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Libya conflict: Gaddafi 'must tell supporters to quit' | Libya conflict: Gaddafi 'must tell supporters to quit' |
(40 minutes later) | |
Foreign Secretary William Hague has urged Col Muammar Gaddafi to tell his supporters to stop fighting, saying their numbers are "dwindling". | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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". | 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". | 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 | 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. | 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. | "There is a clear, fundamental, decisive rejection of that regime by the people of Libya," he said. |
"He [Col Gaddafi] should be telling his dwindling and remaining forces now to stand down." | "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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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 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. | 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. | 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' | 'Significant challenges' |
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". | 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. | 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. | "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." | "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. | 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 | Military operations |
Nato has said its military operations will continue until all pro-Gaddafi forces surrender. | 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 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 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. | 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. | 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. |