World must stay the course in Libya: Rudd
Updated
Ongoing conflict: A rebel fighter sits on a destroyed tank (AFP: Odd Andersen)
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has urged the international community to maintain its resolve over the deadly conflict in Libya, as NATO vowed to do everything possible to protect civilians.
Libyan rebel leaders have accused NATO of standing idly by while government forces kill people in the besieged western city of Misrata.Fighting between government troops and rebels trying to oust defiant Libyan strongman Moamar Gaddafi has reached a stalemate.
But Mr Rudd says things are not looking good for the Libyan regime.
"We have the defection in effect of the Libyan foreign minister together with other members of the regime," he said.
"This is not trending well for Colonel Gaddafi, though Colonel Gaddafi has come back from worse before.
"All I would say is the international community must maintain its resolve."
Mr Rudd's comments come after Libyan rebels accused NATO warplanes of being too slow to act against Mr Gaddafi's troops.
The rebel accusation came after evacuees of the rebel-held city of Misrata, in the west, spoke of a desperate situation there, with some even describing it as a massacre.
Doctors said last week that 200 people had been killed in Misrata, Libya's third largest city located 214 kilometres east of Tripoli, since the uprising began on February 15.
NATO, clearly stung by the rebels' accusations, quickly defended its operations.
"Misrata is our number one priority," NATO deputy spokeswoman Carmen Romero said Wednesday, adding that alliance warplanes hit Mr Gaddafi's military assets around Libya's third largest city on Monday.
"The situation on the ground is constantly evolving. Gaddafi's forces are changing tactics, using civilian vehicles, hiding tanks in cities such as Misrata and using human shields to hide behind.
"[But] we have a clear mandate and we will do everything to protect the civilians of Misrata."
NATO's chief of allied operations, Brigadier General Mark van Uhm, said Mr Gaddafi's forces were hiding among civilian populations, making them difficult targets.
He says the international air operation, under NATO command since late last week, had had a major impact.
"We have taken out 30 per cent of military capacity of pro-Gaddafi forces," he said, citing an assessment by the Libya operation's commander, Lieutenant General Charles Bouchard.
Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict in the oil-producing nation have failed to make progress with the government side offering concessions, but insisting Gaddafi stay in power, and rebels adamant that Libya's leader for the past 41 years leave.
Meanwhile in the east of the country, rebels were forced to retreat again in fighting around Brega.
The insurgents held their ground for six days in Brega, putting their best trained forces into battle for the oil town and keeping the disorganised volunteers away.
But a sustained government bombardment of rockets and mortar bombs pushed the insurgent pick-up truck cavalcade back towards the rebel stronghold of Benghazi, their biggest retreat in several days of inconclusive battles.
- ABC/wires
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