[SatNews] Never one to shrink from challenges it is either perfect timing — or the worst possible timing...

Today, Thursday October 20th, heavy fighting between the forces of the National Transitional Council (NTC) and fighters from the old regime, which was continuing this morning in the town of Sirte may end in the coming hours following the announcement of the death of Muammar Gaddafi.

When security conditions will be sufficiently stable, the TSF team, deployed on the front line since October 15th, is set to establish one or several telecom center(s) in Sirte, which will be open to all the humanitarian organizations intervening in the area.

The evaluation carried out by TSF has found that there is no electricity, no network coverage and no Internet between Misrata and Sirte (360 km south east of Tripoli).

Humanitarian needs are enormous at all levels, from medical supplies to telecom infrastructures. This particularly volatile situation has rendered work conditions very difficult for all the humanitarian organizations. The personnel of these organizations can only remain on site for limited periods and cannot spend the night in Sirte; as such, they are obliged to go back and forth every day between Sirte, plagued by conflict and insecurity, and other towns such as Misrata or Tripoli, from where the operations are managed.

In this context, the establishment of means of communication by TSF is indispensable. Reliable communications facilitate relief operations, save lives, and increase the security of local populations and of those who help them. More than ever, despite serious concerns about security conditions in this region of Libya, humanitarian efforts must continue for civilians who are the first victims of the combats. TSF’s role will be crucial.