Libya's oil minister defects

Libya's oil minister has reportedly defected and fled to Tunisia.

Shokri Ghanem, who also chaired the National Oil Corporation, is said to be on his way to the Tunisian capital, Tunis.

Hoda Abdel Hamid, one of Al Jazeera's correspondents in Libya, said a border guard confirmed the defection.

"He told us the minister had crossed into Tunisia two days ago and that he was alone, not with his family," she said.

"He mentioned he had tried to cross before but was held in Libya. We cannot confirm this."

Rebels fighting to end the 41-year-old rule of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya's embattled leader, also said they had information that Ghanem, 68, had defected.

However, rebels and Arab media reported on a previous occasion that Ghanem had stepped down, but he later re-appeared and said he was in his office and working as usual.

If confirmed, Ghanem would be the latest high profile Libyan official to leave the Gaddafi government. In March, Gaddafi's foreign minister, Moussa Koussa, defected.

Ghanem has been in charge of the oil ministry since 2006 and was previously prime minister. His oil ministry is the biggest income generater for the country. Libya has Africa's largest oil reserves, at 41.5 billion barrels.

Blogger sleeps: Gadaffi lives

Whist rocked on our heels and forced to some attempt at original thought due to our inability to post to our blogs, speculation drove me to the conclusion that perhaps Gadaffi had bought it and Assad had fled to London.

But no. What is this? The leader has emerged - well a voice saying it is him - to tell us the Catholic bishop (the same bishop Gadaffi had  used to weep over his dead son?) was far too generous with the truth.

Because the Blessed One was not dead. He was not even injured. His cunning and guile had evaded the Crusader attacks. He was still able to bomb and kill his own people freely and at will.

Furthermore he was “in a place where you can't get to and kill me." 

As the only place he will never be caught in (but will most certainly end) begins with “H” and ends in “L”, for a short while my speculation resumed. But it is all in the mind.

All in the mind, Oh hidden one, all in the mind.

What "no-fly-zone" in Misurata?

Libyan government forces have dropped bombs on four large oil-storage tanks in the contested western city of Misurata, destroying the facilities and sparking a fire that spread to four more, according to a rebel spokesman.

Government forces used small, pesticide-spraying planes for the overnight attack in Qasr Ahmed close to the port, Ahmed Hassan, the spokesman, said on Saturday.

Misurata is the last remaining city in the west under rebel control. It has been under siege for more than two months and has been the scene of some of the war's fiercest fighting between the rebels and loyalists of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya's long-time ruler.

"Four tanks were totally destroyed and huge fire erupted which spread now to the other four. We cannot extinguish it because we do not have the right tools," he said.Hassan said the rebels notified NATO about the aircraft before the attack but there was no response.

"Now the city will face a major problem. Those were the only source of fuel for the city. These tanks could have kept the city for three months with enough fuel."
Gaddafi's forces flew at least one helicopter reconnaissance mission over Misurata last month, according to the rebels.

Al Jazeera's Tony Birtley, reporting on Saturday from Benghazi, the rebel stronghold in eastern Libya, said that the reported attack in Misurata was very disconcerting for the people who rely on the stored fuel.
"People are raising questions because NATO patrols the skies 24 hours a day," he said.
"This incident, together with the mines in the harbour, are very worrying for the locals."
Separately, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Tunisia reported that shells fired by Gaddafi's forces landed inside Tunisian territory near the town of Dhaiba, on the border with Libya.

Helicopter attacks

The rebels have also accused Gaddafi of using helicopters bearing the Red Cross emblem of dropping mines into Misurata's harbour.

Suleiman Fortiya, who represents Misurata on the rebel interim National Transitional Council, said small helicopters flew over Misurata on Thursday and Friday to drop mines.
"They had Red Crescent and Red Cross markers so that anyone who sees them thinks it is for humanitarian aid," he said.

An aid worker said he saw helicopters on Friday marked with the Red Crescent circling above the port and dropping mines into the sea.

NATO confirmed that helicopters had flown over Misurata on Thursday in breach of the no-fly zone that its jets are supposed to enforce. However, it could not confirm that the helicopters were marked with the Red Cross sign.

NATO official told the AFP news agency a ship involved in the the coalition's operations had observed a number of helicopters over Misurata on Thursday, which came under fire from rebel forces.

"We are aware of reports that the helicopters were marked with the Red Cross," the official said.
He said no humanitarian flights had been notified for the Misurata area on that day.
"Any use of the Red Cross to disguise combat forces would be a breach of international law," he said.