UN to allow air strikes

The UN Security Council voted last night to allow air strikes to halt Muammar Gaddafi’s offensive against embattled rebel forces in Libya as three loud explosions followed by anti-aircraft fire rattled the rebel-held city of Benghazi in eastern Libya.

The vote was met with rejoicing by the rebels in Benghazi. The cause of the blasts was not immediately known and no aircraft were heard in the area of the explosions, which came shortly after Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi announced the imminent launch of an assault to crush the rebel bastion.

Muammar Gaddafi earlier said he would launch an assault on rebel stronghold Benghazi during the night and show the “traitors” no mercy, as world powers edged towards tough measures against his forces possibly within hours.

“The decision has been taken. Prepare yourselves. We will arrive tonight,” Col Gaddafi said on state television.

“We will chase the traitors from Benghazi,” he told his troops. “Destroy their fortifications. Show them no mercy. The world needs to see Benghazi free.”

The Libyan leader also said “those who surrender and throw down their arms will be saved”.

The rebel command of the city of Benghazi, meanwhile, ordered fighters to man artillery posts and missile batteries after the announcement of the imminent assault, rebel radio reported.

Col Gaddafi spoke shortly after the Defence Ministry ratcheted up the odds by saying “any military operation against Libya will expose all air and maritime traffic in the Mediterranean to danger.”

“Any civilian or military moving traffic will be the target of a Libyan counter-offensive,” the official Jana news agency quoted the Defence Ministry spokesman as saying.

Col Gaddafi’s announcement came just hours before the UN Security Council voted in New York on a resolution calling for “all necessary measures” against loyalist forces, a diplomat at the United Nations said.

The UN resolution, drawn up by Britain, France, Lebanon and the United States, and of which AFP has obtained a copy, highlights that international protection should be extended to Benghazi in eastern Libya.

It specifically excludes “an occupation force”, while calling on Arab nations to “cooperate” in the implementation of a no-flight zone and other measures.

France’s Foreign Minister signalled that military strikes could quickly follow UN approval, telling reporters that his country was ready to carry out any resolution.

“The first step is the adoption of the resolution and then we will see that with our partners and we are preparing the following decisions,” Alain Juppe told reporters.

“France is ready, along with others, to put in action the Security Council resolution, including in this field,” he said. “Taking into account the urgency on the ground, it goes without saying that it must be applied quickly.”

Qatar and United Arab Emirates could be among the Arab nations to join any coalition that takes action against Col Gaddafi’s regime, the Arab League’s UN representative said.

As the talks were under way at the UN, Libyan insurgents claimed they had shot down warplanes trying to bomb Benghazi and disputed claims of territorial gains by Gaddafi forces.

Benghazi, a city of more than a million people, appeared calm yesterday evening, with shops open. An AFP reporter said rebels had reinforced some checkpoints on the Tobruk-Benghazi road with dug-in tanks. The latest developments came amid claims and counter-claims about the progress of fighting, which could not be independently confirmed.

State television said loyalists were on the outskirts of Benghazi, the major Mediterranean city in the east and seat of the month-old rebellion against Col Gaddafi’s iron-fisted four-decade rule. Allibya television said “the town of Zuwaytinah is under control (of loyalists) and armed forces are on the outskirts of Benghazi.”

A rebel spokesman told AFP by telephone: “The Gaddafi forces tried to carry out an air raid on the city but our anti-aircraft defences repulsed the offensive and two planes were shot down.”

Libyan television also said loyalists had overrun the rebel bastion of Misrata, 200 kilometres east of Tripoli, but that was denied by a rebel spokesman there.

“We still control the city, even its outskirts. Gaddafi is mobilising his forces a few kilometres away,” the spokesman said by phone.

He said 18 people, including three civilians, were “martyred” in fierce fighting on Wednesday and that “we inflicted huge losses to the Gaddafi forces, including 60 people killed.” A witness in the western town of Zintan said rebel fighters there were bracing for an attack.