Misratah youth finish military training

A number of Libyan revolutionaries have finished military training courses in the city of Misratah to further continue their fight against loyalists of the country’s ruler Muammar Gaddafi.

The trainees, aged 18 to 25, were instructed by soldiers who have abandoned Gaddafi’s regime in protest against killing of protesters.

The Libyan trainees displayed their military skills in presence of city residents. They had used fake guns in their training courses.

Young people are trained to guard the Libyan city against attacks by Gaddafi forces who try to take back the control of Misratah, Libya’s third largest city.

According to the report, thousands of people have been killed and injured in clashes between the revolutionary forces and Gaddafi loyalists since the beginning of anti-government protests in Libya in mid-February.

Revolutionary forces say they have control over almost all of the Nafusa Mountains in the west of the country and aim at seizing Gharyan, which is the last Nafusa mountain town under the control of Gaddafi forces.

A crucial supply route from Algeria and the south of the country to the Libyan regime will be blocked if Gharyan falls out of control of Gaddafi forces, revolutionaries say.

Meanwhile, a group of 17 prominent Libyan football figures have announced their defection to the revolutionaries.

The defectors include the nation’s goalkeeper, Juma Gtat, three other national team members, and Adel bin Issa, the coach of Tripoli’s top club al-Ahly.

“I am telling Col. Gaddafi to leave us alone and allow us to create a free Libya,” Gtat said.