Many killed in Libya violence

Tripoli : Many were killed in fresh violence and a government crackdown in Libya even as protest against the rule of Muammar Gaddafi in the north African nation intensified on Monday.

According to Al Jazeera, at least 61 were killed on Monday alone after earlier reports of over 200 deaths. CNN said there were reports that helicopters fired on protesters.

Reports said while warplanes and helicopters fired on the masses, the protesters have taken control of many cities and towns.

While there are uncorroborated reports that Gaddafi has left capital Tripoli for Venezuela, top diplomats of Libya are defecting.

Accusing the government of unleashing a genocide, Libya’s deputy permanent representative to the UN has urged Col Gaddafi to step down.

Ibrahim Dabbashi in New York said: ?We are sure that what is going on now in Libya is crimes against humanity and crimes of war.?

He said the Libyans will get rid of Gaddafi ultimately.

A Libyan, minister, denied reports that Gaddafi had fled the country.

Earlier, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s son, Sayf al-Islam, has warned that civil war could hit the country if the anti-government protests succeeded.

In a television address despite criticising the protesters, the Libyan’s dictator son promised of political reforms and held that police and army had made “mistakes.”

He also blamed the foreign media of inflating the death toll saying the toll was far lower than reported.