Explosions shake Libyan capital

Huge explosions have rocked the Libyan capital, Tripoli, during a series of air strikes by low-flying Nato jets.

Some of the blasts appeared to strike close to the compound of Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi.

The attacks came as diplomatic pressure mounts on Col Gaddafi to step down.

The head of the African Union Panel for Libya, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, said his departure had become necessary to end the conflict.

Russia and China, meanwhile, despatched for the first time top diplomats to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi in an attempt to mediate an end to the four-month-long conflict.

“We have come to Benghazi to facilitate dialogue between the two camps,” Russia’s Africa envoy, Mikhail Margelov, said.

At the same time, Libya’s Foreign Minister Abdul-Ati al-Obeidi flew to Beijing for talks in what analysts describe as an attempt to regain diplomatic support on the international stage.

Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev recently said the Libyan leader had lost legitimacy and should step down – echoing the views of most Western powers.

‘Departure necessary’

Most African leaders have, until now, have remained quiet on Col Gaddafi’s future.

But the Mauritanian leader, tasked with leading Africa’s mediation efforts, has now said Col Gaddafi should go.

“Whatever happens, there will be a negotiated solution. In any case, Gaddafi can no longer lead Libya. His departure has become necessary,” he told the AFP news agency.

Nato started air strikes in March, after the UN Security Council passed a resolution backing military force to protect civilians in Libya.

Col Gaddafi had threatened to wipe out Libya’s second city of Benghazi, after it was seized by his opponents.