Blasts rattle Libyan capital

2011-03-24 12:32

Tripoli - Blasts and anti-aircraft fire rattled the Libyan capital on Thursday as allied air raids against Muammar Gaddafi’s forces entered a sixth day and a British officer said Libya's air force was mostly obliterated.

The raids appear set to continue for the forseeable future with France hailing the success of the operation while British Air Vice Marshal Greg Bagwell claimed Libya's air force had been almost totally obliterated and "no longer exists as a fighting force".

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe told RTL radio the strikes were a "success" and would "continue as long as necessary" and denied reports that the airstrikes had killed civilians, saying "it is the exact opposite."

Juppe also indicated that France, which has so far blocked calls from the United States and much of the West to place responsibility for the campaign in the hands of Nato, was now in favour of handing over responsibility for implementing a UN-approved "no-fly" zone to the alliance.

France has insisted on a committee of coalition countries so as not to alienate Arab states, while Italy has demanded a single command under Nato.

After talks broke down, a Nato diplomat said the 28-nation alliance would try again on Thursday to reach a decision.

A British submarine launched a fresh salvo of Tomahawk missiles at Libyan air defence systems, Major General John Lorimer, the spokesperson for the chief of defence staff, said, but gave no details about the targets or the result of the strikes.

US officials are also openly speculating whether the continued pressure will force Gaddafi out of power after four decades in control.

- AFP