Arab League Secretary General Amr Musa yesterday issued a statement opposing the bombing of Libya.
He said: ‘This is not imposing a no-fly zone. We proposed a no-fly zone to protect civilians, not for bombing more civilians.’
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich also called for an end to the ‘indiscriminate use of force’ by foreign states in Libya saying they have led to civilian casualties.
Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gadaffi earlier in the day warned of ‘a long, drawn-out war’ and that ‘more than a million’ Libyans will be armed to defend the country.
A Libyan health official said the number of people killed as a result of Western air strikes overnight had risen to 64, up from the original government figure of 48.
In a televised speech, Gadaffi said of the imperialists: ‘You have proven to the world that you are not civilised, that you are terrorists, animals attacking a safe nation that did nothing against you.’
The US joint chiefs chairman Admiral Michael Mullen said a no-fly zone was effectively in place over Libya after US fighter planes carried out further air strikes early yesterday, following French, UK and US strikes on Saturday.
Yesterday, three US B-2 stealth bombers dropped 40 bombs on a major Libyan airfield in an attempt to destroy much of the Libyan Air Force, US military officials said.
In all, 19 US planes, including stealth bombers, took part in dawn raids on Sunday, the Germany-based US Africa Command said.
US Harrier jets also attacked Libyan troops on the ground.
In his speech, Gadaffi added: ‘France, and the aggressor states alongside it, have breached the UN Charter. Libya will be practising its right of self-defence according to clause 151 of the UN Charter.
‘Unfortunately, according to this, civilian and military targets in the air and sea will be liable to serious danger in the Mediterranean. Due to this flagrant military aggression and this irresponsible action, the Mediterranean and North Africa have become an actual theatre of war.
‘The interest of states will be in danger, as of now, in the Mediterranean due to this completely unjustifiable and crazy act of aggression, in addition to it being a colonialist crusading aggression capable of igniting a large-scale second Crusade.
‘The brave Libyan people is standing face to this colonialist, crusading aggression with all steadfastness, courage, will, patience and reliance on God.
‘They are calling on the people and citizens of the Arab, Islamic, African, Latin American and Asian nations to side with them, the heroic Libyan people who are standing face to this aggression which only adds resolve, strength and cohesion to a domestic national united front.
‘Arms depots are now open and the masses are being equipped with all sorts of weapons in defence of Libya’s independence, unity and honour.’
Libyan Armed Forces announced: ‘The Great Jamahiriyah has been subjected to a wanton attack on Saturday 19 March 2011 with missiles and war jets targeting many civilian and military installations in Tripoli, Misratah, Benghazi, Zuwarah and Sirte.
‘This savage attack affected many educational, health and civilian installations. It also terrorised the children and women living nearby the sites targeted by this savage attack.’
Gulf states Qatar and the UAE have provided aircraft for the terror attacks.