Countries work to remove its citizens from Libya
Posted Feb 23, 2011 09:51:00 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
International plans to get foreign nationals out of Libya are underway, Wednesday, as the UN Security Council condemned the violent crackdown against civilians in that country.
In a statement agreed to by the 15 council members Tuesday, the council expressed “grave concern” at the situation and called for an “immediate end to the violence.”
Many countries, including Britain, the United States and Turkey have re-directed their evacuation plans to the sea. Canadian planes are due to arrive in Tripoli by Thursday.
The US has chartered ferry service out of the port of Benghazi, Britain has reportedly re-deployed a war ship and Turkish commercial vessels, guided by navy frigates, have been taking passengers from 21 nations.
A Calgary woman, whose husband is trapped along with 15 other Canadians in a Libyan compound, told The Canadian Press there’s a lot of confusion.
While the Arab League has also condemned the situation in Libya, French President Nicolas Sarkozy also pressed for European Union sanctions against Libya’s regime because of its violent crackdown on protesters, and raised the possibility of cutting all economic and business ties between the EU and the North African nation.
Heavy gunfire broke out in Libya’s capital, Tripoli, as forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi opened fire in the streets a day after the longtime leader vowed to defend his rule and called on supporters to crack down on anti-government protesters.
Gadhafi defiantly vowed to fight to his “last drop of blood” and roared at supporters to strike back against Libyan protesters to defend his embattled regime Tuesday in a televised speech that served as an all-out call for his backers to impose control over the capital and take back other cities.
