The first shipment on non-lethal US aid to Libyan rebels fighting Moamer Kadhafi`s regime arrived in the rebel-held eastern city of Benghazi, Washington officials said.

State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the aid, which arrived Tuesday, "consisted of more than 10,000 halal meals ready to eat, so-called MREs," from US Defense Department stocks.

The shipment was the first under a US decision to provide non-lethal assistance "to protect civilians and civilian-populated areas under the threat of attack," Toner said.

"Other items are en route and include medical supplies, uniforms, boots, tents, and personal protective gear," also from US reserves, Toner said.

"We continue to work with the TNC (Libya`s rebel National Transitional Council) to determine what additional assistance requirements we might be able to support in the coming weeks."

The aid was under US President Barack Obama`s order on April 26 for $25 million in urgent, non-lethal American aid to Libyan rebels.

Officials said at the time that the aid could include vehicles, fuel trucks, ambulances, medical equipment, protective vests, binoculars, and radios

Source: ANTARA