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Gaddafi says arms Libyan people to fight against ’foreign aggression’

19 March 2011 23:46 (UTC +04:00)

"We are opening arms depots and giving people all kinds of weapons to defend the independence of Libya," Gaddafi said on a national television.

The Libyan leader also said that interests of all countries involved in the attack on his country will be in danger in Libya and called their actions as the "aggression of crusaders and colonialists."

"As a result of such open aggression and irresponsible behavior, the Mediterranean and North African territories turned into a war zone," he said.

Unlike the previous times, Gaddafi’s address on the television on Sunday was not live and was broadcast in a form of an audio recording.

On Thursday the UN Security Council adopted a resolution on Libya. Paris has taken the leading role in coordinating the world’s response to the tumult. U.S., British and French military have all launched strikes against Gaddafi.

Around 20 French Rafale and Mirage warplanes were sent to patrol the skies over the city of Benghazi. Since the beginning of the attack, the French aviation has destroyed four government tanks in the neighborhoods of the rebellious city.

British forces are in action in Libya, and its Navy submarine has fired Tomahawk cruise missiles on the Libyan air defense facilities.

U.S. Pentagon reported earlier that a U.S. warship fired 110 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Gaddafi’s air defense sites. The U.S. operation is named "Odyssey Dawn".

Countries including Canada, Denmark, Spain and Norway have sent jets to Libya, while Italy said it would permit the use of airbases such as Sigonella in Sicily and Aviano in the north to launch strikes.