A delegation of African presidents met on Sunday 10 April in Tripoli with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to plead for a truce in the fighting, which killed at least 23 deaths since Saturday Ajdabiya (east) and Misrata (west ). NATO talked about situation "desperate" in these two cities and vowed to continue the bombing to disarm the regime.
As usual, Colonel Qaddafi has been in his tent at his residence in Bab el-Aziziyah the delegation of the African Union (AU) consisting of South African President Jacob Zuma and her counterpart Amadou Toumani Toure (Mali) Mohamed Aziz OuldAbdel (Mauritania) and Denis Sassou Nguesso (Congo) and the Ugandan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Henry Okello Oryem.
After the interview, members of the delegation asked before the tent without making a declaration, then boarded a minibus, for the sunroof which Colonel Gaddafi welcomed a few dozen supporters gathered at 200 m in the tent behind a metal barrier. The vehicle then left for an unknown destination.
According to a Libyan official, discussions should continue. Gathered Saturday in Nouakchott, the mediators had reaffirmed the goals of their mission: "an immediate cessation of all hostilities," delivery of humanitarian aid and opening a dialogue between the regime and the insurgency. After Tripoli, AU mediators are scheduled to visit Sunday evening in Benghazi, "capital" of the rebels to 1000 km east of Tripoli, to try to convince the insurrection put down their arms.
The company looks delicate, the rebel leaders rejected any cease-fire involving the retention of power by Mr Gaddafi and his son. On the ground, fighting in and around Ajdabiya killed at least 12 dead and 17 injured over the weekend, according to the Benghazi hospital where the victims were transported.
For the second consecutive day, government forces bombed Ajdabiya, and late afternoon, the fighting continued on the western outskirts of the city. The rebels announced that killed three Algerian mercenaries and captured 15 others in fighting in Ajdabiya. According to a spokesman for the rebels, prisoners had no identity papers, but "they were told they had an Algerian and Algerian accent." It was unclear Sunday if the balance provided by the hospitals included one or more of the fighters killed by the rebels.
A dozen explosions were heard Sunday morning in just a few minutes from Ajdabiya. In western countries, another front showed no sign of calm: Misrata, rebel city besieged and bombarded for a month and a half the government forces. According to a doctor in the town, fighting there killed at least 11 deaths since the start of the weekend.
Saturday, eight rebels and civilians were killed, including six by a rocket in a mosque, according to a spokesman for the insurgents. Sunday, at least two other soldiers and a civilian were killed, according to the doctor. In Brussels, NATO said it had destroyed 11 tanks and government troops on a road leading to Ajdabiya and 14 near Misrata.
The situation in these two cities "is desperate for Libyans who are suddenly bombarded by the regime. To help protect these civilians, we continue to bomb heavily forces" of the regime, said Gen. Charles Bouchard, Commander of Operation "Unified Guard". Another official of the NATO bombing has ensured that the coalition would continue "all day and all night." Besides the tanks, the Alliance aims ammunition depots and supply lines of government forces. 
As usual, Colonel Qaddafi has been in his tent at his residence in Bab el-Aziziyah the delegation of the African Union (AU) consisting of South African President Jacob Zuma and her counterpart Amadou Toumani Toure (Mali) Mohamed Aziz OuldAbdel (Mauritania) and Denis Sassou Nguesso (Congo) and the Ugandan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Henry Okello Oryem.
After the interview, members of the delegation asked before the tent without making a declaration, then boarded a minibus, for the sunroof which Colonel Gaddafi welcomed a few dozen supporters gathered at 200 m in the tent behind a metal barrier. The vehicle then left for an unknown destination.
According to a Libyan official, discussions should continue. Gathered Saturday in Nouakchott, the mediators had reaffirmed the goals of their mission: "an immediate cessation of all hostilities," delivery of humanitarian aid and opening a dialogue between the regime and the insurgency. After Tripoli, AU mediators are scheduled to visit Sunday evening in Benghazi, "capital" of the rebels to 1000 km east of Tripoli, to try to convince the insurrection put down their arms.
The company looks delicate, the rebel leaders rejected any cease-fire involving the retention of power by Mr Gaddafi and his son. On the ground, fighting in and around Ajdabiya killed at least 12 dead and 17 injured over the weekend, according to the Benghazi hospital where the victims were transported.
For the second consecutive day, government forces bombed Ajdabiya, and late afternoon, the fighting continued on the western outskirts of the city. The rebels announced that killed three Algerian mercenaries and captured 15 others in fighting in Ajdabiya. According to a spokesman for the rebels, prisoners had no identity papers, but "they were told they had an Algerian and Algerian accent." It was unclear Sunday if the balance provided by the hospitals included one or more of the fighters killed by the rebels.
A dozen explosions were heard Sunday morning in just a few minutes from Ajdabiya. In western countries, another front showed no sign of calm: Misrata, rebel city besieged and bombarded for a month and a half the government forces. According to a doctor in the town, fighting there killed at least 11 deaths since the start of the weekend.
Saturday, eight rebels and civilians were killed, including six by a rocket in a mosque, according to a spokesman for the insurgents. Sunday, at least two other soldiers and a civilian were killed, according to the doctor. In Brussels, NATO said it had destroyed 11 tanks and government troops on a road leading to Ajdabiya and 14 near Misrata.
The situation in these two cities "is desperate for Libyans who are suddenly bombarded by the regime. To help protect these civilians, we continue to bomb heavily forces" of the regime, said Gen. Charles Bouchard, Commander of Operation "Unified Guard". Another official of the NATO bombing has ensured that the coalition would continue "all day and all night." Besides the tanks, the Alliance aims ammunition depots and supply lines of government forces.
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