LIVE Libyan Unrest: July 17, 2011

We are tracking the latest developments to keep you updated on the situation on the ground. There are interactive maps located in the Protest map page to keep up with the latest movements. Also check out the featured twitters on the sidebar. On the Go? Follow us on Twitter @Feb17Libya for the Live updates and discussion. All updates are in Libyan local time (GMT+2)
3:55pm: The Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Sunday denied that troops loyal to Muammar Qadhafi’s regime entered the Egyptian Embassy in the Libyan capital of Tripoli. News reports said Qadhafi’s troops entered the embassy grounds in Tripoli to take cover from NATO attacks. In a press statement, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Menha Bakhoum said the news “is totally false.”
3:45pm: Russia has no plans to supply arms to Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi, Russia’s NATO envoy Dmitry Rogozin said in an interview with Ekho Moskvy radio station on Sunday.
“Both the Russian legislation and the legislation of the European Union states ban any supplies of arms to a territory hit by a civil conflict or a civil war,” Rogozin said.
3:25pm: NATO jets destroyed a military storage facility and other targets in Tripoli’s eastern outskirts early Sunday, days after key international players recognized Libya’s rebel leadership as the country’s legitimate representative.
3:15pm: Libya has about $168 billion in frozen assets and the Transitional National Council needs to access and start managing the funds as it works to oust Muammar Qaddafi and rebuild the country, former central bank chief Farhat Bengdara said.

12:45pm: NATO Secretary General General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has warned that any ceasefire between Libya’s Qadhafi regime and the rebels would have to be “credible, verifiable and with clear conditions,” failing which, “we would risk a rebound of the violence.”
He made the statement while speaking at the International Contact Group for Libya meeting in Istanbul.
During the meeting, the NATO chief said that the alliance is supportive of all efforts to find a political solution to the Libya crisis and commended the initiative to develop a road-map.
He stressed that “NATO remains committed to protect the Libyan people” as endorsed by the United Nations Security Council. He insisted that as long as the Qadhafi regime continues to attack and threaten its own people, NATO’s mission will continue.
12:30pm: Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Judeh called for intensifying international efforts to arrive at a political solution for Libya, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Friday.
During his participation in the fourth meeting of the Libya Contact Group in Istanbul Friday, Judeh stressed the need for a ceasefire, in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 1973, which authorises all measures to protect Libyan civilians.
12:10pm: Maltese European Parliamentarian yesterday returned from leading a four-day ad hoc delegation to two refugee camps on the Tunisian-Libyan border.
The delegation said yesterday that EU member states should do more to help in the resettlement of refugees from war-torn countries being cared for in camps on the Tunisian-Libyan border and cannot return to their homes.
“This visit has been truly eye-opening. We were struck by the very harsh conditions people are facing, especially due to the extreme heat, sandstorms and limited access to clean water and adequate sanitation and hygiene facilities. This presents particular hardships for children and pregnant women.
We were also struck by the overwhelming hospitality and solidarity of the Tunisian people keeping an open door policy to third country nationals who fled Libya.
“This is a lesson for EU Member States. We are disappointed with the weak response given by Member States compared to the efforts undertaken by countries like Norway, the United States and Canada. The EU should do more to help in the resettlement of refugees from war-torn countries who cannot return to their homes. We urge them to commit to the proposed resettlement programme, including the emergency mechanism.
12:00pm: South Africa has reported France to the sanctions committee of the United Nations after it became known that France was dropping weapons in Libya to aid the rebels’ war against Libyan leader Muammar ­Gaddafi.
In a move that may sully the relationship between South Africa and France, the South African mission complained to the UN that France had overstepped the boundaries of Resolution 1970, which imposes an arms embargo on Libya.
This means no country is allowed to give or sell arms to the Libyans because they could be used to kill civilians.
Several government officials and diplomats told City Press that South Africa feels France was not justified in delivering the arms to the rebels.
France is also a member of Nato, which South Africa feels is overstepping its boundaries in Libya.
“Nato says it demobilised the military infrastructure of Gaddafi, so why are they continuing the bombing?” a South African government official said.
Although South Africa voted in favour of resolutions that allow for a no-fly zone in Libya, it shortly afterwards said nations like the US and France are ­using the resolutions to effect regime change, which overreaches the intent of the resolutions.
10:30am: Iranian foreign minister Aliakbar Salehi says Iran has submitted a written proposal to solve the Libyan crisis, Fars news agency reported Sunday.
Talking to the news agency he stated that he had intensive talks with his Algerian counterpart Morad Madlassi on Libya and evaluating the “measures have been taken in this regard”.
He added that Algeria and some other countries are trying to put an end to the civil war and “the massacre caused by the NATO strikes.” He reiterated that Algeria is also proposing to build a government with the participation of all groups in Libya and a halt of foreign meddling in its internal affairs

10:15am: The first Maltese governmental delegation to the Libyan National Transitional Council leaves for Benghazi today for a day of talks. The trip, unsurprisingly, is apparently being kept under wraps as no official announcement has been made. The only hint was a reference to Malta making use of United Nation’s resources for the trip.

When contacted, a government spokesperson confirmed the delegation’s travel plans but, when asked what was on the agenda, he said it was obviously wide-ranging. The delegation leaves early this morning and returns to Malta this evening.
The delegation will be led by Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg and the day of talks with the Council scheduled includes discussions with Council Chairman Mustafa Abdul Jalil.
Malta had recognised Benghazi as the “sole legitimate interlocutor of the Libyan people” back at the beginning of June.
5:00am: The Libyan opposition on Saturday ruled out involvement of any foreign ground forces.
The National Transitional Council would not accept any interference of ground troops from other countries, the opposition’s military spokesman Mohammad Bani told reporters.
He also said the opposition forces had assembled 60 km from the oil refinery town of Brega and were poised to assault the city in coordination with NATO air strikes with the aim to “head toward the periphery of Tripoli”, the capital.
The spokesman also said the opposition forces would continue fighting during Ramadan.
2:05am: Ten Libyan rebels were reported killed and 172 wounded in an attack on the eastern oil port ofBrega on Saturday, while insurgents drove back forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi in the west.
1:58am: A series of powerful explosions was heard early on Sunday in the Libyan capital Tripoli, bastion of the embattled Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
At least 13 blasts were heard before and just after 2300 GMT on Saturday. An AFP journalist was unable to say immediately what the targets had been.
State television channel Al Jamahiriya reported that “the colonialist crusader aggressor,” a reference to NATO, had raided civilian and military sites in the Ain Zara district and Tajoura in the eastern suburbs of Tripoli.