BENGHAZI, Libya — The Libyan army warned residents of the opposition-held city of Benghazi to flee rebel positions Wednesday ahead of a looming operation to “cleanse” the city of “armed gangs.”
A statement issued via state TV gave the eastern city’s inhabitants until midnight local time to heed the army’s warning, Sky News reported.
The rebel bastion was offered a glimmer of hope hours after the deadline expired, however, when diplomats told AFP that members of the UN Security Council had finally reached agreement on the text of a draft resolution on Libya.
The 15-nation council is expected vote Thursday on the text that is thought to include proposals for the no-fly zone that rebel forces had been demanding to prevent further aerial bombardments from Ghadafi’s air force.
Ibrahim Dabbashi, Libya’s deputy ambassador to UN, had warned its members to expect “genocide” if they did not answer the opposition in its hour of need.
As Ghadafi’s forces bore down on Benghazi Wednesday, the despot told Lebanese television he did not anticipate much of a fight. And in an interview with France’s Le Figaro newspaper, the veteran leader boasted he could seize control of the city within a day if he wanted to.
He also raised the possibility of a military siege to flush rebels out of the city, which has an estimated population of 670,000.
“If we used force, it only takes one day,” Ghadafi told the Paris-based daily. “But our goal is to progressively dismantle the armed groups, through various means, such as the encirclement of the city or sending mediators.”
His comments echoed those of Saif al Islam Ghadafi, who predicted that Benghazi would fall to government forces within 48 hours. The dictator’s son told French news channel Euronews that any military intervention decided upon in New York by the United Nations would come “too late.”
With the international community still locked in talks Wednesday night, a message on state TV informed Benghazi’s inhabitants of the imminent operation to “liberate” their city.
“The army is coming to cleanse your city of armed gangs,” its said, according to British broadcaster, Sky News. Residents were warned to leave areas occupied by rebels or used to store weapons by midnight local time (10:00pm GMT).
The development came after Ghadafi’s forces spent Wednesday tightening their grip over much of the strife-torn North African state.
Ajdabiyah, 90 miles (145 kilometers) south of Benghazi, was reportedly in government hands after most of its rebel defenders retreated under fire from an artillery barrage Tuesday, Sky said.
Government forces also shelled the rebel-held western city of Misrata, Libya’s third largest, located 125 miles (200 kilometers) east of the capital Tripoli.
The onslaught killed at least four people and wounded 10, a rebel spokesman said.
“The city is under attack from all sides but the rebels are still in control and succeeded in capturing two tanks coming in from the south,” the spokesman told AFP. “Four martyrs have fallen, two of them civilians whose houses were hit by wild shelling.”
In his interview with Euronews, Ghadafi’s son attempted to downplay international fears of a massacre, saying rebels would be allowed to leave the country.
“We don’t want to kill, we don’t want revenge, but you, traitors, mercenaries, you have committed crimes against the Libyan people: leave, go in peace to Egypt,” he said.
His words did little to placate the international community, with UN chief Ban Ki-moon calling for both sides to observe an immediate ceasefire. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it had withdrawn its staff from Benghazi due to “security concerns.”
In a further development Wednesday, the New York Times newspaper revealed that four of its journalists were missing in Libya.
Executive Editor Bill Keller said that he could not confirm second-hand reports that the journalists were taken by forces loyal to Ghadafi in Ajdabiya.