Libya says telecom staff to act as shield against NATO

Tripoli: Libya said on Monday that tens of thousands of telecom workers would act as human shields to deter NATO strikes on communications infrastructure, which it said had inflicted serious financial damage. Speaking to reporters at a government-organised news conference in the capital, a man who identified himself as one of more than 20,000 workers in the sector read a statement vowing to guard telecom installations with their lives. [caption id=“attachment_11101” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“A man walks near the headquarters of Libya”]  [/caption] “We, the telecom workers, are present with our families and children around the clock and in shifts to protect this utility,” it read. “We will be human shields to confront any aggression or bombing aimed at continuing destruction of the communications infrastructure.”   Libya says the strikes have caused hundreds of millions of dollars of damage to telecom installations. Muammar Gaddafi’s government says NATO’s two-month campaign has gone beyond a UN mandate for civilian protection to target civilians and destroy infrastructure to pave the way for regime change and seizure of the country’s oil wealth. State media have reported strikes on communications equipment and facilities throughout the NATO campaign, including facilities used by the country’s two mobile phone service providers. NATO says its attacks target command and control facilities, and aim to limit Gaddafi’s military capabilities. Reuters