Gaddafi urged to halt Libya fight

24 August 2011 Last updated at 17:14 GMT William Hague: "It is time now for Colonel Gaddafi to stop issuing delusional statements"

Foreign Secretary William Hague has urged Col Muammar Gaddafi to tell his supporters to stop fighting, saying their numbers are "dwindling".

Mr Hague said he did not know where the Libyan leader was, but he had been "clearly rejected" by his own people.

While opposition forces control large parts of Tripoli, there are reports of gun battles with regime loyalists.

The UK and France have invited Libya's opposition political authority to an international conference next week.

Britain is also talking to humanitarian agencies about how to get emergency medical supplies into Tripoli.

Aid groups have warned that the city's hospitals and medical centres have been "overwhelmed with casualties" and that medicine and fuel supplies are running low.

The United Nations' envoy in Tripoli has said that opposition forces now control the vast majority of the capital, but there are reports of pockets of resistance from pro-Gaddafi forces.

Rebel forces say they expect to detain Col Gaddafi soon, but he has urged forces loyal to him to continue fighting to "cleanse the city".

After chairing a meeting of the National Security Council meeting - the third to be held in consecutive days over Libya - Mr Hague urged Col Gaddafi to stop making "delusional statements".

Battle for Tripoli

He said Col Gaddafi should accept the fact that he had "lost control" of most of Tripoli and large parts of Libya and would not be able to regain it.

"There is a clear, fundamental, decisive rejection of that regime by the people of Libya," he said.

Continue reading the main story

The National Transitional Council faces an important and significant challenge in translating a popular uprising into stable government for Libya”

End Quote Douglas Alexander Shadow foreign secretary "He [Col Gaddafi] should be telling his dwindling and remaining forces now to stand down."

He said the government remained "actively engaged" in both military and humanitarian efforts in Libya as well as United Nations moves to unfreeze £12bn Libyan assets in the UK held withheld since the conflict began.

Downing Street said David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy had invited Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) to attend a conference on the country's future in Paris next week.

"This will be an opportunity for the NTC to set out how the international community can help them on the path to establishing a free, democratic and inclusive Libya and for all those who wish to support Libya to discuss the role that they can play to support this," a Number 10 spokesman said.

British nationals

As fighting continued in Tripoli, BBC journalists confined for days in a Tripoli hotel by armed guards loyal to the Gaddafi regime were released after representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross arranged for them to leave.

Those freed from the Hotel Rixos also included a US congressman and an Indian MP.

But amid concerns for the safety of the small number of British nationals still in Tripoli, it emerged that a Maltese vessel which the Foreign Office suggested that Britons could use to leave the capital had not reached its intended destination, instead returning to Malta.

The Maltese authorities said it was not considered "safe enough" to transfer passengers from the city centre to the port.

The UK government has advised all Britons still in Libya to leave the country immediately.

Security experts said they expected there to be continued attacks from remnants of the regime over the coming days and weeks amid fears of reprisals should pro-Gaddafi forces lay down their arms.

'Significant challenges' Demonstrators outside the Libyan Embassy in London wore wristbands showing the date the uprising began

For Labour, shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said it was clear the days of Gaddafi rule were over and that he was "on the run".

But he said there was a lot of work to be done to bring stability to the country, to disarm combatants and to ensure the Libyan people could get access to basic amenities.

"Taking a city is not the same as running a city," he told the BBC.

"The National Transitional Council faces an important and significant challenge in translating a popular uprising into stable government for Libya."

Mr Alexander said the UK could play a role in supporting what he said must be a Libyan-led process in developing new constitutional arrangements for the country.

Military operations

Nato has said its military operations will continue until all pro-Gaddafi forces surrender.

The UK has taken a lead role in five months of strikes against the apparatus of the Gaddafi regime, in accordance with a UN mandate to protect Libyan civilians.

The UK has also been providing logistical advice and training to the anti-Gaddafi forces but has effectively ruled out sending in ground troops as part of a transition to a new government.

The only Conservative MP to vote against military intervention in Libya has continued to question the motives behind the campaign.

John Baron described the action as the "longest assassination attempt in history" and said he remained concerned that successors to the Gaddafi regime might not prove committed to democracy.

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Libya hopes spark market rebound

22 August 2011 Last updated at 16:38 GMT Fighting between the government and Libyan rebels has affected oil exports from the country Stock markets in Europe have rebounded, led by shares in energy firms, on hopes that fighting in Libya may soon end.

At close on Monday London's FTSE 100 was up 1.08% and the Cac 40 in Paris by 1.14%.

The rally follows a 5% to 10% slump on most markets on Thursday and Friday on recession fears in the US and Europe.

Oil prices initially fell on hopes that Libyan crude would soon come back on tap, before rising again on greater optimism about the global economy.

Business opportunities

During Asian trading hours, news from Libya combined with lingering anxiety over the economy to push the price of Brent crude futures down 3.2% to $105.15 a barrel.

By late afternoon in London, Brent was down at $1.51 a barrel to $107.11, while US sweet, light crude was up $0.74 at $83.15.

Continue reading the main story Leading the rebound in stocks were the European energy firms best placed to exploit future Libyan business opportunities.

Italian oil firm ENI - the most active foreign company in Libya before the conflict began - jumped 6.33%, while France's Total rose 2.25%, and Shell climbed 2.41%.

Exploration firms Cairn Energy and Afren - both active in Africa - rose 2.95% and 4.28% respectively.

Oil industry engineering and servicing firms also received a boost from strong financial results announced by Petrofac. The UK firm rose 3.68%, while oil rigs installer Lamprell jumped 3.77%.

In Milan, other non-energy businesses did well, reflecting the close business links between Italy and Libya.

The FTSE MIB index of 40 leading stocks rose 1.7%, outstripping other European bourses.

Transport and communications firm Ansaldo - which has many contracts with Libya - jumped 5%.

US markets also joined in, with the Dow Jones starting the day more than 1% higher, before slipping back slightly.

Increased supplies?

Markets are hoping that an end to the conflict in Libya will see the country's oil exports restored, increasing global supplies.

Libya is the world's 12th-largest oil exporter.

Analysts said oil prices were likely to fall further as the political situation in the country unfolds.

Before the start of the conflict, Libya produced 1.6 million barrels a day of crude oil, or about 2% of the world's output.

Continue reading the main story

In the long run macroeconomic issues will play a huge role in determining which way the oil prices are headed”

End Quote Avtar Sandhu Phillip Futures But as the political unrest in the country intensified, the majority of that production was hit, taking a toll on global oil supply.

"Once they get back to recovery mode, a million barrels per day are expected to enter the global supply," Jonathan Barratt of Commodity Broking told the BBC.

"This will add weight to the decline in oil prices that we have seen recently," he added.

Macroeconomic factors

However, some analysts said that even though the Libyan conflict seemed to be heading towards an end, there was still uncertainty about how fast the country's oil production could be restored to the pre-conflict levels.

"It will take a long time for them to repair the production facilities and get back on track," Avtar Sandhu of Phillip Futures told the BBC.

"What we are seeing today is more of a psychological selling."

Oil prices have also been hit by concerns in the past month that demand may be hurt by a slowdown in the global economy.

On Monday, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) confirmed that growth in the world's main industrialised economies had slowed for the fourth quarter in a row during the three months to June.

The trend was most marked in the eurozone, where growth fell to 0.2% versus a year earlier, compared with 0.8% in the previous quarter.

"We can count on slower economic growth in US and Europe, and that is going to impact demand for oil," Victor Shum of Purvin and Gertz told the BBC.

Analysts said that, with two of the world's biggest economic zones struggling to boost growth, oil prices are likely to slide.

"In the long run, macroeconomic issues will play a huge role in determining which way the oil prices are headed," Phillip Futures' Mr Sandhu said.

Japan threat

Markets saw heavy falls on Thursday and Friday last week on recession fears, and the negative sentiment carried over into Asian trading hours on Monday.

In Japan, the Nikkei ended the day 1% lower, although Hong Kong's Hang Seng index ended up 0.45% after a late rally.

Continue reading the main story Haven investments also did well during Asian trading, but then fell back as European shares rallied.

The price of gold had risen 2.3% prior to the Europe open, to hit yet another record high, of $1,894.5 per troy ounce - before sliding sharply.

The Japanese yen held steady half-a-yen above the record level of 76.1 yen to the dollar it set on Friday.

Japan's finance minister Yoshihiko Noda reiterated the government's readiness to intervene if the currency strengthened further.

"We will watch markets even more closely than before to see whether there is any speculative activity," he said.

"We won't rule out any measures and will take decisive action when necessary."

Meanwhile, the Swiss franc - another popular haven currency - weakened against the euro. The Swiss authorities intervened last week to curtail the strength of their currency.

Currency movements are also being driven by speculation that the US Federal Reserve chairman, Ben Bernanke, will hint at further monetary stimulus measures in a major speech at Jackson Hole in Wyoming on Friday - something that is likely to weaken the dollar.

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Libya starts to reconnect to net

22 August 2011 Last updated at 16:52 GMT Some Twitter activity seemed to be coming out of Tripoli Libya's internet connections appear to be slowly coming back online after a six-month blackout.

The state-run internet service provider (ISP) carried a message on its website that said: "Libya, one tribe".

However, local people have reported patchy reliability with connections coming and going.

Internet traffic in Libya dropped to almost nothing in early March when Colonel Gaddafi's government pulled the plug in an attempt to suppress dissent.

With Tripoli under siege, and the rebels reportedly gaining the upper hand, the authorities' stranglehold on net connections appeared to be loosening.

Both Google's web analytics and Akamai's net monitoring service showed a spike in traffic coming from the country early on 22 August.

Akamai's director of market intelligence, David Belson, said that internet activity had increased almost 500%, although it had declined again later in the day.

Both Akamai (top) and Google (bottom) recorded a spike in web traffic on 22 August

Writing on the blog of internet intelligence firm Renesys, chief technology officer James Cowie said that Libya's Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) routing appeared to have been taken down briefly, effectively making the country's internal networks disappear from the internet.

The BGPs were later restored, although local ADSL broadband connections then became unavailable, wrote Mr Cowie.

Web monitoring companies conceded that it was difficult to know exactly what was going on inside the country to make the internet connections sporadically available.

However, it appeared that Libyans were making use of their newly restored connectivity - when available - to chronicle fast-moving events inside the country.

Groups such as the Libya Youth Movement posted Twitter messages giving regular updates on attempts to capture Colonel Gaddafi's compound.

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Libya regime 'falling apart' - PM

22 August 2011 Last updated at 14:33 GMT David Cameron: ''The Libyan people deserve to shape their own future''

David Cameron has said the regime of Col Muammar Gaddafi is "falling apart and in full retreat".

The prime minister said there would "undoubtedly be difficult days ahead", but the Libyan people were "closer to their dream of a better future".

He said the UK could be "proud" of the part it had played, but stressed the future of the country - and Col Gaddafi himself - was up to Libyans themselves.

Rebel forces have taken control of large parts of Libya's capital Tripoli.

However, the Ministry of Defence stressed that fighting was still going on in the Libyan capital and Nato operations - including those by UK forces on strategic targets controlled by the regime - were continuing.

Mr Cameron interrupted his holiday to return to London to chair an hour-long meeting of the National Security Council, attended by Defence Secretary Liam Fox and International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell among other ministers.

It is the second time his holiday plans have been disrupted this summer, having abandoned a break in Tuscany earlier this month due to the riots across England.

'No complacency'

The prime minister committed British forces to conduct aerial and naval missions in Libya in March, enforcing the terms of a UN mandate to protect Libyan civilians from attacks.

The decision was overwhelmingly endorsed by Parliament, and in a statement in Downing Street on Monday morning, Mr Cameron again said it was "necessary, legal and right".

Insisting that Nato's mission in Libya would continue as long as it was needed, the PM went on: "The situation in Tripoli is clearly very fluid and there is absolutely no room for complacency.

"Our task now is to do all we can to support the will of the Libyan people which is for an effective transition to a free, democratic and inclusive Libya.

Some civilians have cheered rebels as they advanced on Tripoli

"This will be and must be and should be Libyan-led and a Libyan-owned process with broad international support co-ordinated by the United Nations."

Mr Cameron said Libyan assets in the UK would soon be unfrozen in order to help with post-conflict reconstruction, and the UK would be offering help with medical supplies, food provision and communications and utilities services.

He also said the UK would establish a diplomatic presence in Tripoli as soon as it was safe to do so.

The UK, France and the US have long called for Col Gaddafi to leave power and Mr Cameron again repeated that call, urging him to "stop fighting without conditions".

He said he wanted "to see Gaddafi face justice for his crimes" but said his whereabouts were unknown and insisted that his future would be up to the Libyan people, led by the interim political authority, the National Transitional Council.

Mr Cameron spoke by telephone to the council's leader Abdul Jalil later on Monday.

A No 10 spokeswoman said Mr Jalil had confirmed that rebel fighters were in control of most of Tripoli, but there were still pockets of resistance throughout the country.

"The prime minister welcomed the leadership that Jalil had shown and encouraged him to build on this in the coming days as the NTC implement their constitutional declaration. They agreed the need to continue to respect human rights through the transition process," she said.

Post-conflict planning

Rebel forces met little resistance during a rapid advance on Sunday, when two of Col Gaddafi's sons were among those captured, but fierce fighting is taking place in parts of the capital.

Continue reading the main story

The best way for Libya to move forward is through a transition led and enforced by the Libyan people”

End Quote Ed Miliband Labour leader The BBC's political correspondent Ben Wright said there would be some satisfaction in Downing Street since Mr Cameron had taken a risk in being among the earliest and most vocal supporters of foreign intervention in Libya.

However, he said No 10 would be mindful of uncertainty over how events could develop and be aware that a lot of work would be needed to stabilise the country.

Labour leader Ed Miliband welcomed developments in Libya, but also stressed the need to ensure a orderly transition "from popular revolt against Colonel Gaddafi to stable government without him".

"The best way for Libya to move forward is through a transition led and enforced by the Libyan people that learns the lessons of the past, including Iraq," he said in a statement.

"The priorities are public order, improved lives for the people of Libya and an inclusive, peaceful settlement led by the Libyan people. "

'Degree of humility'

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has given a speech in London about the wider Arab Spring, which has seen uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa.

He said such countries were "on the right side of history" and the UK would do all it could to help them - for example, offering practical support to create new political parties, prevent corruption, promote a plural press and register voters.

Ed Miliband: "Transition must be lead by the Libyan people"

He also said countries would be given help to access to global financial markets, but only if they could prove their commitment to domestic reform.

The deputy PM said the UK should show "a degree of humility" about its failure in the past to speak out against repressive regimes like that of Col Gaddafi or President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

"We attended to these autocrats in the name of stability, accepting their corruption and economic mismanagement as its necessary price and satisfying ourselves with false promises and cosmetic reform," he said.

"We have learned from those mistakes."

Human rights groups believe about 2,000 people have been killed by Syrian security forces in recent months, and Mr Clegg again urged President Assad to step down, calling him "as irrelevant to Syria's future as Gaddafi is to Libya's".

The Lib Dem leader added that the decision to support military intervention in Libya "was not one the UK took lightly", particularly his party and others who opposed the Iraq invasion, but the country was now "on the cusp of freedom".

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French Libya ground role mooted

18 April 2011 Last updated at 21:23 GMT Rebel fighters say they have made gains in Misrata French commandos should be deployed on the ground in Libya to help guide air strikes, a senior French official says.

Axel Poniatowski, chairman of France's foreign affairs committee, warned the Nato campaign could become bogged down unless allies put boots on the ground.

The UN resolution authorising force to protect civilians in Libya forbids a "force of occupation" on Libyan soil.

Meanwhile, a ship has evacuated nearly 1,000 foreign workers and wounded Libyans from the city of Misrata.

The Ionian Spirit left the besieged city on Monday for the rebel stronghold of Benghazi in eastern Libya.

Mr Poniatowski's statement came as rebel forces said they had made ground in Misrata in the west, but pro-Gaddafi forces continued to press the rebel-held town of Ajdabiya in the east.

"The exclusive use of air power, as imposed on us by UN Security Council resolution 1973, has proved its limitations in the face of targets that are mobile and hard to track," Mr Poniatowski said.

He said Nato pilots often found it hard to differentiate between pro-Gaddafi forces and the rebels from the air.

"Without information from the ground, coalition planes are flying blind and increasing the risk of friendly fire incidents," he said.

Rebel convoys have been mistakenly bombed by Nato planes on at least two occasions.

Mr Pontiakowksi argued that special forces could have a limited mission to guide allied air strikes and select ground targets without breaking the "spirit" of the UN resolution.

Meanwhile, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said on Monday that thousands more people in Misrata were waiting to be rescued from what it described as an increasingly perilous situation.

Pro-Gaddafi forces have been pounding the city for days and hundreds of civilians are thought to have been killed.

"We wanted to be able to take more people out but it was not possible," said Jeremy Haslam, who led the IOM rescue mission.

"Although the exchange of fire subsided while we were boarding... we had a very limited time to get the migrants and Libyans on board the ship and then leave."

Continue reading the main story

It is clear Gaddafi wants to wipe out Misrata. Nato's inaction is helping him carry out this plan”

End Quote Rebel spokesman in Misrata The UK has pledged to pay for the evacuation of 5,000 people from Misrata.

The UN's emergency relief co-ordinator, Valerie Amos, said the Libyan government had assured her that the UN could establish a humanitarian presence in the country.

Baroness Amos called for a ceasefire to allow this to happen.

A rebel spokesman in Misrata told Reuters they had "made progress" in the city and were "controlling some areas surrounding Tripoli Street".

However, he said rebel fighters were facing snipers and troops armed with rocket-propelled grenades.

"It is clear Gaddafi wants to wipe out Misrata. Nato's inaction is helping him carry out this plan. Are they waiting for a massacre to realise that they need to change tactics?" he said.

Libyan state news agency Jana said that Nato air strikes destroyed the main telecommunications tower in the city of Sirte on Monday.

The report said "the bombardment of the colonial and crusader aggressors" also hit two other telecommunications stations in the city.

There has been no independent confirmation of the report and no word from Nato.

Despite last month's UN resolution authorising air strikes to protect civilians in Libya, rebels have been unable to retain territory during fighting along the coastal towns of eastern Libya.

Col Gaddafi is defying international pressure to step down despite the revolt against his 41-year rule that began in Benghazi in February.

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Stop Libya 'becoming new Somalia'

12 April 2011 Last updated at 00:09 GMT Moussa Koussa warned a civil war would turn Libya into "a new Somalia"

The most high-profile minister to flee Libya has warned against the risks of civil war and the possibility of his country becoming "a new Somalia".

Speaking publicly for the first time since coming to the UK, Moussa Koussa told the BBC that the unity of Libya was essential to any settlement.

His comments came after rebels rejected an African Union ceasefire proposal.

The AU says Col Muammar Gaddafi has accepted the plan, but on Monday his forces attacked the city of Misrata.

After eight weeks of fighting, pro-Gaddafi forces have recently pushed rebels back towards the east along Libya's northern coast, but Nato has thwarted their advance.

Mr Koussa was Col Muammar Gaddafi's foreign minister until 12 days ago, when he fled to London.

BBC's security correspondent Gordon Corera said he was told Mr Koussa was not ready to be interviewed, but would give a prepared statement.

"I ask everybody to avoid taking Libya into civil war," Mr Koussa said. "This would lead to so much blood and Libya would be a new Somalia."

"More than that, we refuse to divide Libya. The unity of Libya is essential to any solution and settlement for Libya."

Libya's Minister for Social Affairs, Ibrahim Zarouk al-Sharif, said he could not comment on Mr Koussa's statement while the former foreign minister was "captured" in a hostile country.

'Sacrifice'

Mr Koussa is a former head of Libyan intelligence and has been accused of being involved in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.

Continue reading the main story Gordon Corera Security correspondent, BBC News

The most high-profile defector from the Libyan regime made his statement to the BBC in Arabic at a location in central London.

There was tight security but the words Moussa Koussa spoke appeared to be his own and no British officials were present in the room.

The former foreign minister said he had served Colonel Gaddafi for 30 years but as the security situation deteriorated he decided to leave. He said he knew this would cause him problems.

He said he had good relations with the UK and had worked closely with people in the country to deal with terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.

The former intelligence chief was interviewed by Scottish police last week but he made no reference in his statement to questions about his past and any knowledge or involvement in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.

He has been staying at an undisclosed location since travelling to the UK from Tunisia.

In his statement on Monday he said he had been "devoted" to his work for 30 years under Col Gaddafi, and was confident that it was serving the Libyan people.

However, he said, after recent events "things changed and I couldn't continue".

"I know that what I did to resign will cause me problems, but I'm ready to make that sacrifice for the sake of my country," he said.

He added that the solution in Libya would come from the Libyans themselves, through discussion and democratic dialogue.

The UK and its allies have a responsibility to ease the dialogue so that Libyans can build a democratic country, he said.

The BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen said Mr Koussa's decision to speak in Arabic suggested he wanted to send a message back home - to both sides.

'Escalation'

Earlier, Libyan rebels based in the eastern city of Benghazi said they were rejecting the AU-proposed truce because it did not include plans for Col Gaddafi's departure from power.

The US, the UK and Italy have repeatedly called for the Libyan leader to step down.

As well as an immediate ceasefire, the AU deal proposed talks between the government and rebels, the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, and the suspension of Nato airstrikes.

But Nato - whose air strikes have been targeting pro-Gaddafi forces - has said it will continue to fly missions over Libya and take action when it sees a threat to civilians.

It says any ceasefire must be credible and verifiable.

A resident in the besieged western city of Misrata told the BBC that Col Gaddafi's forces had been firing rockets there from early on Monday.

Several people were reportedly killed by the government bombardment, and a rebel spokesman said fighting in the city had intensified.

"This is a new escalation and a new level," rebel spokesman Mahmoud Amloda told Reuters news agency. "We do not see any sign of a ceasefire."

Libyan authorities have prevented journalists from reporting freely from Misrata, and the accounts could not immediately be verified.

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RAF jets destroy tanks in Libya

9 April 2011 Last updated at 14:17 GMT RAF Typhoon jets have been enforcing the UN-backed no-fly zone over Libya RAF Tornados have destroyed seven tanks in Libya as air strikes there continue, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said.

The jets hit two tanks in Ajdabiyah and five in Misratah on Friday - areas which have seen fighting between rebels and Col Muammar Gaddafi's troops.

RAF Typhoons have also been involved in policing the UN-backed no-fly zone.

The MoD also said HMS Cumberland would return to the UK after HMS Liverpool took over its surveillance and embargo operations alongside HMS Brockelsby.

A spokesman said the Tornado GR4 planes used Brimstone missiles and Paveway IV bombs.

He said: "The weapons were discharged as part of armed air reconnaissance and overwatch patrols conducted over Misratah, Brega and Ajdabiyah.

Diplomatic mission

"RAF Typhoon aircraft conducted defensive counter air patrols as part of the no-fly zone enforcement."

Prime Minister David Cameron announced earlier this week that an additional four RAF Tornados would be sent to Italy, joining 18 RAF jets already deployed.

A total of 34 nations are now involved in operations in Libya.

State-run Libyan TV ran video which it said showed Col Gaddafi visiting a Tripoli school on Saturday

The latest strikes come after Nato said it would not apologise for a bomb attack on a rebel convoy of tanks in Brega on Thursday, in which at least four people died.

The deputy commander of Nato's Libya operations, Rear Admiral Russ Harding, said they were not aware opposition troops had started using tanks.

But rebel commander General Abdelfatah Yunis said Nato had been informed of the movement of the tanks, and had even been given their co-ordinates.

Meanwhile, a team of African leaders, headed by South African President Jacob Zuma, is heading for Libya this weekend on a key diplomatic mission.

The five heads will visit both Tripoli and the rebel-held city of Benghazi to push for a truce between the forces of Col Gaddafi and the opposition.

Mr Zuma's team includes leaders from DR Congo, Mali, Mauritania and Uganda.

Their first stop will be in Mauritiania on Saturday before going on to Tripoli on Sunday.

State-run Libyan television has broadcast pictures of Col Gaddafi at a school in Tripoli - his first TV appearance in days.

Pupils shouted anti-Western slogans during the visit, which the TV said occurred on Saturday morning.

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VIDEO: Libya: Journalists' tour of Misrata

9 April 2011 Last updated at 19:38 GMT Help

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RAF jets join Libya ground attack

6 April 2011 Last updated at 22:51 GMT Four RAF Typhoon jets will begin ground attacks in Libya More British warplanes are moving from policing the no-fly zone in Libya to begin ground attacks in the country, the Ministry of Defence has said.

Four Typhoon jets will join 16 RAF ground-attack aircraft already under Nato command.

They are all based in southern Italy as part of an international coalition fighting Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi's regime.

Meanwhile, RAF missiles hit 12 targets around rebel-held Misrata and Sirte.

The targets were six armoured fighting vehicles and six battle tanks, the MoD said.

Libya's deputy foreign minister, Khaled Kaim, said a British air strike had hit its major Sarir oilfield and damaged a pipeline connecting the deposit to a Mediterranean port.

The Reuters news agency said he told reporters: "British warplanes have attacked, have carried out an air strike against the Sarir oilfield which killed three oilfield guards and other employees at the field were also injured."

In an update on the UK military action over Libya, the MoD said that two Typhoon aircraft had flown from Gioia del Colle air base, southern Italy, to police the no-fly zone, while two RAF VC10 aircraft provided air-to-air refuelling.

It comes as former US Republican congressman Curt Weldon arrived in Libya on a mission to meet Col Muammar Gaddafi and ask him to step down from power.

Mr Weldon, who met the Libyan leader in 2004, says it is a private visit, with the knowledge of the White House.

The White House has also have confirmed that President Obama has received a letter from Colonel Gaddafi. It was said by state television in Tripoli to be a message to mark the reduced American role in the "hostile, colonial alliance".

Misrata 'a priority'

After criticism from rebels that Nato was taking too long to respond to calls for air strikes to protect Misrata, Nato vowed to do all it could to protect civilians there.

"Misrata is our number one priority," Nato deputy spokeswoman Carmen Romero told AFP news agency on Wednesday.

She added that alliance warplanes had hit Col Gaddafi's military around Libya's third largest city on Monday.

Nato also says forces loyal to Col Gaddafi are using "human shields" in Misrata, by using civilian vehicles and hiding heavy armour in civilian areas.

Prime Minister David Cameron announced earlier this week that an additional four RAF Tornados would be sent to Italy, joining 18 RAF jets already deployed.

A total of 34 nations are involved in operations in Libya in support of the UN Security Council resolution to protect civilians in the north African country.

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Cameron in Libya response apology

24 February 2011 Last updated at 11:09 GMT David Cameron said he was "extremely sorry" for the delay in evacuating Britons from Libya Prime Minister David Cameron has said he is "extremely sorry" for the government's handling of the evacuation of British nationals from Libya.

He said it had not been an easy situation and ministers needed to "learn the lessons".

It follows criticism of the government's response to the crisis.

A plane chartered by oil companies for employees, with 78 passengers, has arrived at Gatwick and a government-chartered flight has also left Libya.

The prime minister said: "Of course I am extremely sorry. They have had a difficult time. The conditions at the airport have been extremely poor."

A flight chartered by oil companies arrived at Gatwick at about 0715 GMT.

The airport said the plane carried 78 passengers. Earlier reports suggested more people had been on board.

A government-chartered flight, which left Tripoli at 0745 GMT, is now on its way back to the UK with a stop-over in Malta.

It is expected to land in the UK in the early evening.

British nationals have started to arrive home from protest-hit Libya

A RAF Hercules C130 aircraft is also expected to return to the UK later with dozens of passengers. A second military plane is on standby in Malta if needed.

The Foreign Office said "a number of additional planes" could be sent to Libya throughout the day.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed that Royal Navy frigate HMS Cumberland is now at the entrance to the harbour in Benghazi.

It will help with the evacuation process if needed.

A meeting of Cobra, the government's emergency planning committee, is being chaired by Foreign Secretary William Hague.

Helena Sheehan, 66, one of the passengers who landed at Gatwick earlier, said she had just experienced "some of the worst hours of her life".

"Libya is descending into hell," she said.

"The airport is like nothing I've ever seen in my whole life. It's absolute chaos. There's just thousands and thousands of people trying to get out."

The British Red Cross has deployed a team of volunteers to Gatwick airport to provide support to Britons being evacuated.

BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said an SAS contingent has been put on standby for emergency deployment to parts of Libya, backed up by paratroopers of the Special Forces Support Group.

Our correspondent said: "With the situation for some British nationals in Libya fast deteriorating, it's part of a range of options being considered by the government to rescue those stranded in the North African country.

"Exact numbers and the locations of any staging areas are being kept secret but it's a scenario that British Special Forces have trained hard for - landing in the midst of a dangerous and chaotic situation then securing the safe passage out of stranded Britons, all hopefully without a shot being fired."

Several other countries, including France, Russia and the Netherlands have already evacuated some of their citizens.

UK nationals wishing to register an interest in flights out of Libya should call the following numbers: 020 7008 0000 from the UK or 021 3403644/45 from Libya.

The Foreign Office is advising against all but essential travel to Libya.

Around 3,500 Britons had been living in Libya before the crisis but most of those are thought to have left in recent days.

Passengers landing at Gatwick expressed relief to have left Libya

However, there is particular concern for some British oil workers thought to be stranded in isolated desert camps.

They are struggling to make contact because the phone networks have been disrupted and their supplies of food and water from Libyan cities are running out.

"Some we know have been subjected to attacks and looting. They are in a perilous and frightening situation," said Mr Hague.

After a week of upheaval in Libya, protesters backed by defecting army units are thought to have almost the entire eastern half of Libya under their control.

The country's beleaguered leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, who has been in power for 42 years, has vowed to fight to his "last drop of blood" rather than leave the country.

Earlier, Mr Hague told the BBC the "odds were stacking up" against Col Gaddafi, adding: "We have a government, or the remnant of a government, here which is prepared to use force and violence against its own people."

He said the Libyan leadership will be "held to account" for crimes against its people.

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Foreigners fleeing Libya violence

22 February 2011 Last updated at 12:49 GMT Much of eastern Libya appears to be under opposition control Tens of thousands of foreigners are trying to flee Libya, after clashes between security forces and protesters reportedly left hundreds dead.

Egypt has boosted its military near the border and set up field hospitals, as thousands of its nationals return.

Several countries are evacuating their citizens and oil companies are relocating expat staff.

Correspondents in Tripoli say the capital is calm but there is a sense of intimidation after a night of fighting.

Overnight Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi dismissed reports that he had fled amid the unrest sweeping the country, calling foreign news channels "dogs".

Speaking to state TV from outside a ruined building, he said: "I am in Tripoli and not in Venezuela," after rumours that he had flown to Caracas.

Meanwhile, UN human rights chief Navi Pillay said attacks on civilians could amount to crimes against humanity.

Continue reading the main story A correspondent BBC News, Tripoli

Colonel Gaddafi's short, bizarre appearance was described as disgraceful here. People were angry that he didn't address the situation in the country. No mention of the fear that he'd spread among people, and no mention of the orders he'd given to bomb Tripoli and Benghazi.

But they are also happy to know he is still in town so he can be tried inside Tripoli. "We want him to stay here and pay for what he's done," said a Tripoli resident.

Tripoli seems to be quiet after a frightening night. People are intimidated and staying at home. Shops are closed. There are few cars on the roads. There are long queues for petrol and longer ones for bread.

A couple of streets that we drove past have evidence of burning and riots. There is a very heavy army presence in and around sensitive areas, especially where there is a diplomatic presence. Evening is the time to watch out.

Yet people seem to be determined to continue. Looking at what people achieved in Benghazi, they are encouraged. There are no police, no army and no officials there. The army is still in control of the suburbs of the city and the airport.

In a statement, Ms Pillay condemned the "callousness with which Libyan authorities and their hired guns are reportedly shooting live rounds of ammunition at peaceful protesters".

The UN Security Council is to meet in closed session to discuss Libya later in the day.

The Arab League will also hold an emergency session.

Airport 'destroyed'

Egypt's ruling military council said it had sent reinforcements to the main border crossing, the Salum passage, following a withdrawal by Libyan border guards.

Around 10,000 Egyptian nationals based in their western neighbour are fleeing the violence. Thousands have already returned from Libya since the protests began almost a week ago.

The Egyptian army has set up two field hospitals on the border to deal with the sick and injured.

Egypt says it will send at least four aircraft to evacuate its citizens.

But Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the airport at Benghazi had been destroyed and there were problems getting flight permits.

"We know there are about one million to 1.5 million Egyptians in Libya, therefore we recommend to our citizens that you stay in your homes, stay off the streets, secure yourselves with water and food," he said.

Meanwhile unconfirmed media reports said at least 300 foreign construction workers employed by a South Korean company, about 100 of them from Bangladesh, were being held against their will, possibly by protesters, in the eastern port of Darnah.

There are about 50,000 Bangladeshis currently working in Libya.

In other developments;

China has urged Libya to ensure the safety of its citizens after reports that hundreds of Chinese construction workers in Ajdabiya were forced to flee an armed attackThree Turkish ships have been sent to Benghazi to evacuate about 3,000 nationals. A thousand have already been airlifted to safetyItaly is to send three C-130 air force planes to evacuate its citizens. The former colonial power has about 1,500 nationals resident in LibyaThe US has ordered all non-emergency personnel to leave LibyaThe UK foreign office is advising Britons to leave if they can, although most of the 3,500 resident in Libya are thought to have already left. The remainder have been advised to take commercial flights, but airlines British Airways and BMI have cancelled all flights on TuesdayOil company Royal Dutch Shell says all its expatriate staff have been "temporarily relocated". Italy's Eni and France's Total are also evacuating staffMultiple fronts

A BBC correspondent in Tripoli says that while there is a heavy police presence in the capital, the second city, Benghazi, is in opposition control and there is no sign of security forces.

"People have organised themselves to get order back to the city. They have formed committees to run the city," said eyewitness Ahmad Bin Tahir.

Reports that military aircraft had fired on protesters in Tripoli on Monday have been backed up by Libyan diplomats who have turned against the leadership.

But Col Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam said the aircraft had been used only to bomb army bases which had defected to the opposition.

Libya's most senior diplomat in the US, Ali Aujali, has criticised Col Gaddafi's regime in a BBC interview

The BBC's Jon Leyne, in western Egypt, says the regime now seems to be fighting on multiple fronts, trying to put down the protests and fighting a bitter battle against a growing number of army units that have risen up against the Libyan leader.

Libya's diplomats at the United Nations in New York called for international intervention to stop the government's violent action against street demonstrations in their homeland.

Deputy Permanent Representative Ibrahim Dabbashi said Libyans had to be protected from "genocide", and urged the UN to impose a no-fly zone.

Ali Aujali, Libya's most senior diplomat in the US, also criticised the country's leader. He told the BBC he was "not supporting the government killing its people".

Meanwhile Libyan state TV denied there had been any massacres, dismissing the reports as "baseless lies" by foreign media.

Continue reading the main story Col Muammar Gaddafi has led since 1969Population 6.5m; land area 1.77m sq km, much of it desertPopulation with median age of 24.2, and a literacy rate of 88%Gross national income per head: $12,020 (World Bank 2009)Opposition control Our correspondent says Col Gaddafi has now lost the support of almost every section of Libyan society.

Foreign journalists work under tight restriction in Libya, and much of the information coming from the country is impossible to verify.

But the authorities have accepted that eastern cities such as al-Bayda and Benghazi - traditional pockets of resistance to the government - are now under the control of the opposition.

The unrest did not touch Tripoli until Sunday, when hundreds of protesters flooded the streets, only to be suppressed by security forces. Witnesses say more than 50 people have been killed.

Before the unrest spread there, Human Rights Watch estimated that 233 people had been killed. Other groups said the figure was much higher.

The violence has helped to push up oil prices to their highest levels since the global financial crisis of 2008.

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Europeans flee violence in Libya

22 February 2011 Last updated at 10:57 GMT Maltese nationals have already left nearby Libya Several European countries are sending planes to evacuate their citizens from strife-torn Libya as continuing violence threatens economic projects.

Italy, Greece and the Netherlands are sending transport planes to Libya to get their citizens out. Austria and Portugal have already done so.

But Egypt said the runways at Benghazi airport had been destroyed in the anti-government uprising.

UK nationals have been told to take commercial flights from Tripoli.

International oil firms, many of them engaged in major energy projects in Libya, are evacuating expatriate staff.

Royal Dutch Shell said all of its expatriate staff and their dependants had been relocated from Libya.

Italy's Eni, the biggest foreign energy producer in Libya, said it was evacuating some of its expatriate staff. French oil firm Total and construction firm Vinci said they were doing likewise.

Continue reading the main story Colonel Muammar Gaddafi has led since 1969Population 6.5m; land area 1.77m sq km, much of it desertPopulation with median age of 24.2, and a literacy rate of 88%Gross national income per head: $12,020 (World Bank 2009)Turkey is sending two ferries to Benghazi to evacuate its citizens. The offices of 14 Turkish construction firms were looted during the unrest, a Turkish minister said, though no casualties were reported in those incidents.

Foreign Trade Minister Zafer Caglayan told reporters in Ankara that about 4,000 Turkish workers were employed at construction sites in the Benghazi, Darnah and Tobruk areas.

In all, about 25,000 Turks are working for more than 200 Turkish construction firms in Libya, he said. The contracts are worth $27bn (£17bn) in total, he added.

Russia says it also plans to start evacuating its nationals on Tuesday. More than 500 Russians are working in Libya, including many building a high-speed railway line.

Brazil says it is trying to get permission to land a plane in Libya to evacuate 170 people from Benghazi. Up to 600 Brazilians are working in Libya.

The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office says Libyan officials are letting foreigners leave without exit visas.

On its website the FCO says: "Commercial flights are available from Tripoli airport. However, the majority of airport offices in Tripoli are closed until further notice.

"We advise British nationals who wish to leave Libya but cannot purchase tickets online to travel to the airport carrying sufficient cash to buy tickets."

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VIDEO: What next for Libya and Gaddafi?

22 February 2011 Last updated at 12:16 GMT Help

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