Generals in Rome after defecting

Eight Libyan army officers appeared in Rome yesterday, saying they were part of a group of as many as 120 military officials and soldiers who had defected from Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi's side in recent days.

The eight officers - five generals, two colonels and a major - spoke at a news conference organised by the Italian government, one of a handful of countries that has recognised the Libyan rebel movement fighting Col Gaddafi as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people.

Libyan United Nations ambassador Abdurrahman Shalgam, who has also defected from Col Gaddafi, said all 120 of the military personnel were outside Libya but he did not say where they were.

The officers said they defected in protest at Col Gaddafi's actions against his own people, saying there had been a lot of killing of civilians and violence against women.

General Melud Massoud Halasa said Col Gaddafi's forces are only "20 per cent as efficient" as they were before the rebellion, and at most ten generals are still loyal to him.

British-based Libyan opposition activist and editor Ashour Shamis said he was aware of reports from opposition sources that eight high ranking Libyan officers including four generals had defected and were in Rome. "This will create its own momentum against Gaddafi, increasing the pressure on him," he said.

Noman Benotman, another opposition activist who works as an analyst for Britain's Quilliam Foundation think tank, said he had heard that many officers had defected, without elaborating.

He added that many of the newly appointed senior security officials were Gaddafi relatives.