Young men enjoy their one-evening control of a liberated tank in Benghazi.
The United Kingdom has decided to send advisers to anti-Gaddafi forces, writes Richard Norton-Taylor of the Guardian:
Britain is preparing to send advisers to help anti-Gaddafi forces in eastern Libya, it emerged as Nato commanders were instructed to draw up plans for a wide range of military options, including a no-fly zone.
As the situation in Libya was deteriorating rapidly, ambassadors representing Nato's 28 nations tasked military commanders to start planning for what an alliance spokesperson described as "all eventualities".
In addition to unarmed advisers deployed to Benghazi and other towns in eastern Libya - where British officials are in touch with a range of opposition figures - the government has placed on alert air, sea, and ground forces that could quickly intervene in the conflict if ordered to do so.
According to social media and other reports heavily armed foes of the Libyan regime of Muammar al-Gaddafi appear to have taken portions of the eastern port city of Ras Lanuf despite strong resistance and attacks by government fighter jets and other aircraft. But the loss of daylight has made it difficult for them to make further progress. The city is the last major government stronghold before Sirte, Gaddafi's hometown.
Meanwhile, revolutionaries holding Az Zawiyah, 30 miles west of Tripoli, have been pushed back by government forces, with at least dozens of fatalities. Among them was Col. Hussain Darbook, who had defected from the army to join the anti-government forces. Reports from Al Jazeera are that some of the wounded have been kidnapped from hospitals and medical supplies are badly needed. Az Zawiyah has beaten back several previous attempts to retake the city, and it is still held by the revolutionaries who have vowed to fight to the death. But this assault may be different since the city's rebellion has been viewed as an embarrassment by the regime.
A local man called Ibrahim told Reuters: "From 11am until now Gaddafi's mercenaries, mainly from Africa, have been opening fire on people here. Hundreds of victims are now in the town hospital."
A brigade led by one of Gaddafi's sons was reported to have attacked Zawiyah. A resident said the troops from the Khamis brigade, named after Gaddafi's son, attacked Zawiyah's western side, firing mortars and then using heavy machine guns and automatic weapons to fight armed residents and allied army units.
"Our men are fighting back the force, which is big," the resident told Associated Press.
In Tripoli overnight, as many as 100 young men presumed to be protesters were dragged from their homes and arrested. During noon prayers in Tripoli, the government was reported to have fired live ammunition into crowds.
AbdulRahman Shalgam, who was, until an hour ago, Libya’s Representative to the UN, told Al Jazeera (Arabic) the following:
Gaddafi, you are over. Go away. There is no more room for you here. Libyans are not in a revolution. They are in a liberation war. Libyans in the Gaddafi battalions are constantly joining the protesters every time they meet with them. I confirm that 80% of those with Gaddafi now are mercenaries. There won’t be a Rwanda massacre. I call on all Libyans to announce their alliegance to Mustafa AbdulJalil. I ask the people who are fighting for Gaddafi: who are you fighting for? Gaddafi’s family? Gaddafi who calls you rats and sandals? Why are you still with Gaddafi?
Saif was right in saying that we are not like Egypt and Tunisia. We are not protesting and demonstrating and sitting-in. We are engaged in a total war of liberation. You cannot give up now. If you do, you will most certainly be treated as rats and shoes for the rest of your lives.
Is it true that you are being bought with 500 Libyan Dinars? I urge the world to watch the Libyan State TV channel. What they are broadcasting is embarrassing. They claim that they are showing the reality of the situation, but it only embarrassing.
I am now with the Interim Council of Libya. I have been contacted by ambassadors and international ministers. We want legitimacy for the interim council, for them to be able to deal and handle all aspects of Libya. We want our embassies to only be dealing with the interim council.
We have passed the stage of negotiations, and I say that he needs to step down. And I call out to anyone who is still raising arms against Libyans, I tell you to drop them down, and if you do you will be guaranteed a trial in Libya.
We are now preparing armies in Benghazi, Az Zawiya and Nalut. When I say that only mercenaries are with Gaddafi now I know what I mean. And I know the countries that are part of this, and I tell them that we will chase them and hold them to account in the international courts.
I repeat, I tell Mu’ammar: I do not want to believe that you are contacting nations that are enemies to us, and hearing that you are seeking their support in how to oppress and destroy the protests. This is not you, so please don’t do this.
Shalgam is too generous. Gaddafi has proved many times that he has no qualms about doing whatever it takes to stay in power. We're now witnessing whether his foes will do what it takes to kick him out.