Gaddafi weakens as opposition gains

Witnesses have been reported as saying that the capital, Tripoli, is heavily guarded by pro-Gaddafi forces, with tanks deployed in the suburbs.

Videos on the internet suggest a town 50km (30 miles) west of Tripoli has fallen to anti-government forces. On Wednesday evening, Col Gaddafi's son, Saif al-Islam, went on television to say that everything was "normal" in a bid to project the image of a peaceful nation to the rest of the country.

State media has also been broadcasting reports depicting every day life as normal, with people shopping in super markets as if nothing was amiss. In the meantime, reports in eastern Benghazi recount how residents have been queuing to be issued guns looted from the army and police in order to join what they are calling the battle for Tripoli.

The overall death toll of the unrest has been impossible to determine. While Human Rights Watch says it has confirmed nearly 300 deaths, but the International Federation for Human Rights says at least 700 people have been killed.

In the meantime eyewitnesses have reported death tolls of at least 2,000. Col Gaddafi's forces have reportedly used jet fighters, mortars and rockets to fire on the opposition.

A number of military units in the east say they have unified their command in support of the protesters. According to the BBC, in eastern Libya, Col Gaddafi appears to be in control of an ever smaller area, possibly readying himself for a last stand at his home in Tripoli.

Reports also indicate the area is heavily guarded by loyalists, including armed militiamen in vehicles, our correspondent says.

In the meantime, thousands of foreigners are meanwhile still trying to flee Libya through ports, airports, and the Tunisian and Egyptian borders.

In the internationals scene, US President Barack Obama has broken his silence and denounced the Libyan government's actions as "outrageous and unacceptable". He added that he has ordered his administration team to prepare the "full range of options" for dealing with the crisis, but omitted from elaborating.

Also, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will join a meeting of foreign ministers at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday.

The US, China and many European countries have sent in planes, ships and ferries to help people flee. Thousands of people, many of them African migrants, have also poured across Libya's land borders, in vans piled high with furniture and luggage.

The price of oil has jumped sharply in reaction to the continuing crisis in Libya. In New York, it passed $100 a barrel for the first time since 2008.