ZILTAN, Libya, July 8 (UPI) -- Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi is relying on foreign fighters because Libyans are conflicted about battling their countrymen, captured prisoners said.
Two Libyan army officers and three sub-Saharan African fighters captured by rebels said Thursday Libyan troops deployed in a mountainous region are running low on ammunition, fuel and morale, The Washington Post reported.
The prisoners told the Post military leaders depend more heavily on foreign fighters because many Libyan soldiers are at odds with themselves about battling fellow Libyans and have lost faith in Gadhafi.
The detainees, interviewed separately at the rebel-run prison in Ziltan, said as many as half of fighters deployed by Gadhafi to the front lines were from countries such as Niger and Mali.
Gadhafi's aides have denied that the government is using fighters from other African countries and have said the troops are motivated and strong.
Jamil, a Libyan military officer detained after rebels captured the city of al-Qualish, told the Post foreign fighters were pushed to the front line as rebels began pounding the city. He said he wanted to fight, but lacked ammunition.
He said Libyan soldiers don't want to fight their countrymen.
"A Libyan sniper can't shoot a Libyan," he said. "This job is for a non-Libyan."
