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| Africa North |
| Libyan rebels warn money running out |
| 2011-05-28 |
| Fill the begging-bowl kuffars or we will have to stop fighting and then where will you be? THE new rebel administration in Libya has warned it is fast running out of money because countries that promised financial aid have not come through. Ali Tarhouni, the rebel finance minister, complained that many countries that pledged aid have instead sent a string of businessmen looking for contracts from the oil-rich country. "They are very vocal in terms of (offering financial) help, but all that we have seen is that they are ... looking for business," Mr Tarhouni said. He recently returned to Benghazi, the rebel bastion, from a trip overseas to drum up aid that included a visit to Rome where the contact group on Libya promised to set up a fund to speedily help finance the rebel administration. "I think even our friends do not understand the urgency of the situation. Either they don't understand, or they don't care," he said. Mr Tarhouni singled out Qatar and Kuwait for their "generous, very generous help", but did not say if those countries had sent money. Qatar is the only Arab nation to send jet fighters to help NATO enforce a UN-designated no-fly zone in Libya. He also praised France, which was the driving force behind the UN no-fly zone. But "other than that, everybody is just talking", he said. "So far, nothing has come through and I am fast running out of cash." |
| Posted by:tipper |