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Spain, Norway join war party

20 March 2011 01:27 (UTC +04:00)

The Spanish Defense Ministry said on Saturday that the country has sent four F-18 fighter jets and a refueling aircraft to Italy to take part in the operation over Libya starting on Sunday, AFP reported.

"These planes will carry out patrol missions and will be operational from tomorrow (Sunday)," a statement issued by the Spanish Defense Ministry read.

On Saturday, Norway announced that six Norwegian F-16 fighter jets will be joining the Western-led military operations against Libya over the next few days.

The warplanes will take off right at the beginning of next week and will be based in Sicily, Italy, according to the announcement.

Foreign forces launched airstrikes against Libya after officials of a number countries meeting in Paris on Saturday ordered a large-scale military intervention into the country in order to end the assaults on civilians launched by Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi’s forces.

Representatives of the United States, Britain, France, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar attended the meeting.

There have been reports that French warplanes have begun firing on Libyan government troops in the eastern city of Benghazi, which is the stronghold of anti-government forces.

The French intervention came after forces loyal to the 68-year-old Libyan ruler began closing in on revolutionaries in eastern Libya, despite a ceasefire declared by Gaddafi on Friday.

In addition, US and British forces fired a barrage of at least 110 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Libya targeting Gaddafi’s air defenses on Saturday. The missiles reportedly struck pro-government forces.

Libyan anti-government forces, inspired by revolutions that toppled authoritarian rulers in neighboring Tunisia and Egypt, are fighting to unseat Gaddafi after suffering under his despotic rule for over 41 years.