NATO takes over Libya no-fly zone command as airstrikes continue

The UK Foreign Office said British Tornado GR4 aircraft took part in a co-ordinated missile strike against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's forces. "The Tornado aircraft launched a number of guided Brimstone missiles at Libyan armoured vehicles which were threatening the civilian population of Ajdabiyah," Defence Minister Liam Fox said in a statement.

The rebels have been battling pro-Gaddafi forces on the outskirts Ajdabiyah for days but have made little progress in retaking the area.

Abu Musab, who left the town by car with his family of 10, said: "There is no water, no power and the bombing is random. Everyone has left." Other airstrikes destroyed government tanks on the outskirts of rebel-held Misratah, but tanks inside the city escaped the bombardment.

Residents and rebels said government snipers were also still active in the area.

"The situation is very serious," a doctor in the western town said. More than 100 people are reported to have been killed and hundreds wounded over the past week

"People (in Misratah) now are holed up in their homes, there is a growing concern about the situation.

Residents of the western city said around 6,000 workers and family members from Egypt and other African countries were stuck in the port, under the eye of two Libyan warships.

One man said: "They haven't attacked but if they do, the thousands of workers will be the first victims."

News of Nato agreeing to take over enforcement of the no-fly zone came after France said it had hit an air base in central Libya and a government plane after it landed at Misratah airport.

A Libyan official also said fuel storage tanks and a telecommunications tower in the capital, Tripoli, were among places hit by what state television called "colonialist crusaders".

Nato secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen earlier said the 28 member nations had agreed to act in order to protect Libyan civilians from attacks by pro-Gaddafi forces.

He said the Nato operation would proceed in parallel with the bombing campaign carried out by coalition aircraft.

"At this moment there will still be a coalition operation and a Nato operation," Rasmussen said.

"But we are considering whether Nato should take on that broader responsibility in accordance with the UN Security Council resolution, but that decision has not been made yet."

"It is not clear to what extent Nato will take responsibility for the most difficult controversial element of the resolution, which is the possibility of ground attacks in order to protect Libyan civilians.

"There will be lots of meetings over the coming days to make sure that is absolutely clear, but the US is happy to be handing over responsibility for at least one element of the resolution to the Nato military alliance."

US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said the US was taking the next step in military operations against Libya by transferring command and control of the no-fly zone to Nato.

She also praised the United Arab Emirates for becoming the second Arab country after Qatar to send planes to help the mission.

The Nato decision comes after six days of negotiations and a breakthrough when Turkey, the alliance's only Muslim member, agreed to back the plan.

Turkey's parliament has now approved the country's involvement in the operation.

The country had previously said it did not want Nato to take responsibility for offensive operations that could cause civilian casualties.

European Union leaders are meeting today to discuss the situation in Libya.