------------------Saudi donates $50 million to famine-hit Somalia - WFP (Agence France-Presse) By Non-Attributed Author 22 August 2011 "The United Nations World Food Programme welcomes a generous contribution of US$50 million from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia... that will be used to feed more than half a million Somalia children suffering from malnutrition," it said. The contribution in response to a WFP appeal for funds "will help us save the lives of thousands of children before they fall into severe stages of malnutrition, at which point it would become impossible to keep them alive," said WFP executive director Josette Sheeran. The Saudi donation will be specifically used to feed 600,000 children for two months, the statement said. Somalia has been the worst hit of several countries in East Africa affected by what the United Nations has described as the region's most severe drought in 60 years. The WFP said it was targeting food assistance to some 1.5 million people in central and northern Somalia and Mogadishu" and was ready to try to reach an additional 2.2 million people in southern parts of the country.

But the UN agency warned its Horn of Africa appeal was still $250 million short. -----------------------------------------------------------------------