It looks like last night's celebrations in Benghazi might have been premature. Gaddafi's forces have launched a desperate attempt to defiantly present the UN with a Fait accompli by capturing Benghazi. Gaddafi's forces have begun an attack on Libya's second largest city of in Eastern Libya.
Gaddafi forces push into rebel city of Benghazi
(Reuters) - Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's forces pushed into the rebel-held city of Benghazi on Saturday, defying world demands for an immediate ceasefire and after France's U.N. envoy predicted an imminent military action.
Explosions shook while a fighter jet was heard flying overhead, and residents said the eastern rebel stronghold was under attack from Gaddafi's forces.
"The explosions started about 2 a.m. Gaddafi's forces are advancing, we hear they're 20 km (12 miles) from Benghazi," Faraj Ali, a resident, said.
"It's land-based fire. We saw one aircraft," he added.
"They were 60 km (40 miles) away yesterday, today they are 20 km away and they can be here in a half hour to 90 minutes," rebel fighter Khalid Ahmed told Reuters at a rebel base on the western edge of the city.
"We have no hope in the Western forces," Ahmed added as around him rebel forces pulled back from the advancing frontline.
Plane shot down over rebel-held city in Libya
An Associated Press reporter saw the plane go down in flames outside Benghazi early Saturday after the area came under shelling.
I like to think that Gaddafi's plane had been shot down by U.N. forces but they are still getting their diplomatic ducks in a row at their meeting in Paris. Its late so I'm going to keep this short.
Gaddafi forces ''try to storm Benghazi'
Al Jazeera's Tony Birtley, reporting from Benghazi, told of multiple explosions taking place and a fighter jet getting shot down.
Fresh fighting was also reported in the rebel-held towns of Misurata, near the capital Tripoli, and Ajdabiya, which lies close to Benghazi.
The Libyan government, however, denied the reports. "There are no attacks whatesover on Benghazi. As we said, we are observing the ceasefire," Mussa Ibrahim, a government spokesman, told the Reuters news agency.
Spectacular photo of warplane crashing
This should focus the minds of the participants in the UN meeting in Paris (underway right now) on how to proceed in Libya. Lets hope they can act soon. Time is of the essence.
Libya Live Blog - March 19
11:49am
Abdul Jalil, head of National Libyan Council, also said:
Now there is a bombardment by artillery and rockets on all districts of Benghazi
The international community is late in intervening to save civilians from Gaddafi's forces. Today in Benghazi there will be a catastrophe if the international community does not implement the resolutions of the U.N. Security Council.
We appeal to the international community, to the all the free world, to stop this tyranny from exterminating civilians.
12:03pm
Gaddafi spokesman reads out letter to president Obama:
To Baracka Hussein Obama... I have all the Libyan people supporting me and they are prepared to die for me... I am facing al Qaeda here - what would you do?
Gadhafi: Libyans ready to 'die for me'; forces square off in Benghazi
Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Tanks from both pro-government and opposition sides headed toward each other Saturday in the Libyan city of Benghazi as families -- fearing a massacre by the government -- fled the rebel stronghold.
This is shaping up to be a very critical day for Libya.