Libyans die in Syrian fighting

Islamist websites have confirmed the deaths of three Libyans during fighting against Syrian government troops in the Baba Amr district of the city of Homs.

The dead men are said to be part of a Libyan contingent at least 100 strong, mostly from the Benghazi area, that entered Syria last December via Lebanon. They have been named as two brothers, Talal Walid and Ahmed Walid Fitouri and Ahmed Gala Alakori.

The web sites “Channel Benghazi” and “Almukhtar Revolution of Libya” both reported that the men were killed on Monday. Another web site, “February 17th Revolution – Alawakir Youth”, which is connected to the Alakori clan, confirming the third death, stated that Ahmed: “Went for jihad and to support our brothers in Syria a month ago”.

This confirmation that Libyans are fighting and now dying in Syria comes amid growing speculation that the NTC has been supplying arms, as well as fighters to the Free Syrian Army. Last October, Libya was the first country to recognise the rebel Syrian National Council.

Prominent Syrian rebel Burhan Ghalioun

Sources suggest that NTC president  Mustafa Abdul Jalil agreed to provide weapons when he met three prominent Syrian dissidents last October 18. The Syrian delegation included the head of the opposition Syrian National Council, Burhan Ghalioun, a Paris-based professor of political science at the Sorbonne, Mohammed Farouk Tayfour, a top political leader of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood and the popular Syrian writer Radwan Ziyadah,.

After the October meeting NTC spokesman Guma el-Gamaty said: “ Assad is definitely finished, morally and politically. It is just a matter of time. The more political support we give to the Syrian people, the sooner their misery and suffering is brought to an end. We are not going to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs, but if there are issues, we are going to side with the people and their fight for freedom, justice and democracy”.

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