Gaddafi 'running out of commanders'

Jul 18, 2011 |

London

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Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi appears to be running short of commanders.

According to the Guardian, the Gaddafi regime is now using soldiers from its elite special forces to command popular militias after suffering months of desertions.

The paper quoted a defecting colonel, as saying that leaders of the elite fighting force belonging to Gaddafi's son Khamis had left their brigades to man the frontlines.

The troops were more or less new recruits or volunteers. They were inexperienced, with some barely able to hold a gun.

After six months of fighting in a war that is raging across the country, and has three major front lines, the colonel's account depicts signs of strain in government ranks.

The NATO bombing campaign has also weakened the government troops significantly.

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