Members of the Al Qaeda-linked Libyan Islamic Fighting Group – LIFG, are in control of the former strongholds of Muammar Qaddafi captured by Libyan rebels last Sunday, Aug. 21, DEBKAfilereports from Libyan sources. Their chief Abd Al-Hakim Belhadj, an al Qaeda veteran from Afghanistan, now calls himself "Commander of the Tripoli Military Council." A US source confirms that NATO's British and French special forces opened Tripoli's door to the rebels. Now, the LIFG is unlikely to relinquish power to the NTC.
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DEBKAfile Exclusive Report
The Egyptian army is negotiating deals with 13 Bedouin tribal chiefs for setting up militias to secure their territories in Sinai and the Israeli border region against raiders, terrorists and smugglers. On offer are new weapons, training and monthly paychecks for undertaking this task. The Sawarka and Tiyaha tribal chiefs have accepted. Sinai's Bedouin population of approximately 100,000 might produce a fighting force of 8,000-10,000,DEBKAfile's military sources estimate, but their loyalties tend to be changeable.
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Three Scud missiles flying from Iraq to Kuwait early Friday, Aug. 26 were launched by the Iran-backed Ketaeb Hizballah of Iraq. They exploded harmlessly, but DEBKAfile's sources report that the first such attack since the US 2003 invasion of Iraq carried a warning to Kuwait: Halt construction of the Grand Mubarak Port opposite the Iraqi shore - or else face a destructive barrage. It was also the first time any Middle East terrorist group had used Scud missiles.
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