The general, whose views reflected those of other rebel commanders,
voiced his assessment amid frustration within NATO. Senior NATO officials
said the Libyan rebels have failed to make significant gains despite daily
air strikes on Gadhafi by the Western alliance.
"We are generally in a stalemate," U.S. Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said.
Yunis, a former Libyan interior minister, said the rebels were in
control of most of the strategic oil city of Brega, Middle East Newsline reported. He said Gadhafi has
poured in forces to prevent the rebel takeover of a city regarded as crucial
for the oil economy of Libya.
"We have full control of the area apart from its western approach and
are on the way of seizing control of it in the coming few days," Yunis told
the London-based A-Sharq Al Awsat daily.
In an interview on July 25, Yunis denied reports that he was injured in
an attack by Gadhafi forces. The general said the rebels were also
advancing toward Ras Lanuf and Sirte.
"We are advancing constantly and fighting despite the big difference in
the number of forces and level of armament," Yunis said. "There is no
comparison between the level of the armament of Gadhafi's army and us, and
yet we are achieving important and continuous victories."
[On July 28, Libyan rebels launched an offensive on Ghezaia along the
border with Tunisia. The rebels said their forces were equipped with
Russian-origin main battle tanks, armored personnel carriers and rockets.]
For his part, Yunis did not provide any timetable for a rebel victory.
He stressed that the largely untrained rebel force was still fighting with
light weapons while Gadhafi's military was being supplied by Algeria. The
general said the rebels captured an Algerian weapons ship destined for
Gadhafi's forces.
"Algeria has received a final warning from NATO, the Western alliance,
and the European Union, and this support should stop," Yunis said. "We will
reveal the conclusive evidence when Libya is liberated."
Yunis said the NATO mission was wearing down Gadhafi's army. He also
cited support from Saudi Arabia.
"It is certainly playing a good role and helping us," Yunis said. "You
see it attacking Gadhafi targets and forces on several fronts to protect
the civilians and wear down this regime militarily while we take care of the
rest."