A NATO official acknowledged June 14 that the alliance is considering air-strikes on ancient Roman ruins in north Libya, sparking statements of concern from the United Nations. The anonymous official told CNN the alliance would bomb the ruins of Leptis Magna, between Tripoli and Misrata, if it confirmed that war material is being sequestered there by the Qaddafi regime. Rebel sources claim that Qaddafi-loyalist troops have stashed rocket launchers and other military equipment at the site. (CNN, UPI, Time magazine’s Global Spin blog, June 14)
In response to the news, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) issued a statement calling on the warring parties in Libya to protect the country’s two World Heritage List sites—Leptis Magna and the oasis town of Ghadamès, which also dates to Roman times. The Old Town of Ghadamès, known as “the pearl of the desert,” was shelled by Qaddafi forces over the weekend, according to UNESCO. (UN News Centre, June 14)
See our last post on Libya.