French fighter jets deployed over Libya

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• NEW: Sarkozy says air power to counter Gadhafi
• NEW: Gadhafi warned to stop activities immediately
• NEW: Gadhafi forces were pushing into Benghazi

Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- French fighter jets soared over Libya on Saturday to counter Moammar Gadhafi's military forces who were intent on destroying the opposition as they pushed into the rebel stronghold of Benghazi.

"Our air force will oppose any aggression by Colonel Gadhafi against the population of Benghazi," said French President Nicolas Sarkozy, speaking after an international, top-level meeting in Paris over the Libyan crisis.

"As of now, our aircraft are preventing planes from attacking the town," he said. "As of now, our aircraft are prepared to intervene against tanks."

The international show of force is much-welcomed by besieged rebel forces who have called for backup to help them stave off a government offensive against their positions in Benghazi and other rebe Sarkozy said Gadhafi still has time to stop its activities and as of Friday, France, Britain, the United States and League nationsntries passed along a warning for Gadhafi to stop his operations immediately.

But "Gadhafi has totally ignored the warning" and "in the last few hours his forces have stepped up their deadly offenses," Sarkozy said.

The international meeting in Paris focused on how to take on a Libyan government bent on destroying the fledgling opposition movement under the U.N. resolution authorizing force to protect civilians against the Gadhafi government.

"There is still time for Colonel Gadhafi to avoid the worst, by complying immediately and unreservedly with all the demands of the international community. The doors of diplomacy will open once again when the aggression stops," Sarkozy said.

Asked whether the decision to carry out bombing against Libyan forces could begin immediately after Saturday's session ends, a senior State Department official said: "In terms of when the bombing starts, I'll leave that for others to lay out at the appropriate time."

"Everybody recognizes the urgency," he said.

The dramatic move came as Gadhafi forces assaulted Benghazi. Incoming artillery rounds landed inside the city, and pro-Gadhafi tanks rolled into the town firing rounds, witnesses said. Plumes of smoke rose in Benghazi as civilians said buildings came under small arms fire. Many fled their homes in fear of a full-blown assault there.

A fighter jet plummeted from the sky, burst into flames, and nose-dived to the ground. An opposition fighter said the plane belonged to the rebels and was dispatched to try to stop forces supporting Gadhafi from entering Benghazi -- the heart of the opposition.

CNN could not independently confirm who the plane belonged to.

"I have all the Libyan people with me and I'm prepared to die. And they are prepared to die for me. Men, women and even children," Gadhafi said in a letter addressed to President Barack Obama and read to reporters by a government spokesman in Tripoli on Saturday.

Fighting has raged in Libya over the last day despite the government's announcement of an "immediate" cease-fire on Friday.

The declaration -- which came hours after the U.N. Security Council resolution authorized the use of force, including a no-fly zone -- was seen by rebels as simply a move to buy itself time.

Gadhafi -- in separate letter addressed to Sarkozy, British Prime Minister David Cameron, and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon -- called the U.N. moves "invalid" because the resolution does not permit intervention in the internal affairs of other countries.

"Libya is not yours. Libya is for all Libyans," said the letter, also read by the spokesman. "You will regret it if you take a step toward intervening in our internal affairs."

"It is not your country. We could never and would never fire one bullet against our people," the letter said.

Violence has raged in Libya following protests calling for democracy and freedom and demanding an end to Gadhafi's almost 42-year-long rule. It's a conflict spurred by anti-government protest and resulting regime violence against civilians -- which the U.N. resolution cites as "outrageous" and Sarkozy calls "murderous madness."

But Gadhafi defended his actions in his note to Obama. He said his opponents are from al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, the group's North African wing, and asked Obama what he would do if such an armed movement controlled American cities.

"Tell me, how would you behave so I could follow your example?"

After the U.N. Security Council authorized its resolution, countries, such as Britain, Canada and France, announced military planning and preparations.

As talk emerged in Europe of speedy military action against Gadhafi's regime, Obama on Friday warned Gadhafi to pull back from several besieged cities or face military consequences. He also said power and water must be restored to several cities.

If Gadhafi doesn't comply, the U.N. resolution will be imposed through military action, the president said.

"These terms are not negotiable," Obama said.

The U.N. resolution, while not authorizing such a move, does not preclude the United States from arming rebels, said Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

The civil war has hurt the Libya's oil production, which Shokri Ghanem, the nation's oil minister, the called "our most important source of income and our lifeblood."

Speaking to reporters in Tripoli on Saturday, he said the abandoment of the workforce amid the conflict is the main reason for a drop in production.

He said Libya wants to restore its fields and increase production. He stressed that Libya is honoring all of its commitments despite the conflict and asked foreign and local employees to return.

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Posted in: LIBYA