US-led forces reject Gaddafi ceasefire

Libyan opposition fighters south of Benghazi on March 21, 2011

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/171083.html

The US-led Western coalition conducting a military operation over Libya has rejected a ceasefire declared by the Muammar Gaddafi regime.

The coalition accuses Tripoli of lying about the new ceasefire which was declared on Sunday night.

US President Barack Obama's national security aide Tom Donilon says the new ceasefire 'isn't true' or has been 'immediately violated.'

"So we'll continue to monitor Gaddafi's actions, not just his words, and continue our efforts to enforce the terms of the United Nations Security Council resolution 1973," he said.

However, Colonel Gaddafi's loyalists have accused the US-led coalition of violating a new ceasefire.

"The other parties have not respected the ceasefire. Bombs and missiles continue to target Libya as the al-Qaeda terrorists also continue their attacks," Libya's state agency quoted officials as saying.

"The bombs and missiles of the aggressors have killed dozens of civilians at a time when Libya is respecting a total ceasefire,” they added.

Early on Monday, French fighter jets resumed air patrols over Libya to enforce a no-fly zone authorized by the UN Security Council.

This comes as Paris joined Washington and London in insisting that the goal of the US-led military campaign is not to eliminate the embattled Libyan leader.

On Sunday night, explosions rocked Libya's capital city as the US-led forces staged fresh airstrikes.

One of the raids flattened a building in Gaddafi's residence, which is said to have been his command and control center.

Reports say Gaddafi's son Khamis has died of burns apparently sustained earlier in one of the strikes. However, the Libyan government has denied reports. Khamis leads the 32nd brigade of the Libyan armed forces.

Meanwhile, Libya's revolutionary forces say Gaddafi forces have killed at least eleven people in the city of Misratah.

Dozens of civilians have been killed in Libya since the US, Britain, France and some other Western countries launched their attacks on the North African country.

Arab League chief Amr Moussa said on Monday that the invasion was in violation of Resolution 1973, which calls for protection of civilians.

"What is happening in Libya differs from the aim of imposing a no-fly zone, and what we want is the protection of civilians and not the bombardment of more civilians," he said.