Libya: Qaddhafi Violates Ceasefire, Foreign Forces Mount Attack

[Lankan Ranger]

French fighter jets overflying Libya: military source - FOCUS Information Agency

 

[Lankan Ranger]

French military jets over Libya

French military jets on reconnaissance missions have flown over "all Libyan territory" on Saturday, French military sources say.

Western and Arab leaders have been meeting in Paris to agree a course of action after the UN voted on Thursday for a no-fly zone over Libya.

Pro-Gaddafi forces have attacked the Libyan rebel stronghold of Benghazi, a BBC journalist witnessed.

BBC News - Libya: French military jets on 'reconnaissance'

 

[Tractor]

French fighter jets overflying Libya: military source - FOCUS Information Agency

Against the rule,who will take it down?

 

[Lankan Ranger]

French jets began flying over the rebel-held Libyan city of Benghazi

 

[Imran Khan]

they should bomb qaddafi. common refale if you proove yourself and kill qaddafi may be some one buy you .hhheheeheheh

 

[Lankan Ranger]

FLASH NEWS: British, French and Canadian planes could be involved in first action against Libya - Dutch PM - BBC

 

[Unbeliever]

huh I thought the US would initially take out anti air defenses since Obama said the US involvement "can only last days, not weeks"

 

[monitor]

french warplane are in the sky of libya

 

[American Eagle]

Correct. French Air Force reconnaisance air craft are currently per worldwide news and French news media in specific flying and checking out the air defenses of Libya.

 

[Thomas]

19 March 2011 Last updated at 11:11 ET
French military jets over Libya
BBC News - Libya: French planes 'preventing pro-Gaddafi attacks''

French military jets are preventing forces loyal to Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi from attacking the rebel-held city of Benghazi, French President Nicolas Sarkozy says.

It is believed to be the first act of intervention since the UN voted on Thursday for a no-fly zone over Libya.

Western and Arab leaders have been meeting in Paris to agree a course of action to confront Col Gaddafi.

"Our air force will oppose any aggression," Mr Sarkozy said.

Hours earlier, Pro-Gaddafi forces launched an assault on the Libyan rebel stronghold of Benghazi, a BBC journalist witnessed.

However, the Libyan government has denied it is attacking.

'Stop the bombardment'

French aircraft have also flown over "all Libyan territory" on reconnaissance missions, French military sources said earlier.

The French Rafale jets took off from their base at Saint-Dizier in eastern France, a source told the Agence France-Presse news agency.

The planes encountered no problems during the first few hours of their mission, the source said, and the flights would continue for the next several hours.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told journalists at the summit in Paris that he believed British, French and Canadian aircraft would launch the first airstrikes, the BBC's Carole Walker in Paris reports.

Asked if those strikes would take place later on Saturday, Mr Rutte said that was a possibility, our correspondent says.

The new UN resolution authorised "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 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."

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

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

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says the world must "speak with one voice" on Libya.

Earlier, US President Barack Obama said forces loyal to Col Muammar Gaddafi had to stop attacking rebel areas or face military action.

"Gaddafi must stop his troops from advancing on Benghazi, pull them back from Ajdabiya, Misrata and Zawiya and establish water, electricity and gas supplies to all areas," he said on Friday.

 

[ejaz007]

West Mobilizes For Libya Air Strikes
Agence France-Presse
Published: 18 Mar 2011 07:15

BRUSSELS, Belgium - A coalition of Western nations mobilized Friday to launch quick air strikes against Libya after the United Nations approved military action to prevent Moammar Gadhafi from crushing insurgents.

The United States, Britain and France were expected to scramble fighter jets against Gadhafi's forces after they secured the UN Security Council's blessing.

Paris warned military action was imminent.

The strikes will come "rapidly ... within a few hours," French government spokesman Francois Baroin said after the UN Security Council approved "all necessary measures" to impose a no-fly zone on Libya.

The goal of the operation would be to "protect the Libyan people and to allow them to go all the way in their drive for freedom, which means bringing down the Gadhafi regime," Baroin told RTL radio.

The three military powers could be joined by Canada, which according to Canadian media planned to deploy six CF-18 fighter jets.

Norway said it would take part in the operation and Denmark awaited parliamentary approval before joining the action with F-16 warplanes. Poland offered logistical support but no role in a military strike force.

NATO was holding a meeting to decide what, if any, role it may take.

The West could be joined by Arab nations in the endeavor after the Arab League pressed for the international community to impose a no-fly zone against Gadhafi's forces.

Qatar's foreign ministry said the Gulf state would "contribute in the efforts aiming at stopping bloodshed and protecting civilians in Libya" and urged quick action to impose the no-fly zone, the state news agency said.

The UN's approval of the measures sparked celebrations in the rebel bastion of Benghazi in eastern Libya where the opposition had urged the international community to act quickly.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said the UN measures were needed to "avoid greater bloodshed" and stop Gadhafi from attacking his own people.

"This places a responsibility on the members of the UN and that is a responsibility to which the United Kingdom will now respond," Hague said.

Britain's Royal Air Force is expected to send Tornado attack aircraft equipped with precise weapons from their bases in Marham, east England, and Lossiemouth in Scotland.

NATO convened a meeting to debate whether the 28-nation military alliance would take part of the international effort.

"For any NATO operation, there needs to be a demonstrable need for the alliance to act, firm regional support and a clear legal basis," said NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu.

"Under those three conditions, NATO stands ready to act as part of the broad international effort," she said.

NATO allies have been divided about intervening in Libya, with Germany and Turkey voicing opposition to a military intervention.

Germany was among five nations, alongside China and Russia, that abstained from voting for the UN resolution, which passed 10-0 late Thursday.

Warning of "considerable risks and dangers," German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle insisted no German troops would participate in military intervention.

"We remain eminently skeptical on the option of military intervention ... anticipated in this resolution. We see in it considerable risks and dangers. That is why we could not approve this part of the text," a statement said.

Russia also ruled out taking part in the operation.

The UN Security Council also agreed to protect civilian areas and impose a ceasefire on Gadhafi's military, but ruled out sending ground troops.

West Mobilizes For Libya Air Strikes - Defense News

 

[500]

French military jets are already preventing pro-Gaddafi forces from attacking rebel positions, French President Nicolas Sarkozy says.

I wonder if it were Frenchs who shot down the rebel MiG-23.

 

[Hussein]

I wonder if it were Frenchs who shot down the rebel MiG-23.

French were not there so they can't be them
On news they say that during the last night the rafale and other planes were coming to the same location in Corsica
Then they didn't see it but they said today they wait the meeting today (lunch time) in Paris
So it was impossible to be the French

 

[Capt.Popeye]

I wonder if it were Frenchs who shot down the rebel MiG-23.

AFAIK, the aircraft was an "official" Mig-23.

 

[Hussein]

colonel Burkhard in France: 20 French planes are ready and can be engaged.