Libyan rebel troops close in on capital Tripoli

Foreign Ministers from around the world are gathering in the Swiss city of Geneva today to discuss their response to the mounting humanitarian crisis in Libya. Speaking ahead of the UN Human Rights Council meeting, the American secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she will discuss responses on both the humanitarian and political fronts with many of her counterparts from Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Opposition forces controlling eastern cities including Benghazi, where the uprising started 10 days ago, say they have formed a national council to act as the political face of the anti-Gaddafi movement. At least 1,000 people are believed to have been killed in nearly two weeks of violence in which eastern cities have fallen to anti-government forces.

Libya, hundreds of armed anti-government forces backed rebel troops are closing in on the Libyan capital Tripoli still under the control of Col Muammar Gaddafi's loyalists.But their grip beyond the capital has been shrinking and all of eastern Libya and some areas closer to Tripoli are in rebels hand. Advancing towards Gaddafi's stronghold of Tripoli, protestors yesterday gained control of Zawiyeh town, which is just 50 KM from the capital. Al Jazeera reported that the rebels have also taken control of the north western city of Misurata.Forces opposed to Gadhafi took control of several western Libyan towns, an official said on Sunday as the strongman played down rebel gains after world leaders called on him to quit.Protest leaders established a transitional "national council" in several eastern and western cities seized from the Gadhafi regime and called on the army to help them take the capital Tripoli.United States said it was prepared to offer "any kind of assistance" to Libyans seeking to overthrow Gadhafi as his opponents piece together a transitional body comprising representatives from the liberated cities.

The unrest in the oil-rich north African state has set off a "humanitarian emergency", the UN refugee agency UNHCR said, as almost 100,000 migrant workers fled Libya in a mass exodus of foreigners.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton echoed the calls of world leaders, including President Barack Obama, for him to quit. "We are just at the beginning of what will follow Gadhafi," she said. "First we have to see the end of his regime and with no further bloodshed," she said, noting Washington is eager for his ouster "as soon as possible." "We want him to leave."

Speaking ahead of a UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva on Monday, Clinton said she would meet many of her counterparts from Europe and beyond to craft responses on both the humanitarian and political fronts as Libyans try to "organise themselves post-Kadhafi."

The UN Security Council imposed a travel and assets ban on Kadhafi's regime and ordered an investigation into possible crimes against humanity after at least 1,000 people were killed in a crackdown by Kadhafi's security apparatus.

London said it had frozen Kadhafi family assets in Britain, amid newspaper reports that these amount to around 20 billion pounds (32.2 billion dollars, 23.4 billion euros) in liquid assets, mostly in London.

Australia is investigating claims that Kadhafi's family has stashed millions of dollars in assets down under, Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said Monday. Canberra has launched a forensic probe to track down any assets the crumbling regime may have secretly built up in Australia.

People of Libya will liberate their cities," "We are counting on the army to liberate Tripoli." residents said reports through media On Saturday, former justice minister Mustafa Abdel Jalil, who quit Kadhafi's regime on Monday, announced a transitional government would be formed to lead the country for a three-month period before an election.