Libya halts military action

Libya has declared an immediate ceasefire, just hours after a UN Security Council resolution backed a no-fly zone over the country

In a day of rapid developments in the Libyan crisis, Foreign Minister Mussa Kussa, announced the brutal onslaught against rebel fighters would be halted to protect civilians.

The move follows last night’s UN resolution, which supported all necessary measures to protect Libyan civilians, short of sending in ground troops. It comes amid Western discussions to enforce a no-fly zone.

Speaking in the Commons, Mr Cameron called for Gaddafi to immediately stop attacking his own people insisting: ‘We need a sense of urgency because we do not want to see a blood bath in Benghazi and further repression and killing of innocent civilian life in Libya.’

Before the Libyan announcement to halt military action, heavy fighting was reported to be continuing between those loyal to Col Muammar Gaddafi and rebel forces, with loyalists advancing eastwards towards the rebel stronghold of Benghazi.

Rebel forcesreacted with joy to the UN resolution to protect civilians, short of a full-scale ground invasion. The Libyan dictator took to the airways saying; ‘If the world gets crazy with us we will get crazy too. We will respond.’

David Cameron told Parliament that there would be a Commons debate on intervention in the Middle East on Monday and insisted British armed forces would not be deployed lightly or without careful thought.

Foreign Secretary William Hague said: ‘We have been clear that the world would not accept Gaddafi’s brutality against his own people. We have said all along that Gaddafi must go and it is necessary to take these measures to avoid greater bloodshed.’

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