Tripoli, March 02: Fighting has flared up in Libya between anti-government protesters and forces loyal to embattled Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi, amid mounting international pressure on the government to stop violence.
Pro-Gaddafi forces have now massed in the country’s west, preparing to retake the city of Nalut from the opposition.
Residents fear an imminent attack by the government forces. The regime keeps suppressing the popular revolution as more cities in the west and east fall under the protesters’ control.
The forces loyal to Gaddafi are struggling to prevent the protesters from taking the fight to Tripoli, where the ruler is holed up.
On Tuesday, the UN General Assembly suspended Libya’s permanent membership in the Human Rights Council in response to “crimes against humanity” committed by Gaddafi’s despotic regime.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has warned that the situation in crisis-hit Libya could lead to a civil war if Gaddafi does not step down.
The US and NATO bases in Italy are reportedly preparing for military action against Libya, despite warnings from Russia against the deployment of foreign forces to the North African country.
France’s new Foreign Minister Alain Juppe has also said that any military intervention in Libya by NATO forces could be “counter-productive,” and this operation cannot be carried out without a clear UN mandate.
However, British Prime Minister David Cameron has said there is no need for any UN resolution to allow them (England and its allies) to attack the oil-rich country.
The Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen has said no decisions have so far been made about military action against Libya, stating there is no unanimity within NATO on the issue.
Meanwhile, the US and Canada are sending warships to Libyan waters, raising the possibility of a military measure against Gaddafi’s regime.
——–Agencies