Here is coverage of events in Libya on the day when No 10 slapped down the Chief of the Defence Staff for saying Col Gaddafi was not a target.
By Nick Collins, Peter Hutchison, Barney Henderson and Emma Firth 6:11AM GMT 22 Mar 2011
Comment
• No 10 clashes with Armed Forces chief over Gaddafi strike plan
• PM tells Commons attacks have 'neutralised' Libyan defences
• Barack Obama says US policy is that 'Gaddafi needs to go'
• British missile destroys building at Libyan leader's compound
• Oil rises to $115.13 a barrel in wake of attacks on Libya
Latest
00.20 That's all for tonight. Check back tomorrow for more Libya Live coverage and visit our Libya page for the latest Libya news.
23.25 Watch our latest video of events in Libya.
22.50 Al-Jazeera has reported that coalition forces have struck radars at two of Gaddafi's air defence bases to the east of Benghazi, the rebels' stronghold.
22.17 Mohammed al-Nabbous, a Libyan online TV journalist, has become the second reporter to be killed in the conflict after he was shot dead by a sniper in Benghazi on Saturday, the Vienna-based International Press Institute said.
22.01 The AFP agency, which reported the news that the UN Security Council will meet on Thursday, has issued a correction stating that this is in fact a scheduled meeting, and not at the request of Libya as earlier reported. Apologies for any confusion.
21.40 Further to the news that the UN Security Council will meet on Thursday to discuss Libya, the Associated Press is reporting that a Libyan request for an emergency meeting to halt "military aggression" from Western states was rejected today.
21.20 Meanwhile, Rob Crilly describes how "bullets fizzed through the air past our ears" as he left Benghazi with a rebel convoy earlier today
21.07 The Telegraph's Richard Spencer has sent over a summary of tonight's events from Tripoli:
Tripoli echoed to the sound of explosions and anti-aircraft tracer tonight as another round of air attacks began.
The crump of missile strikes rang out across the city at 9pm.
An orange glow of fire rose from two points in the naval base in the heart of the city. The extent of the damage was not immediately clear but fire engines stormed along the corniche to the site of the attack.
A government spokesman said that earlier there had been raids on Sebha, in the south of the country, and that several people had been killed when the civilian airport at Sirte, Col Gaddafi's airport, was hit.
He also confirmed that other port facilities had been hit, including what he called a fisherman's wharf at Area 27, a zone 27 kilometres (17 miles) to Tripoli's west.
That is close to the headquarters of the elite Khamis Brigade, which has been leading Col Gaddafi's forces.
21.03 RAF Typhoon aircraft were used in combat for the first time today, the MoD has confirmed in a statement from tThe Chief of Defence Staff’s Strategic Communication Officer, Major General John Lorimer:
Typhoon aircraft from RAF Coningsby and RAF Leuchars deployed forward to Gioia del Colle in southern Italy on Sunday. Today, Typhoons flew their first ever combat mission while patrolling the No Fly Zone in support of UNSCR 1973. UK Aircraft are helping to patrol the No Fly Zone alongside our international allies.
Coalition forces' action has, over the weekend, stopped Colonel Gaddafi's forces from seizing control of Benghazi.
GR4 Tornados left RAF Marham in Norfolk this afternoon on an air reconnaissance mission over Libya as part of Operation Ellamy. The Tornados have now landed at Gioia del Colle which will be their new base of operations, as we had planned.
20.47 A short update on reports that a naval base in Libya has been attacked - the AFP says witnesses reported seeing flames coming from the base 10km (six miles) to the east of Tripoli.
20.45 Italian pilots have contradicted Silvio Berlusconi by claiming they did fire missiles, which hit their targets, according to reports on Twitter from Karl Stagno-Navarra, a Malta-based journalist:
Now this is good: Berlusconi: 'we never bombed' Pilots change version: 'we hit targets'
20.43 A naval base in Libya has been bombarded, the AFP reports. More details as they emerge.
20.32 The UN Security Council will meet on Thursday in response to a request from Col Gaddafi, a UN diplomat has told the AFP agency.
20.27 Tripoli's anti-aircraft defences light up the sky once more after a fresh round of explosions in the Libyan capital.
20.19 A Libyan government spokesman has also claimed there were "numerous" civilian casualties at a commercial airport after Sirte, Gaddafi's home town, was allegedly attacked. He said the coalition also attacked "a little fishing port" 27 kilometres west of Tripoli.
20.02 The Gaddafi regime is claiming Misrata, to the east of Tripoli, has been "liberated" from rebel control.
19.59 Meanwhile Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian premier, has said he wants Nato to take control of military operations in Libya:
We want command of the operations to go to NATO and that there be a different coordination to the one that currently exists...It is essential for us to clearly define the objectives of the mission in Libya in the framework of the UN resolution: a no-fly zone, the imposition of the embargo and the protection of civilians.
He added that Italian planes "are not firing and will not fire"
19.50 The coalition has bombarded the southern town of Sebha, bastion of Gaddafi's Guededfa tribe, a Libyan government spokesman has said.
19.42 Libyan state TV reports new attacks on several sites in Tripoli by "crusader enemy".
19.35 Ed Miliband tweets:
I support British intervention in Libya for 3 reasons: it is a just cause, with a feasible plan, and has international support.
19.17 Libyan state TV says the capital Tripoli has come under new international airstrikes. There are reports Gaddafi's compound has been hit again.
19.07 Reports on Reuters of an explosion in Tripoli followed by anti-aircraft rounds.
19.04 U.S. President Barack Obama has said the United States expects to transfer the lead military role in Libya to other allies in a matter of days.
At a news conference with Chilean President Sebastian Pinera, Mr Obama said the military objective in Libya is to guard civilians from attacks by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, not oust him from power. However, he said, U.S. policy is that Gaddafi "needs to go".
18.45 More from Mr Obama:
The legitmate aspirations of the people must be met. Violence against civilians is not the answer.
It is US policy that Gaddafi needs to go. He has lost legitimacy.
I could not be prouder of the way the US military has performed, but obviously our military will be stretched. For us to have international cooperation is something we should embrace.
Our military action is in support of an international mandate from the Security Council that specifically focuses on the humanitarian threat posed by Col Gaddafi to his people.
Not only was he carrying out murders of civilians but he threatened more.... In the face of that, the international community rallied and said, we have to stop any potential atrocities inside of Libya, and provided a broad mandate to accomplish that specific task.
18.36 Mr Obama said the events in Libya "remind us that in our interconnected world, the security and prosperity of people and nations are intertwined more than ever before," the BBC reports.
18.30 Barack Obama has starting talking to a press conference in Chile. He is expected to discuss Libya. More as it develops.
18.27 Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has criticised attacks by the United States, Britain and France on Libya and accused the West of twisting the meaning of a UN resolution imposing a no-fly zone:
The West has been (acting) in the same hypocritical way as before.
They interpreted (the UN Security Council resolution) to mean permission under it to bombard any places of their own choice in Libya, including civilian places even.
Now it is the West which is bombarding Libya and doing it callously and they don't care who dies.
18.25 The ultimate goal of US and allied military action against Libya is the departure of Col Gaddafi, the state department has said.
18.16 Read the full story from The Telegraph's Nick Squires on board the USS Ponce,
Helicopters capable of rescuing downed American and British pilots arrived in the Mediterranean on Monday as the Daily Telegraph witnessed the scale of the coalition naval operation off the coast of Libya.
18.09 In addition to the 40 killed in Misurata today, 300 were injured - rebels have told AFP.
18.04 Watch a video of David Cameron telling MPs Libya no-fly zone has been imposed in 'nick of time'.
17.58 Rebels are now saying 40 people have been killed by Gaddafi troops in Misurata.
17.53 The Associated Press is reporting that 11-year-old Mundhir Masalmi died in Syria today after inhaling tear gas during a demonstration yesterday - this report has also come fron an unnamed activist.
17.50 Away from Libya for a moment, a rights activist is claiming that a boy has died from his injuries after a protest in Syria, according to the AFP news agency.
17.48 Sean O'Connor, an air defence expert, has plotted Libya's air defence network on his blog, outlining where the strikes have happened so far and where they are likely to take place in future.
17.41 Meanwhile Germany has defended its position not to back the Western-led air strikes against the Gaddafi regime, saying that the Arab League's condemnation of the air strikes had vindicated the decision.
Berlin did, however, join other EU countries by tightening sanctions against Libya, extending its list of banned individuals and organisations and freezing the assets of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and 18 associates.
17.27 Six fighter jets sent by Norway to join the Libya campaign will not have any involvement until it has been clarified which country is commanding the coalition force, the country's defence minister has confirmed.
17:15 AP reports that Italy's foreign minister Franco Frattini has told a press conference that it will review the use of its bases by coalition forces for strikes against Libya if the mission doesn't pass to NATO command.
17:04 Niall Paterson, Sky New's defence correspondent, tweets:
BREAKING Sky Sources: Tornado strike on gaddafi compound last night called off because CNN journalist was broadcasting live from the scene
17:02 AFP reports that French war planes have flown 55 sorties over Libya since Saturday but have dropped no missiles today.
16:53 Gp Cptn Peter Rochelle, the station commander at RAF Marham, speaks of his pilots' 'Herculean efforts' and says he also considers the raid where Tornados turned back after intelligence that there were civilians nearby a success.
16:42 As the Commons debate continues, Ed Miliband says it would be a 'dereliction of our duty' not to have got involved in Libya.
David Cameron addresses the Commons
16:35 Cameron commended the motion to the House, after concluding his statement to MPs by saying:
Gaddafi has had every conceivable opportunity to stop massacring his own people and the time for red lines, threats, last chances is over.
Tough action is needed now to ensure that people in Libya can lead their lives without fear and with access to the basic needs of life.
That is what the Security Council requires, that is what we are seeking to deliver.
There are rightly those who will ask how and where this will end. Of course, there are difficulties and dangers ahead.
But we already know, beyond any doubt, that we have succeeded in chasing Gaddafi's planes out of the sky, we have saved the lives of many Libyans, and we have helped to prevent the destruction of a great and historic city.
Of course, no-one can be certain of what the future can hold.
But as we stand here today, the people of Libya have a much better chance of determining their destiny and in taking this action, we should be proud that we're not only acting in British interests but also being true to our values as a nation.
16:32 Senior US general leading Libya assault admits to AP that stalemate with Gaddafi is possible outcome of bombardment.
16:30 David Cameron tells MPs, in response to a question:
I can assure the House we will do everything we can to avoid civilian casualties, indeed last night our RAF pilots aborted their mission when they determined there were civilians close by to the identified military targets.......
If Gaddafi's attacks on his own people succeed Libya will become once again a pariah state festering on Europe's border, a source of instability, exporting terror beyond her borders.
A state from which literally hundreds of thousands of citizens could seek to escape, putting huge pressure on us in Europe.
We should also remember that Gaddafi is a dictator who has a track record of violence and of support for terrorism against our country - the people of Lockerbie, for instance, know what this man is capable of.
So I am clear: taking action in Libya, together with our partners, is clearly in our national interest
16:26 News coming out of America makes plain what we have suspected all day: that the missile which hit Gaddafi's compound was fired by the British.
A senior US military official tells Reuters that the strike launched by British forces on Sunday had targeted Gaddafi, but that the US is not targeting Gaddafi personally. He said it was unclear how effective the strike had been.
16:16 Ed Miliband gives the opposition response to the motion on Libya being debated, says he backs it and pays tribute to forces taking part in military action.
Rebel fighters flee after soldiers loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi fire shells along Benghazi-Ajdabiyah road
16:13 PM gives details of the "significant" number of nations who were getting involved in the action.
Spain has confirmed its active participation with four air defence fighters, a tanker aircraft, a surveillance aircraft and an F100 frigate.
Canada has committed six air defence fighters and a naval vessel. Norway and Denmark committed a total of ten air defence fighters.
Belgium has offered air defence fighters. Italy has opened important bases in close reach of the Libyan coast, one of which we are using right now.
Greece has excellent facilities including bases only minutes flying time from Benghazi.
16:05 Cameron stressing again and again that this is not another Iraq.
A rebel fighter points his gun at a suspected Gaddafi supporter on a road between Benghazi and Ajdabiyah
16:00 James Kirkup blogs:
The Libyan communications tangle I wrote about earlier has just become a whole lot more serious.
General Sir David Richards, the Chief of the Defence Staff, was asked about targetting Gaddafi.
He replied: “Absolutely not. It is not allowed under the UN resolution and it is not something I want to discuss any further.”
Since the general is the Prime Minister’s principal military adviser, you might have thought that was the end of it.
Not so. Downing Street “sources” are now telling journalists that the general is, simply, wrong. They add that David Cameron himself will give the final word on the matter in the House of Commons shortly. Headlines involving words like “slapped down” and “humiliation” cannot be far behind.
This is serious stuff. At a time when Britain’s Armed Forces are engaged in operations, ministers are in a semi-public row with the country’s senior military officer about one of the fundamental objectives of those operations. Watch this space.
15:52 Cameron underlines the 'no occupying forces' part of UN resolution, but leaves options open if required to rescue downed pilots for example. He told MPs RAF Typhoons were being sent to southern Italy "within 25 minutes' flying time from the Libyan coast" and that they would be in action patrolling the no-fly zone this afternoon.
15:48 Cameron, still speaking in the Commons, adds:
To those who say we should wait and see, I would say we have waited and we've seen more than enough.
15:42 David Cameron stresses that "we are not talking about an invasion or an occupying force" but about trying to save lives
In terms of what the UN Security Council resolution says, it's very clear about the fact that we are able to take action, including military action, both to put in place a no-fly zone that prevents air attacks on Libyan people but also to take all necessary measures to stop the attacks on civilians.
And we must be clear about what our role is - and our role is to enforce that UN Security Council resolution.
Many people will ask questions I'm sure today about regime change and Gaddafi and the rest of it.
I've been clear; I think Libya needs to get rid of Gaddafi. But in the end we are responsible for trying to enforce this Security Council resolution. The Libyans must choose their own future.
15.34 David Cameron tells Commons: "Coalition forces have largely neutralised Libyan air defences and as a result a no-fly zone has effectively been put in place over Libya. It is also clear that coalition forces have helped to avert what could have been a bloody massacre in Benghazi. In my view they did so just in the nick of time."
An RAF Tornado GR4 leaves a trail of heat haze as it takes off from RAF Marham, in Norfolk
15.17 David Cameron is expected to clarify the situation on targeting of Gaddafi in a statement to the Commons at 15.30.
15:40 Bill Keller, executive editor of the New York Times, has sent the following note to staff:
We're overjoyed to report that our four journalists missing in Libya since Tuesday morning are free and have arrived
safely in Tunisia. The Libyan government informed us through various channels Thursday afternoon that Anthony, Tyler, Lynsey and Steve were in Tripoli, in the custody of the Libyan authorities, and would be freed soon. The four were allowed to speak to their families by phone Thursday night. Because of the volatile situation in Libya, we've kept our enthusiasm and comments in check until they were out of the country, but now feels like a moment for celebration. And before longwe'll all know the details of their experience. We’re particularly indebted to the Government of Turkey, which intervened on our behalf to oversee the release of our journalists and bring them to Tunisia. We were also assisted throughout the week by diplomats from the United States and United Kingdom.
15.16 The European Union said it was ready to mobilise its military and civil defence assets to protect a humanitarian mission in Libya, if the United Nations requested it.
15.04 Major General John Lorimer, Ministry of Defence spokesman, has said there is no evidence that Libyan civilians have died during UN operations. Watch the video put together by Telegraph TV.
15.01 The House of Commons is to debate the UN Security Council Resolution 1973 at 15:30. Watch it live here.
A rebel fighter on guard in a street in Benghazi
14.59 The Libyan government has accused coalition forces and rebels of breaking a new ceasefire declared late on Sunday. A source told JANA news agency:
The other parties have not respected the ceasefire. Bombs and missiles continue to target Libya as the Al-Qaeda terrorists also continue their attacks. The bombs and missiles of the aggressors have killed dozens of civilians at a time when Libya is respecting a total ceasefire.
14.53 Jim Murphy, the Shadow Defence Secretary, has tweeted:
The Government is doing the right thing on Libya but Liam Fox's comments were irresponsible
14.49 What is remarkable is that Government and Cabinet sources are now briefing against Sir David Richards, the head of Britain's armed forces. He said that there was no legal basis to target Gaddafi after Liam Fox and William Hague had suggested there was. Since Sir David's comments Government insiders have said he was wrong to say what he did.
14.47 The Government has released the full legal advice on the UN resolution on Libya. It says that there is a "clear and unequivocal basis" for action but doesn't clarify whether it would be legal to target Gaddafi himself.
14.43 The effectiveness of a weekend strike on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's compound in Tripoli remains unclear, a US military official told Reuters. The senior official said that the strike launched by British forces on Sunday had targeted Gaddafi's military command ability. US officials have said they are not targeting Gaddafi personally.
14.40 Alain Juppe, France's foreign minister, has said that the coalition campaign in Libya was proving "a success" and said that the intervention had saved the people of Benghazi from "a bloodbath", AFP reports.
14.39 The BBC's Frank Gardner tweets:
Lots of speculation #Yemen President Saleh will step down within hours. If so, his supporters will be looking at facesaving exit
14.37 Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said that Iran supports "all regional uprisings". Does that include in his own country?
14.37 Nato is ready to back the intervention in Libya in "a few days", AFP reports.
14.23 A French spokesman has said that even if Col Gaddafi's exact location was known, he would not be fired on.
14.15 Yemen - President Saleh has asked the Saudi Arabian foreign minister as a mediator in the crisis, Al-Jazeera reports.
14.11 Nicholas Kristof, of the New York Times, tweets:
While celebrating release of NYT journalists in Libya, we're also thinking of Al Jazeera journos&others still detained
14.09 Yemen - despite the violent clashes between protesters and security, forces President Ali Abdullah Saleh says that the majority of his country's people are behind him.
14.07 The BBC's Nick Robinson says Gaddafi is a tightrope walk for William Hague and Liam Fox.
14.06 Iran condemns the military intervention in Libya.
13.46 A senior No 10 source said that under the UN mandate it was "legal to target those killing civilians" - apparently at odds with the analysis of Gen Richards over the legitimacy of targeting Gaddafi in person.
13.37 The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg tweets:
Govt sources saying it would be legal to target Gaddafi, despite what Gen Richards said - but govt won't be drawn on if he IS a target
13.35 The UN Security Council is to hold a closed door meeting at 19:00 to discuss the situation in Libya.
13:32 It does appear slightly odd that President Obama is touring South America while all this is going on. I'm not sure what the best thing for him to do would be but he clearly can't drop everything for Libya. A White House national security aide summed it up in a basic but accurate way:
The world obviously is a complex place, with a lot of things going on at once, but it's precisely that — a lot of things going on at once.
13:23 Italian Tornados attacked air defences around Benghazi last night, a spokesman for the Italian army tells reporters at the airbase in Trapani, Sicily. Mauro Gabetta said:
The operation was aimed at suppressing the enemy's defences and was successfully carried out. Our objectives have been met. Our mission is not finished, we are primed to respond each time we are called for.
13:19 Interesting redefinition of just what has been justified by the United Nations. A senior No10 source said that under the mandate it was "legal to target those killing civilians" - which is apparently at odds with the analysis of Gen Richards over the legitimacy of specifically targeting Gaddafi.
13:07 The Swedish military has told its government that it has up to eight Saab fighter jets available to join the Libyan enforcement if required. The Swedish government is waiting to be asked by Nato but the country is not a member.
13.02 Rebel fighter points his gun at a suspected Gaddafi supporter as other rebels try to protect the suspected supporter, on road between Benghazi and Ajdabiyah
12.59 President Jacob Zuma of South Africa has said that he does not support regime change in Libya and called for restraint from foreign countries enforcing a no-fly zone. He said:
As South Africa we say no to the killing of civilians, no to the regime change doctrine and no to the foreign occupation of Libya. Operations aimed at enforcing the no-fly zone and protecting civilians should be limited to just that. They should not harm or endanger the civilians that Resolution 1973 sought to protect.
12.55 Libyan rebels have insisted that it is their aim to secure the capital Tripoli, Reuters reports.
12.47 Senior British military spokesman Major General John Lorimer has said that Gaddafi appears to be focusing attacks away from Benghazi. He said that Western forces would continue the air strikes as Libyan forces loyal to Gaddafi were still violating the ceasefire. The Major General said:
We are satisfied that our attacks and those of our partners have been highly effective in degrading the Libyan air defence and command and control capability.
12.36 Libyan Youth Movement has tweeted:
Confirmed: All Ajdabiya is now in the hands of the freedom fighters once again #Libya #Feb17 via AJ
12.32 Damien McElroy, The Daily Telegraph's Foreign Affairs Correspondent, writes:
At the Meethaq school in Saraj suburb I ask a teacher if the children chanting "God, Muammar and Libya only" as well as slogans denouncing the airstrikes as barbaric aggression, is part of the daily curriculum. Clearly Libyan schoolchildren are inculcated with Col Gaddafi's dogma but not 7:30 am to 1 pm, 2pm until 5pm - hopefully. Anyway the point is that the kids are scared of bombs whether they've heard them or not. Whether they live near a military installation or not.The regime exists by mobilising its people for its own ends.
12.11 Mourners pray next to coffins containing bodies of Libyans killed by forces loyal to Gaddafi during a funeral in Benghazi
12.07 General Sir David Richards, the Chief of the Defence Staff, has flatly ruled out any attempt to target the Libyan leader, contradicting earlier claims by Liam Fox and William Hague that Gaddafi could be targeted. The comments appear to suggest a major disagreement between the Army and the Government. Sir David said:
It is not allowed under the UN resolution and it is not something I want to discuss any further
12.07 The European Union has agreed to slap new economic sanctions on Gaddafi's regime, AFP has said.
12.03 Turkey's US Ambassador, Namik Tan, has tweeted that the four New York Times journalists detained in Libya last week have been released.
12.00 Laura Kuenssberg, the BBC's Political Correspondent, tweets:
PM rang Moussa, leader of Arab League, this morning after he raised doubts about NFZ - now they are 'on same page'
11.59 In Benghazi a Libyan rebel spokesman has said that foreign troops should not launch ground troops, Reuters reports. Ahmed El-Hasi, a spokesman for the February 17 opposition coalition, said:
The committee rejects foreign troops on the ground but we encourage the bombardment of Gaddafi's army
11.55 Forces loyal to Gaddafi are bringing civilians from nearby towns to the rebel-held city of Misrata to use as human shields, Reuters reports.
11.52 Vladimir Putin has said that the UN resolution on Libya resembles medieval calls for crusades, Reuters reports. He also says that interference in other countries' internal affairs is becoming a trend in US foreign policy and that the events in Libya indicate that Russia should strengthen its own defence capabilities. He said:
The resolution is defective and flawed. It allows everything. It resembles medieval calls for crusades.
11.51 Libyan rebel officials meet at the French foreign ministry as France resumed air patrols over the north African country, AFP says.
11.46 Thousands march in Syria, chanting freedom slogans at the funeral of a protester killed by security forces, Reuters reports. France has called criticised the crackdown on protesters and has called for all those detained to be released.
11.43 ShababLibya, the Libyan Youth Movement, tweets:
More G forces are now attacking the city of Zintan, G seems to be determined to regain Misrata and Zintan.
11.41 The Government is due to publish a summary of the legal advice given by the Attorney General Dominic Grieve ahead of a Commons debate and vote later today on the military intervention.
11.30 James Kirkup, Political Correspondent for The Telegraph has blogged on Britain saying "maybe" to the question of whether Gaddafi will be targeted, while the US is saying "no". He writes:
In short, what is this war for? Those who hope to win and maintain public support for military intervention need to agree an answer, and soon.
11.25 Richard Spencer, The Telegraph's Middle East Correspondent, says:
I have just spoken to the main government spokesman, Moussa Ibrahim, who says he does not have full details on what was hit and how many people were killed overnight in the second wave of attacks. But he says he thinks there were fewer casualties than on the night before (when the government said 64 people were killed across the country and around 150 injured).
On casualties, unlike the wild and contradictory claims on state TV, he appears to be trying to be straight with us. Yesterday he withdrew a claim that a hospital was hit, saying he had not been able to confirm it personally. In fact, we were later told by residents that the hospital in question - which is directly opposite the military base in the suburb of Tajoura which was struck on Saturday evening - had its windows blown out by the blasts, so in a sense his retraction was unnecessary. There were no casualties though.
Today he also said that a military academy for 15-18-year-olds near Tripoli International Airport was hit yesterday evening, but that as it was night-time there were no deaths, though he believes there may have been some injuries.
Overall, though we are in a looking glass world of claim and counter-claim in which the proper reaction is scepticism, a death toll of 64 from the first night's raids seems if anything on the low side for such a wide-ranging aerial assault.
11.14 Sultan Al Qassemi tweets:
Al Arabiya: Gaddafi forces surround and cut water supplies from Misurata city (211km/131 miles east of Tripoli).
11.02 Time magazine has published an intriguing article explaining why the US went to war, answering what went on inside the White House debate on Libya.
10.58 Meanwhile in Syria, security forces have unleashed a wave of "arbitrary detentions" and "excessive force" in cities where anti-regime protests flared in recent days, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
10.54 Is the tide shifting in favour of the protesters in Yemen? AFP reports that dozens of army officers have pledged support to the demonstrators while the governor of Aden has resigned.
10.51 More than 50 pro-Gaddafi supporters blocked Ban Ki-Moon as he left a news conference in Cairo.
10.42 The Telegraph's Rome Correspondent, Nick Squires, texts to say:
Just about to board an american helicopter on a base in Sicily. Heading towards a US war ship, the USS Ponce, off the coast of Libya. Good weather, great visibility. Hoping to see other allied ships in the Med... A great deal of air traffic here at the base near Catania. Fighters and Hercules mostly. Our helicopter is finally taking off after a 5 hour delay.
10.40 The New Statesman publishes Libya war: in pictures.
10.39 AFP reports that India is calling for an end to air strikes against Libya.
10.36 Frank Gardner, the BBC's Security Correspondent, tweets:
Top #Yemen general sides with anti-President protesters. Saleh loses another pillar of his power. Cd be dangerous power vacuum to come
10.34 The leader of al-Qaeda's North Africa branch urges Libyan rebels not to trust the US's role in the air strikes. Abdelmalek Droukdel of Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb claimed the same America now attacking Gaddafi had turned a "blind eye" in the past to his crimes against Libyans.
10.33 Iraq becomes latest country to say it supports the intervention in Libya.
10.23 Western forces cripple Libya's anti-aircraft systems, the Pentagon says.
10.20 A British journalist for AFP is missing in Libya, the agency reported. Dave Clark, 38, has not made contact with his editors since Friday evening. Mr Clark is originally from north-east England, where he worked for the Newcastle Evening Chronicle, and previously headed AFP's bureaux in Baghdad and Lagos in Nigeria. He moved to AFP's Paris headquarters in September 2008 and has been reporting from Libya since March 8.
10.14 There are unconfirmed reports that one of Col Gaddafi's sons has been killed. Al-Manara is reporting that Khamis Gaddafi died yesterday as a result of his injuries. Khamis is Gaddafi's youngest son, and commander of the Libyan military's elite Khamis Brigade. Press TV says that an unnamed son – Gaddafi has seven – is "fighting death" in hospital. It quoted the al-Arabiya news channel.
10.09 Elsewhere in the Middle East, events are progressing rapidly in Yemen. Tanks have been widely deployed on the streets of Sana'a while General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, one of the country's most senior military officers, has joined the protest movement.
10.00 Western air strikes in Libya are likely to last "a while yet", but it is up to Libyans and not the international community to decide what course the country takes, a top adviser to the French president says. Henri Guaino, one of Nicolas Sarkozy's closest aides, says:
It's not up to the international community to decide the fate of the Libyans. Everybody clearly has in mind the secondary aim of Colonel Gaddafi's departure.
09.58 Pro-Gaddafi protesters block UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as he leaves Arab League, AP reports.
09.56 Armed pro-Gaddafi forces dressed in civilian clothes are in the centre of Misrata, Reuters reports.
09.26 Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa says Arab states and the UN are "united" on the issue of protecting civilians in Libya. Mr Moussa, who was speaking at a joint news conference with Ban Ki-Moon in Cairo, said that the "situation in Libya was very serious and threatened civilians.
09.24 Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini says the allied campaign in Libya "shouldn't be a war" on the country, AFP reports.
09.21 The Daily Telegraph's Southern Africa Correspondent, Aislinn Laing, notes that Julius Malema, firebrand Youth Leader of South Africa's ANC, has said it’s “evident that certain powers, particularly the US, UK and France want to impose a puppet government in Libya so that they can have access to its oil reserves”.
09.14 William Hague has signalled that Col Muammar Gaddafi could be personally targeted if he ordered atrocities against his people. The Telegraph's James Kirkup writes:
The Foreign Secretary said that the UN resolution authorising missile strikes at Libyan assets could allow attacks aimed at the dictator. The minister was speaking after allied missiles struck a building in Col Gaddafi's personal compound in Tripoli.
09.11 Nick Robinson, the BBC;s Political Editor, wonders how Libya will end.
09.09 Ban Ki-Moon, the United Nations Secretary General, tells an audience in Cairo that Egypt and the Arab League stand with the UN at "this critical time for the region".
09.07 US Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich tells the BBC World Service that the air strikes against Libya are "quite likely to precipitate a much wider war". He says:
What's behind this is an attempt at regime change, and without and endgame in sight, and it could possibly open a door to Islamic extremists in the eastern parts of Libya, particularly if people start pushing to divide Libya. So this is really the beginning of a new nightmare.
08.56 The Daily Telegraph's John Bingham notes that the 3,000 mile trip from RAF Marham to Tripoli for the RAF jets is the longest single sortie since the Falklands War almost 30 years ago.
08.54 Con Coughlin argues that an invasion may be the only way to topple Col Gaddafi. He writes:
...the West would be made to look impotent if the conflict ended with Gaddafi still in power. For that reason coalition commanders argue that a ground intervention is not the same as an occupation, and that this form of military action must remain a viable option if Gaddafi refuses to go.
08.51 MPs will put pressure on David Cameron to rule out a ground invasion of Libya this afternoon when the Prime Minister, opens Commons debate on military intervention in the country. The Daily Telegraph's Political Editor, Andrew Porter, says there are fears among some MPs that the commitment to a no-fly zone will lead to troops being sent in.
08.47 Mr Hague said he would not "get drawn into details about what or whom may be targeted", refusing to rule out that Col Gaddafi may be a target. He said:
I'm not going to speculate on the targets... That depends on the circumstances at the time.
08.45 Foreign Secretary William Hague tells Radio 4's Today Programme:
We will see whether they implement a ceasefire, a genuine disengagement from fighting - we will look at that throughout today. The UN resolution - and again that is the bible, if you like, on these things - calls for a ceasefire and an end to violence. That requires a bit more than not being on the move - sitting in the middle of a town, you can be stationary but you can still have your tanks firing at people. That does require a measure therefore of disengagement from the fighting.
08.44 Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, says it would be "unwise" to have coalition forces try to kill Col Muammar Gaddafi.
08.41 Ryanair forced to cancel flights to Sicily due to the air strikes. The low-fare Irish carrier flies to and from Trapani airport in Sicily but the airport has been closed to all civilian air traffic since the offensive began against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.Ryanair, whose Sicily services include flights from Stansted airport in Essex, has now switched all its Trapani flights to Palermo airport, about 35 miles away.
08.38 Oil prices jump $1.87 to $115.80 following the continued Western strikes on Colonel Gaddafi's military sites
08.29 Britain and its allies could deliberately target Colonel Gaddafi in their military strikes on Libya, Liam Fox says. In a Radio Five Live interview, Dr Fox was asked if the allies could attempt to kill Gadaffi. He said:
That would potentially be a possibility. You would have to take in account any civil casualties that would arise from that. We are very careful at all times to avoid that.
08.22 William Hague insists that the Arab League continues to support the implementation of the UN Resolution. The Foreign Secretary also tells Radio 4's Today Programme that there "will not be an invasion of Libya" and the situation "will not be like Iraq".
08.19 BBC Global News tweets:
Foreign Secretary, William Hague, says the end game for coalition in #Libya is to 'protect' civilians "nothing more, nothing less"
08.17 Col Muammar Gaddafi may be personally targeted with air strikes if there is no risk to civilians, Liam Fox, the Defence Secretary, indicates. Read The Telegraph's full report.
08.12 Nick Squires, The Telegraph's Rome Correspondent, reports that RAF Typhoons are poised to take part in fresh operations against Libya today from a base in southern Italy. The ten fighters have been deployed to the air base of Gioia del Colle after flying from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.
08.04 Abigail Hauslohner, writing for Time magazine, wonders whether, under air cover, the rebels can get their act together.
08.01 Libya's overstretched military won't be difficult to defeat but creating a coherent government when the fighting stops will be a bigger challenge, says our Diplomatic Editor, Praveen Swami. He writes:
If the Libyan war drags on, warring tribal factions will seek support where they can find it – and the jihadists will be happy to oblige them.
07.54 Gulf Arab states reject Iranian and other foreign interference in their internal affairs and say Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are taking part in Libyan military operations for "safety and security".
07.53 Obama's Libya policy makes strange bedfellows of congressional critics, authors for the Huffington Post argue.
07.38 British intelligence officers have contacted Col Gaddafi's generals to try to persuade them to defect, the Daily Mail discloses
07.33 The New York Times runs a piece entitled 'Target in Libya Is Clear; Intent is not'. In the article the authors write:
...there is also the risk that Colonel Qaddafi may not be dislodged by air power alone. That leaves the question of whether the United States and its allies are committing enough resources to win the fight. The delay in starting the onslaught complicated the path toward its end.
07.31 Sultan Al Qassemi tweets:
Al Arabiya: the GCC rejects any foreign intervention in its internal affairs including that of Iran's
07.26 A rebel fighter gestures in front of burning vehicles belonging to forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi after an air strike by coalition forces along a road between Benghazi and Ajdabiyah
07.20 Paul Waugh tweets:
Shad def sec Jim Murphy says the RAF can't go round the world trying to "topple dictators". Must stick to UN resltn, he adds
07.17 Libyan soldiers survey the damage to an administrative building hit by a missile late Sunday in the heart of Moammar Gadhafi's Bab Al Azizia compound in Tripoli
07.15 French government says it has no information suggesting that any civilians have been killed in the air strikes.
07.10 RAF jets were forced to turn abort a mission and turn round after it was reported that civilians were within the target area. In an statement, the Chief of Defence Staff's strategic communications officer Major General John Lorimer said:
As the RAF GR4 Tornados approached the target, further information came to light that identified a number of civilians within the intended target area. As a result the decision was taken not to launch weapons. This decision underlines the UK's commitment to the protection of civilians.
06.42 Telegraph columnist Boris Johnson argues that only with the support of the Arab world can intervention in Libya end without disaster. He writes:
I want to see Arab air force jets – the Egyptians and the Saudis have plenty – enforcing that no-fly zone in the skies above Tripoli, and in an ideal world the coalition would have a Muslim commander, and not some American, his bulging bosom bedecked with medals earned in Iraq and Afghanistan.
06.37 China's official newspapers step up Beijing's opposition to Western air attacks on Libya, accusing nations backing the strikes of breaking international rules and courting new turmoil in the Middle East. The People's Daily writes:
The blood-soaked tempests that Iraq has undergone for eight years and the unspeakable suffering of its people are a mirror and a warning. The military attacks on Libya are, following on the Afghan and Iraq wars, the third time that some countries have launched armed action against sovereign countries. It should be seen that every time military means are used to address crises, that is a blow to the United Nations Charter and the rules of international relations.
06.33 The remains of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's attempt to smash the rebels' resistance lay smouldering in a scrub field outside Benghazi, writes The Telegraph's Rob Crilly. He says:
Jubilant rebels fired their rifles in the air as they paraded a captured Gaddafi tank through the streets on the back of a transporter. Cars tooted their horns in salute.
06.31 British commanders have warned that the Libyan air force still poses a “threat” despite a wave of crippling air strikes unleashed against Col Gaddafi’s forces.
06.27 Ordinary Libyans came face to face with what it means to confront world opinion and western power as the Gaddafi regime buried its dead, Richard Spencer writes. He says:
The funerals were in part arranged as a propaganda exercise. The arrival of western journalists, bussed in by regime minders, was delayed until a demonstration of green bandanna-wearing youths could be marshalled outside Tripoli's Martyrs' Cemetery, a strip overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
06.25 Britain joined a second wave of military action against Libya on Sunday night after Col Muammar Gaddafi defied Western forces by launching fresh attacks against rebels.
06.23 A building in Gaddafi's residential compound is damaged by Western-led airstrike, AFP reports
06.21GMT Welcome back to The Telegraph's live coverage of events in Libya.
Our team in Libya:
Rob Crilly
Richard Spencer
Damien McElroy
Nick Squires
No comments:
Post a Comment