Libya: Security Council acts; "crown prince" weighs in

The UN Security Council on Feb. 27 unanimously ordered a travel ban and asset freeze on Moammar Qaddafi's regime, and ordered an investigation into possible crimes against humanity in Libya. The council made a new demand for an immediate end to the violence, which it said had been incited "from the highest level" of Libyan leaders. The travel ban and asset freeze in Resolution 1970 targets the 68-year-old Libyan leader, four of his sons, and top defense and intelligence officials. (Middle East Online, Feb. 27)

Speaking from London, Muhammad bin Sayyid Hassan as-Sanussi—who would be Libya's crown prince if the monarchy still held power—said Qaddafi-loyalist forces are carrying out "massacres," but dismissed fears of civil war. "The Libyan people and the tribes have proven they are united," and talk of civil war has been "created by the regime to spread fear," Sanussi said. Qaddafi ousted Sanussi's great-uncle in a 1969 coup. (Bloomberg, Feb. 25; AlJazeera, Feb. 24)

See our last post on the Libyan crisis.

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