Kuwait to give Libyan rebels 180 mn dollars

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Kuwait said on Sunday it would grant the Libyan opposition group 50 million dinars (around $180 million) after the country's amir (ruler) met head of Transitional National Council (TNC) Mustafa Abdul Jalil.

Jalil, on a visit to Kuwait, said the amount would be used to pay for the salaries of the employees of the Transitional National Council (TNC), Xinhua reports.

Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Salem Al-Sabah said earlier this month that the Gulf Arab emirate would follow France, Qatar and Italy to recognise the opposition group as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people.

Jalil did not say whether Kuwait would officially declare recognition of the rebel group.

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution imposing a no-fly zone over Libya March 17, paving the way for a military operation against Gaddafi which began two days later. The US handed command to NATO in late March.

Despite dozens of sorties carried out by NATO aircraft against Gaddafi's forces, the government troops maintain their combat capability and continue to pound poorly-equipped rebels with heavy artillery and rocket fire.