While the defection of the Libyan armed forces and politicians keeps increasing since the popular revolt against the Kadhafi regime, thousands of soldiers of fortune show up as the last bastion of a desperate regime To subdue the rebellion and protect the last bastions and fortresses still out of control of the rebels, Colonel Kadhafi keeps calling the mercenaries, recruited among the Touaregs and the nomad populations originating from Niger, Mali and Algeria, settled since the 80s in the South of Libya, at Sebha and Oubari.
But as the latter are not well trained to manipulate arms, Colonel Kadhafi talked directly to Mohamed Abdelaziz, Chief of the Polisario Front. Knowing that the latter was indebted to him as he helped him, financially and materially, during the mid 70s, to create the armed forces, and thus could not refuse him such a reinforcement with men.
No sooner said than done, more than two hundred Sahrawis well trained to the guerilla techniques, and this is but a first contingent and others would follow, were thus chosen and armed with kalashnikov, grenade and launcher rockets, and have taken their way towards Libya, in the end of last week, in 4×4 cars. The mercenaries have, according to our sources, taken the road leading to the border Libyan city Al Atchane, from where they should be escorted by Libyan soldiers till Tripoli, passing by the Sabha city.
This information were confirmed since Washington by Dr. Ali Al Arichi, resigning secretary (minister) in charge of emigration and expatriates general popular committee. Al Arichi was, moreover, invited by Global Media Center on Friday, 4th March, at the press club, to lead a press conference dedicated to the issue of the mercenaries and the situation in Libya.
By sending reinforcements to his former ally Kadhafi, Mohamed Abdelaziz has killed two birds with one stone. The separatist movement has, since 1991, date of the ceasefire convention in the Western Sahara, been severely confronted with increasing unemployment among thousands of young Sahrawis. This transaction constitutes, thus, for the Polisario an opportunity to get rid of undesirable elements and take benefit of Kadhafi’s generosity to swell the Polisario coffers and, on the other side, to appease the tension which keeps increasing in Tindouf camps.
Abdelaziz would have even received from colonel Kadhafi, according to a fluent member of the Front leadership, an important sum of money in currency which has been put in a secret account belonging to the Polisario chief, in a fiscal paradise in the Caribbean. Kadhafi has also promised him a large set of armaments.
A support which Mohamed Abdelaziz needs greatly so that he can, as well, put down the rebellion movement being prepared against his leadership in Tindouf camps.
A call has been launched for a mass demonstration on Saturday March 5th in the camps, against the front corrupted leaders and the degradation of the life conditions of the Sahrawis in Tindouf. To be followed…
