A French plane has fired the first shots in Libya as enforcement of the UN-mandated no-fly zone begins. The target was a military vehicle, the French defence ministry said.

It came hours after Western and Arab leaders met in Paris to agree a course of action to confront Col Gaddafi.

"Our air force will oppose any aggression," said French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Earlier, pro-Gaddafi forces attacked the rebel stronghold of Benghazi.

However, the Libyan government has denied launching any assault

'Stop the bombardment'

The French plane fired the first shot in Libya at 1645 GMT and destroyed its target, according to a military spokesman.

French planes also flew reconnaissance missions over "all Libyan territory", French military sources said earlier.

Around 20 French aircraft were involved in Saturday's operation, the Reuters news agency reports.

Continue reading the main story
Analysis

Jonathan Marcus

BBC Diplomatic Correspondent

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This campaign to enforce Security Council resolution 1973 has got off to a rolling start.

We do not know yet exactly who is going to be involved and indeed who will have overall command of the operation. But it is the French Air Force that has been in the skies first over Libya, conducting reconnaissance overflights during the course of the day and now firing the first shot in anger.

No details have yet been given by the French, other than that it was a Libyan military vehicle that was targeted. British Tornado and Typhoon aircraft have been readied at their home bases. A small number of Canadian jets have passed through Prestwick airport in Scotland on their way to the Mediterranean.

The US seems to be largely in a supporting role; it will provide what Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called "unique assets", probably satellite and other forms of intelligence-gathering and perhaps some highly sophisticated aircraft to monitor the battleground.

The immediate aim is to halt in their tracks the Libyan government forces moving on Benghazi.

Any Libyan government armour that has already reached the outskirts of the city could be stranded there as its supply chain across the open desert is vulnerable to attack.
French jets "destroyed a number of tanks and armoured vehicles", a defence ministry official told Reuters, adding that he could not immediately confirm the number.

Other air forces and navies are expected to join the French.

The US would use its "unique capabilities" to reinforce the no-fly zone, said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, warning that further delays would put more civilians at risk. However, Mrs Clinton said again that the US would not deploy ground troops in Libya.

A naval blockade is also being put in place, said Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. France is sending its Charles De Gaulle aircraft carrier to the Libyan coast, a military spokesman said.

In other developments:

Italy has offered the use of seven of its military bases which already house US, Nato and Italian forces
Canada says its fighter jets have now reached the region but will need two days to prepare for any missions
The new UN resolution authorises "all necessary measures" to protect Libyan civilians.

The international community was intervening to stop the "murderous madness" of Col Gaddafi, Mr Sarkozy said.

"In Libya, the civilian population, which is demanding nothing more than the right to choose their own destiny, is in mortal danger," he warned. "It is our duty to respond to their anguished appeal."

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Libya's claims to have implemented a ceasefire were "troubling", the AFP news agency reported.

The lack of confidence was so great that he did not trust what the Libyan leadership was saying, Mr Ban added.

Russia regretted the decision by Western powers to take military action, a foreign ministry spokesman said. Russia abstained from the UN vote on the Libya resolution, but did not use its veto.

The rebels' leader had earlier appealed to the international community to stop the bombardment by pro-Gaddafi forces.


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AdvertisementWatch: Kevin Connolly reports on the situation in eastern Libya
A jet also appears to have been shot down over Benghazi. A rebel spokesman was quoted as saying the downed jet was a rebel plane.

Reports from Benghazi suggest hundreds of cars packed with people were fleeing eastwards as fighting spread.

The United Nations refugee agency says it is preparing to receive 200,000 people fleeing the fighting, amid reports of hundreds of cars full of people heading for the Egyptian border, while others are attempting to flee on foot.

The first families had arrived at the Egyptian border, extremely frightened and traumatised, saying some of their homes have been completely flattened said UNHCR spokeswoman Elizabeth Tan.

However, the BBC's Ben Brown, who is at the border, says so far there are a handful of families, in addition to the migrant workers who have been there since the crisis started.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12795971

I think this is a stop the "murderous madness" of Col Gaddafi. He may end up like Saddam.

^^^ what stops the french from doing same in somali?? I smell dirty crude oil.

^^^

Oil is the reason. And maybe they want a stable Libya so they wont be flooded with "Africans."

EzeUche_:

^^^

Oil is the reason. And maybe they want a stable Libya so they wont be flooded with "Africans."

ha ha ha .Nothing goes for nothing. Why have they not open fire in Abijan? because they do not want cocoa money lol

it's high time gadafi goes

r

This is, was and will be a mistake watch this space!

The robot is about to crash. sigh!

Becomrichn:

roger.



whhh ehhh nhhh ehhh ehhh dhhh hhhh ehhh lhhh phhh thhh ohhh ihhh nhhh yhhh ohhh rhhh uhhh bhhh ahhh lhhh ahhh nhhh dhhh , whhh ehhh nhhh ehhh ehhh dhhh thhh hhhh ehhh fhhh rhhh ehhh nhhh chhh hhhh thhh ohhh hhhh ehhh lhhh phhh uhhh shhh , jhhh ohhh ihhh n ehhh dhhh ohhh ,dhhh ehhh lhhh thhh ahhh , bhhh ahhh yhhh ehhh lhhh shhh ahhh ahhh nhhh dhhh yhhh ohhh rhhh uhhh bhhh ahhh ihhh nhhh thhh ohhh bhhh ehhh nhhh ihhh nhhh rhhh ehhh phhh uhhh bhhh lhhh ihhh chhh .

Hmmm @ topic.

Becomrichn:

roger.



whhh ehhh  nhhh  ehhh  ehhh  dhhh   hhhh  ehhh  lhhh  phhh   thhh  ohhh   ihhh  nhhh   yhhh  ohhh  rhhh  uhhh  bhhh  ahhh  lhhh  ahhh  nhhh  dhhh  , whhh  ehhh   nhhh  ehhh  ehhh  dhhh   thhh  hhhh  ehhh   fhhh  rhhh  ehhh  nhhh  chhh  hhhh   thhh  ohhh   hhhh  ehhh  lhhh  phhh   uhhh  shhh  , jhhh  ohhh  ihhh  n ehhh  dhhh  ohhh  ,dhhh  ehhh  lhhh  thhh  ahhh  , bhhh  ahhh   yhhh  ehhh  lhhh  shhh  ahhh   ahhh  nhhh  dhhh   yhhh  ohhh  rhhh  uhhh  bhhh  ahhh   ihhh  nhhh  thhh  ohhh   bhhh  ehhh  nhhh  ihhh  nhhh   rhhh  ehhh  phhh  uhhh  bhhh  lhhh  ihhh  chhh  .

KAI!!

While I am not a fan of Ghaddafi, I just wish the west would stay out of Africa and other countries for that matter. I don't think they're going in there because they really care about the citizens otherwise. The people in southern sudan were murdered by their gov't but no one ever took notice and this has happened and is still happening in many African nations as well as the middle east (Ivory Coast, Yemen, Bahrain et al) This is about oil. Stop with the hypocrisy and stay out of Libya! Do they really think that the gov'ts they put in will be any better?,
Another Iraq and Afghanistan in the making!

Becomrichn:

roger.



whhh ehhh  nhhh  ehhh  ehhh  dhhh   hhhh  ehhh  lhhh  phhh   thhh  ohhh   ihhh  nhhh   yhhh  ohhh  rhhh  uhhh  bhhh  ahhh  lhhh  ahhh  nhhh  dhhh  , whhh  ehhh   nhhh  ehhh  ehhh  dhhh   thhh  hhhh  ehhh   fhhh  rhhh  ehhh  nhhh  chhh  hhhh   thhh  ohhh   hhhh  ehhh  lhhh  phhh   uhhh  shhh  , jhhh  ohhh  ihhh  n ehhh  dhhh  ohhh  ,dhhh  ehhh  lhhh  thhh  ahhh  , bhhh  ahhh   yhhh  ehhh  lhhh  shhh  ahhh   ahhh  nhhh  dhhh   yhhh  ohhh  rhhh  uhhh  bhhh  ahhh   ihhh  nhhh  thhh  ohhh   bhhh  ehhh  nhhh  ihhh  nhhh   rhhh  ehhh  phhh  uhhh  bhhh  lhhh  ihhh  chhh  .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvM0KEAZ8hY

The military actions taken against Libya by France, Britain, USA, Canada and Italy reverberated echo of colonial attacks on Benin Empire and Opobo Kingdom. I could not believe this day will pass when colonial powers and countries of prey will engage on military attack on sovereign African country under the pretence of democracy.

This is the same manner applied when they first visited Africa under the cloak of spread Christianity and civilization. Apparently, Africans inherited skewed civilization, foreign religion and colonization as well as depletion of human beings through slavery. In addition, the colonial masters afflicted Africans with mental laziness which suddenly saw them selling off their kinds.

It appears symptoms of colonization will stay with Africans for a very long time. Today, Africans stood akimbo even jubilating as Libya is being destroyed by the countries whose construction firms would be contractually contracted to rebuild a destroyed Libya. Honestly, it does not take cruise missiles and bunker-busting bombs to remove Gadhafi from the reign of power. The fact remains a covert action that could unseat Gadhafi will not pay greater profits than massive destruction of Libya’s economic infrastructures.

The Republic of Chad had a situation such as Libya however UN, Britain, USA, France, Canada and Italy drew blank on diplomatic circles. Of course, the colonialists will play nonchalance towards Chad’s affairs because the country has no drop of crude oil. Did the colonialists not turn their backs on Rwanda? I say shame on Africa.

Dede1:

The military actions taken against Libya by France, Britain, USA, Canada and Italy reverberated echo of colonial attacks on Benin Empire and Opobo Kingdom. I could not believe this day will pass when colonial powers and countries of prey will engage on military attack on sovereign African country under the pretence of democracy.

This is the same manner applied when they first visited Africa under the cloak of spread Christianity and civilization. Apparently, Africans inherited skewed civilization, foreign religion and colonization as well as depletion of human beings through slavery. In addition, the colonial masters afflicted Africans with mental laziness which suddenly saw them selling off their kinds.

It appears symptoms of colonization will stay with Africans for a very long time. Today, Africans stood akimbo even jubilating as Libya is being destroyed by the countries whose construction firms would be contractually contracted to rebuild a destroyed Libya. Honestly, it does not take cruise missiles and bunker-busting bombs to remove Gadhafi from the reign of power. The fact remains a covert action that could unseat Gadhafi will not pay greater profits than massive destruction of Libya’s economic infrastructures.

The Republic of Chad had a situation such as Libya however UN, Britain, USA, France, Canada and Italy drew blank on diplomatic circles. Of course, the colonialists will play nonchalance towards Chad’s affairs because the country has no drop of crude oil. Did the colonialists not turn their backs on Rwanda? I say shame on Africa.

Splendidly put! I couldn't have put/said it better myself.

In in this day and age, you will be amazed at the way way africans (nigerians mostly) still see the west as their messiah. On countless occasions, I have witnessed nigerians indicate how "god" and america will provide them with electricity.

it is shocking to see how people quickly switched reasons to oil and keep blind to d original cause of d problem; Quadaffi's brutality on his people. were u all in some rodent holes somewhere when his rage of madness was on? what about d unilateral ceasefire he coldnt keep to? it is only an uninformed fellow dt will claim not knowing dt his actions will eventually leasd to d current sitution. This is d wisdom dt backed d resignation of d leaders in Tunisia and Egypt, but Quadaffi's madness makes him want to bring d own country down with him. its a case of one man's ambition ruining awhole nation, he's simply a mad dog. if d western imperialists take advantage of his stupidity and greed for power to take over d nation, blame should be on him squarely, afterall some leaders made personal sacrfices and avoided same for their beloved nation. but Quadaffi loved himself above his people. he is a bloody hypocrite.

moreover, u all would come here and criticise d powerful nations if there is a case of genocide in libya, wc Quadaffi has threatened already. if dey dont deal wt it, who would? d other members of G8 dt stood away r only playing politics, and not for any greater love or higher morals.

even if it were all abt d oil, Quadaffi is still culpable. he could have avoided ds by making personal sacrifices, now he is on a sure path down. IMO, after a short time, d UN may b reapproached to change d mandate of d intervention wc will see ground incursions into once peaceful Libya.

it is shocking to see how people quickly switched reasons to oil and keep blind to d original cause of d problem

why did the coalition not intervene in ivory coast ?

^^^ let Gbagbo dare move his troops on such offensive scale as Quadaffi did n u see what happens next.

The present crisis in ivory coast started in november of last year.do you know how many people have been killed ?'ok what about somalia and sudan?

Agreed! 

Just look slightly beyond what you have typed and see pool of dirty crude oil. Dude!my  Italian colloque was celebrating loudly yeasterday about more flow of oil in thier country, went ahead to tell me its all about Bussiness. so what are trying to insinuate??

homerac7:

it is shocking to see how people quickly switched reasons to oil and keep blind to d original cause of d problem; Quadaffi's brutality on his people. were u all in some rodent holes somewhere when his rage of madness was on? what about d unilateral ceasefire he coldnt keep to? it is only an uninformed fellow dt will claim not knowing dt his actions will eventually leasd to d current sitution. This is d wisdom dt backed d resignation of d leaders in Tunisia and Egypt, but Quadaffi's madness makes him want to bring d own country down with him. its a case of one man's ambition ruining awhole nation, he's simply a mad dog. if d western imperialists take advantage of his stupidity and greed for power to take over d nation, blame should be on him squarely, afterall some leaders made personal sacrfices and avoided same for their beloved nation. but Quadaffi loved himself above his people. he is a bloody hypocrite.

moreover, u all would come here and criticise d powerful nations if there is a case of genocide in libya, wc Quadaffi has threatened already. if dey dont deal wt it, who would? d other members of G8 dt stood away r only playing politics, and not for any greater love or higher morals.

even if it were all abt d oil, Quadaffi is still culpable. he could have avoided ds by making personal sacrifices, now he is on a sure path down. IMO, after a short time, d UN may b reapproached to change d mandate of d intervention wc will see ground incursions into once peaceful Libya.

boo

Rhino

My posiion is "if there's no crack in d wall, d lizard wont find sanctuary in there". Y didnt dey invade Egypt, afterall control of Suez canal wld hav been a great prize along wt oil? Mubarak didnt allow d situation to get so dirty to warrant d opportunist foreign hawks to descend on his country. Same wt Tunisia. What if Quadaffi let go to protect his country? But he didnt, rather played dirty alond wc suits d invaders scripts fine.

Any invasion by allies always comes with some motivating factors.we've seen it iraq and afghanistan and now,its happening in libya

crack or crack, those guys always have thier way.

We have seen in the past where the CIA sponsor and armed groups within a country use them as smook - screens to achieve their agenda.

What about the weapons of mass destruction they accuse saddam with?? i guess you can equally say there was a crack too.

They set-up the whole thing from the begining to get the opportunity to invade yet another oil-rich country.

Keep on celebrating until you see them bombing your village in name of librating the niger delta.

America have fired 112 tom hawk missile in libya and each cost about $570,000 while the somalis are dying on daily bases without single help.

homerac7:

Rhino

My posiion is "if there's no crack in d wall, d lizard wont find sanctuary in there". Y didnt dey invade Egypt, afterall control of Suez canal wld hav been a great prize along wt oil? Mubarak didnt allow d situation to get so dirty to warrant d opportunist foreign hawks to descend on his country. Same wt Tunisia. What if Quadaffi let go to protect his country? But he didnt, rather played dirty alond wc suits d invaders scripts fine.

Well there are two sides to a coin. Do we continue watching a ruthless, deluded Quadaffi who continues to kill his own people in their hundreds everyday? Even the Libyans were happy when a no-flight resolution was passed on Libya. So what is our headache?

^^

Thank u o, Pataki my broda. Again, what sort of leader goes to a war wtout counting d consequences? It is obvious frm start dt Quadaffi wasnt ready to make compromises in order to settle d crisis frm his diplomatic course of actions. So whatever is befalling him presently is an avoidable reward for his stupidity n greed.

Pataki:

Well there are two sides to a coin. Do we continue watching a ruthless, deluded Quadaffi who continues to kill his own people in their hundreds everyday? Even the Libyans were happy when a no-flight resolution was passed on Libya. So what is our headache?

libya has always been peaceful than nigeria until the insurgents started their madness.

what sort people go about annihilating an entire country because of one man?? common dude check your logic again!

Cant they take out gaddafi with destroying Libya??

Cant they take out saddam without destroying Iraq??

People like yu will find nothing wrong with operation of JTF in the Niger Delta communities all in the name of looking for 'militants',

homerac7:

^^

Thank u o, Pataki my broda. Again, what sort of leader goes to a war wtout counting d consequences? It is obvious frm start dt Quadaffi wasnt ready to make compromises in order to settle d crisis frm his diplomatic course of actions. So whatever is befalling him presently is an avoidable reward for his stupidity n greed.

^^

Ur question rephrased:

Wht sort of man goes on annihilating his people n bringing chaos upon his country for his selfish ambition sake?