Obama announces Libya sanctions

US President Barack Obama signed an executive order blocking property and transactions related to the country.

Transactions involving assets of Muammar Gaddafi and some close associates were blocked.

Libya's UN envoy deserted him in dramatic scenes in New York. On Friday, an anti-government demonstration in the Libyan capital Tripoli came under heavy gunfire. Around 1,000 protesters are thought to have been killed by troops attempting to quell the insurrection.

"The Libyan government's continued violation of human rights, brutalization of its people, and outrageous threats have rightly drawn the strong and broad condemnation of the international community," said Mr Obama in a statement late on Friday.

"These sanctions therefore target the Gaddafi government, while protecting the assets that belong to the people of Libya."

Earlier, at a hastily organised news conference at the UN in New York, Libyan deputy ambassador Ibrahim Dabbashi described Col Gaddafi, who has been in power for 42 years, as a "madman". He warned that thousands would die in Tripoli because the Libyan leader would never flee and would fight to the end.

Much of the east of the country is in the hands of anti-Gaddafi protesters and units of the Libyan military that have crossed over to them.

Secretary General Ban said violations of human rights had been carried out by the Libyan government.

He said that 22,000 people had fled Libya via Tunisia, and a further 15,000 via Egypt.

"Much larger numbers are trapped and unable to leave," he added. "There are widespread reports of refugees being harassed and threatened with guns and knives."

He said it was important for neighbouring countries, including those in Europe, to keep their borders open to those fleeing the violence.

Mr Ban also said that there was a food crisis inside Libya that the UN World Food Programme (WFP) expected to worsen. The WFP says Libya's food supply chain is at risk of collapse because imports have not been getting into the country and food distribution is hampered by violence.

Diplomats at the UN Security Council say Britain and France have drawn up a draft resolution with a package of measures aimed at isolating Libya's political and military leaders. As well as targeted sanctions, this could include an arms embargo, and a proposed referral of the situation in Libya to the International Criminal Court.

Libya's ambassador to the UN, Mohamed Shalgham, denounced Col Gaddafi on Friday, just three days after praising him as "my friend".

He told the Security Council he "could not believe" Col Gaddafi's troops were firing on the protesters, but having seen the Libyan leader call for the protests to be put down by force, he was now backing sanctions.

When he finished speaking, he was embraced by his weeping deputy, Ibrahim Dabbashi, who in turn was hugged by other diplomats.