Libya action ‘could last a while’

Libya rebels advance amid strikes

Libyan men celebrate on a destroyed tank belonging to Gaddafi forces

Energised by international strikes on Muammar Gaddafi’s forces, Libyan rebels have advanced in an attempt to reclaim an eastern city under siege by the leader’s troops.

Meanwhile, the US commander of the allied campaign warned that a stalemate could emerge from the bombardment.

That could mean a longer conflict and an unclear end game as the US and European countries try to calibrate how much their campaign – officially intended to protect civilians – should go toward actively helping the rebel cause. Henri Guaino, a top adviser to the French president, said the allied effort would last “a while yet”.

Ali Zeidan, an envoy to Europe from the opposition-created governing council, said rebels want to drive Gaddafi from power and see him tried – not have him killed. He said that while air strikes have helped, the opposition needs more weapons to win the fight.

“We are able to deal with Gaddafi’s forces by ourselves” as long as it is a fair fight, he said in Paris. “You see, Gaddafi himself, we are able to target him, and we would like to have him alive to face the international or the Libyan court for his crime... We don’t like to kill anybody... even Gaddafi himself.”

Gaddafi forces are currently besieging two rebel-held cities – Misrata in the west and Ajdabiya in the east.

So far, the international air strikes do not seem to have targeted those troops, which have repeatedly shelled both cities.

Allied bombardment has concentrated on knocking out Libyan air defences, but a significant test of international intentions will be whether the strikes by ship-fired cruise missiles and warplanes will eventually try to break those sieges by targeting troops on the ground.

Doing so would appear to come under the UN mandate for the strikes, which allows countries to take “all necessary measures” to protect civilians in Libya.

In Washington, the American general running the assault said there is no direct co-ordination between the allies and rebels and no attempt to provide air cover for their operations. General Carter Ham warned Gaddafi might cling to power once the bombardment finishes, setting up a stalemate with allied nations enforcing a no-fly zone.

Britons flee ‘living hell’ in Libya

Britons return from ‘living hell’

Iftikhar Ulhak, 59, a chemical engineer who lives in Wimbledon arrives at Gatwick Airport on a Government-chartered plane from Libya

Passengers spoke of their relief at escaping the “living hell” engulfing Libya as they arrived in Britain on a Government-chartered plane.

A total of 79 people, including Britons and Canadians, touched down at Gatwick Airport in West Sussex on board Flight YU005 following an arduous mission to escape the uprising.

Among them was Iftikhar Ulhak, 59, a chemical engineer who lives in Wimbledon, south London, who described chaotic scenes at Tripoli airport as people tried to flee.

Speaking at Gatwick’s South Terminal, he said: “There are so many people wanting to leave and Tripoli airport is simply not catered for it. There were people camping out, making makeshift tents. They had bags strewn all over the place. There was no system. It was so overwhelming for the Libyan authorities.

“They just cannot cope. There were women, children, old people. It was terrible getting into the airport. It took us four hours despite the fact that the British Embassy staff were there.”

Talking about the scenes on the streets, he said: “There were a lot of gunshots at night. Today I saw tanks move in and some young soldiers probably loyal to the regime guarding the airport.

“The streets are quite deserted though. It gives quite an eerie feeling. Where I was staying in a compound, there was bustling activity but this morning there was not a soul to be seen.”

Despite widespread criticism of the British efforts to repatriate people, Mr Ulhak praised the authorities in general, saying they were “very good”. However, he added: “The phones in the main consular office were not working and that was the main criticism because it meant not being able to contact them and find out when flights were leaving.”

David Smith, from Perthshire, Scotland, said: “The inside of the airport was terrible. It was difficult to move through. We were lucky to have British Embassy staff there who did an excellent job getting us through there.”

Another passenger, Indian oil worker Sanchin Nike, 39 who lives in Calgary, Canada, described Tripoli as a “living hell” and told how he felt scared venturing out after dusk.

Libya rescue flight breaks down

Libya rescue flight stranded in UK

William Hague has promised to send ‘as many planes as necessary’ to evacuate British nationals from Libya

The Foreign Office is facing embarrassment as its first rescue flight for British nationals stranded in Libya was stuck on the tarmac at Gatwick with a mechanical fault.

With hundreds of Britons waiting to be flown out of Tripoli airport, the Boeing 757 had still not left after 5pm on Wednesday. It had been due to leave at 12.30pm.

The delay came after British nationals and shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander accused the Foreign Office of taking too long to respond to the chaos that has engulfed Libya.

Foreign Secretary William Hague promised to send as many rescue flights to Libya as were needed to evacuate Britons wanting to leave.

Two were due to leave on Wednesday and a third – if necessary – early on Thursday morning.

At least 300 Britons are in and around the Libyan capital Tripoli, while up to 170 more – mainly oil workers – are in remote desert camps at risk of attack as violence continues.

Mr Hague said that, as well as laying charter planes, he was not ruling out the possibility of using military flights “without permission”.

Royal Navy frigate HMS Cumberland is on its way to the Libyan coast to evacuate Britons around the Benghazi area.

But in a statement, Mr Hague insisted: “We are taking every action to get the remaining British nationals in Libya out of harm’s way.”