Libyan announces immediate ceasefire

Cairo/Washington, Mar 18 (PTI) Caving in to international
pressure, Libya Friday announced an immediate ceasefire in the
month-long battle against rebels fighting to overthrow Muammar
Gaddafi, hours after UN authorised military action to curb him
and imposing a no-fly zone over the strife-torn country.
"Libya has decided an immediate ceasefire and an
immediate halt to all military operations to protect civilians
in accordance with UN Security Council resolution," Libyan
Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa said in a live broadcast over
state-run television, as allies readied quick plans for a
military action which France said could come "within hours".
Koussa said that Libya, as a member of the United
Nations, was "obliged to accept the UN Security Council's
resolutions".
The Council earlier approved the resolution to permit
"all necessary measures" to establish a no-fly zone, protect
civilian areas and impose a ceasefire on Gaddafi's military.
Resolution 1973 "demands the immediate establishment of a
ceasefire and a complete end to violence and all attacks,
against, and abuses of, civilians."
Libya's ceasefire announcement came only hours after
Gaddafi said in an interview on Portugese television that the
Council had "no mandate" for such a resolution, "which we
absolutely do not recognise."
"This is not a war between two countries that permits the
council to intervene," he added.
Koussa said the ceasefire "will take the country back to
safety" and ensure security for all Libyans.
But he also criticised the authorisation of international
military action, calling it a violation of Libya's
sovereignty.
Koussa implored all governments and NGOs to send fact
finding missions to Libya to come to the right decision and
ascertain facts on the ground.
His unannounced broadcast came as Gaddafi's forces were
still reported to be 120 kms away from the rebel stronghold of
Benghazi and his men were locked in pitched battles with
rebels at the key town of Ajdaibya in the east and Zintan,
Nalut and Misurata in western Libya.
Al Jazeera said that Gaddafi's forces had encircled
Ajdaibya, occupying its eastern, western and southern
outskirts and tanks and artillery were pounding Misurata. Some
of his forces had bypassed Ajdaibya, to head towards Benghazi.
But, Gaddafi's air force as well as helicopter gunships
were not in action as the Arab channel said Libyan strongman
had paused his generals in an apparent bid to marshal his
forces to contend with expected Western air strikes.
Al Jazeera said rebel forces were not contactable
immediately to know whether the ceasefire had taken force on
the battle lines.
Gaddafi's cave-in came as British Prime Minister David
Cameron and the French government spokesman said the allied
air strikes could come "rapidly... within a few hours".
Cameron announced in the House of Commons that Royal Air
Force will send its latest typhoon fighters along with the
older tornadoes "in the coming hours" to enforce a no-fly
zone.