UK PM Cameron says British forces in action over Libya, says it is legal

UK PM Cameron says British forces in action over Libya, says it is legal

2011-03-20 03:08:03 GMT+7 (ICT)

LONDON (BNO NEWS) -- UK Prime Minister David Cameron on Saturday evening said British forces are in action over Libya, joining U.S. and French forces which earlier carried out airstrikes in the region.

Cameron was speaking on Downing Street after earlier returning from Paris, where world leaders held an emergency meeting to discuss military action against Libya, where Muammar Gaddafi has violently cracked down on anti-government protesters.

Cameron emphasized that military intervention in Libya is legal and the right thing to do, responding to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 which called for the establishment of a no-fly zone in Libya and to take "all necessary measures" to protect civilians.

The Prime Minister said the United Kingdom cannot "stand by while this dictator murders his own people." He did not say how many British planes were currently involved in the operation in Libya.

Earlier on Saturday, French warplanes struck four tanks used by forces loyal to Gaddafi on the outskirts of Benghazi, the unofficial capital of Libyan rebels. Soon after, the U.S. Navy fired Tomahawk cruise missiles at Libyan air defenses.

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