BBC Live Libya Updates

[jannyk]

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1008: Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini says he believes estimates that 1,000 people have been killed in the unrest in Libya "are credible". But, "we have no complete information about the number of people that have died," Reuters quotes him as saying.

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0944: Martin Chulov adds: "Phones and email not working. Can only send and receive text messages."

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1003: Another tweet from the Guardian's Martin Chulov: "Camp site set up at benghazi. Large anti-ghadaffi demo here. Effigies of him hanging from looted govt buildings."

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0942: The Guardian newspaper's correspondent Martin Chulov has made his way to Benghazi, from Baghdad, where he is usually stationed. He sends this tweet: "Seen anti aircraft shell casings on streets in benghazi #libya. Damage on nearby buildings shows they were widely used." There were reports several days ago that Libyan security forces had used anti-aircraft artillery against protesters there.

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0929: Support for Libya's Col Gaddafi seems to be haemorrhaging further. Reuters news agency says that a senior aide to the Colonel's son, Saif, resigned today.

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0933: More on that resignation in Libya. "I resigned from the Gaddafi Foundation on Sunday to express dismay against violence," Reuters quoted Youssef Sawani as saying in a text message to one of its correspondents. Mr Sawani was executive director of the foundation, which had been Saif al-Islam's - Col Gaddafi's son - chief means of wielding influence.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

[jannyk]

1. "Gaddafi will commit suicide or get killed"

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1017: CNN carries a report of an interview with former Libyan Interior Minister Abdul Fattah Younis al-Abidi, who resigned on Tuesday. Mr al-Abidi said Col Gaddafi was so stubborn that he will not give up. "He will either commit suicide or he will get killed."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

[jannyk]

2. Sarkozy calls for sanctions

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1000: AFP has news of another potential hit for Libya's economy as French President Nicolas Sarkozy calls for the the EU to adopt "swift and concrete sanctions" and to suspend economic and financial relations with the country.
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1011: More from French President Nicolas Sarkozy on his call for EU sanctions against Libya: "The international community can not remain a spectator to these massive violations of human rights," a statement from his office says

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

[jannyk]

3. UN to hold 'special session' Friday

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1021: The UN Human Rights Council says it will hold a special session on 25 February - Friday - to discuss the crisis in Libya. A UN official said the EU had requested the session. The UN human rights high commissioner, Navi Pillay, said on Tuesday that what is happening in Libya "may amount to crimes against humanity".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

[jannyk]

4. Turkish National killed Tripoli

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1055: Just reported by Reuters news agency, quoting Turkish TV - a Turkish worker has been shot dead near Tripoli.

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1053: The Guardian's Martin Chulov says many troops in Benghazi have defected: "Amazing scenes in yard of ransacked police hq in benghazi. Massive armoury looted from barracks by defecting troops. #libya".

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1040: A British woman who has just made it out of Libya has provided the BBC with harrowing tales of her experiences there in the last several days. She said: "In Janzur there are mercenaries shooting people in the street." She also said a friend still in Libya told her yesterday there was bombing. Other friends on their way to the airport were told to get out of their bus and lie on the road with their hands on their heads. They were eventually unharmed, the woman told the BBC. But she is still worried: "Now you can't get in touch with anyone in Libya because telephones aren't working. I'm very anxious about my friends."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

[jannyk]

5. Four Thousand African Mercenaries in Libya

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1106: More from the Guardian's Martin Chulov in Benghazi: "Air force major tells me of witnessing 4k african mercenaries arriving from feb 14 'that's why we turned against them'."

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1112: Video purportedly showing mercenaries on the streets of Tripoli has been posted on the internet. The video has not been verified and it is difficult to make out anything other than several jeep-loads of soldiers driving down a street. But it follows reports that mercenaries have been used by Libya's authorities to try to quell the protests.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698