Libya: UK forces prepare after UN no-fly zone vote

UK forces are preparing to help enforce a no-fly zone over Libya after the UN backed "all necessary measures", short of an invasion, to protect civilians.

Downing Street has cautioned against earlier suggestions that British planes could be in action "within hours" and declined to put a timetable on it.

The UN resolution rules out a foreign occupation force in any part of Libya.

The cabinet will meet later and Prime Minister David Cameron will make a statement to the Commons, No 10 said.

The resolution imposes a "ban on all flights in Libyan airspace", with aid flights the only exception.

It authorises member states to "take all necessary measures" to "protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack", including in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi.

It also calls for an immediate ceasefire, an end to the violence, measures to make it more difficult for foreign mercenaries to get into Libya and a tightening of sanctions.

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said it was a "positive response to the call by the Arab League" for measures to protect Libyan civilians and was the culmination of "a great deal of hard work in the last few days" by France, the UK, Lebanon and the US.

"It is necessary to take these measures to avoid greater bloodshed," Mr Hague said.

"This places a responsibility on members of the United Nations and that is a responsibility to which the United Kingdom will now respond."

'No mercy'

Ten UN Security Council members backed the resolution while five abstained - nine votes were needed for it to pass.

France, the UK, Lebanon, the US, South Africa, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Colombia, Portugal, Nigeria and Gabon all voted in favour, while China, Russia, Brazil, India and Germany abstained.

Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi's forces have recently retaken several towns seized by rebels in an uprising.

Rebel forces in Benghazi reacted with joy to the passing of the resolution but a Libyan government spokesman condemned UN "aggression".

Loyalist forces are bearing down on Benghazi, home to a million people. Forces loyal to Col Gaddafi have reportedly launched their first air attacks on the town, targeting the airport at Benina.

Col Gaddafi had earlier warned the rebels there that his troops were coming and to expect "no mercy".

Senior UN sources had said British and French warplanes could be in the air within hours of the UN vote to carry out initial air raids on Libyan positions, possibly with logistical support from Arab allies.

But No 10 sources have declined to put any timetable on possible British military engagement - or whether action could begin this weekend.

They said there was still lots of talking to be done, according to BBC political correspondent Norman Smith.

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said the UK was "developing a number of contingency plans" and continued to do so.

British ambassador to the UN, Sir Mark Lyall Grant, said the UK welcomed the fact that the UN had acted "swiftly and comprehensively in response to the appalling situation in Libya".

"We, along with partners in the Arab world and in Nato, are now ready to shoulder our responsibilities in implementing Resolution 173," he said.

The resolution would permit air strikes on Libyan ground troops or allow attacks on Libyan war ships if they were attacking civilians.

A draft UN resolution tabled by the UK, France and Lebanon on Tuesday proposed a ban on all flights in Libya, authorised member states to enforce it and called on them to participate in it.

But on Thursday the US, which had been cool on the effectiveness of a no-fly zone, said the UN should go further and a new strongly-worded draft resolution was put forward calling for "all necessary measures short of an occupation force" to protect civilians under threat of attack.

Following the UN vote Mr Cameron had a half-hour phone call with US President Barack Obama.

The unrest in Libya started after the toppling of the long-time leaders of neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt earlier this year.

Libyan protesters started to demand that Col Gaddafi step down after 42 years of autocratic rule and quickly seized much of eastern Libya.