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More protests expected in Libya after Gaddafi appears on state TV to deny reports he has fled the country 9.09am – Libya: China has joined the international outcry over events in Egypt with its foreign ministry spokesman, Ma Zhaoxu, telling reporters that some Chinese citizens have been injured amid the unrest and businesses damaged. Ma said China called on the Libyan regime to “restore social stability and normalcy as soon as possible and spare no effort to protect the safety of Chinese people, organizations and assets in Libya.” 8.59am – Libya: The country’s ambassador to India has apparently confirmed that former African mercenaries are being used by the Libyan regime to crush protests, prompting some army troops to switch sides to support the opposition. Ali al-Essawi, who resigned in the wake of the crackdown, said: “They are from Africa, and speak French and other languages.” He added that he was receiving information from sources within the country. Essawi added: “They (troops) are Libyans and they cannot see foreigners killing Libyans so they moved beside the people… Libyans cannot do anything against the air fighters. We do not call for international troops, but we call on the international community to save the Libyans.” Earlier Essawi told Reuters said he expected more diplomats at foreign missions to resign due to the ongoing violence. “Fighter aircraft were bombing civilians on the streets of Tripoli, this is unprecedented violence,” Essawi said. The UN Security Council is to hold a meeting behind closed-doors today to discuss the crisis in Libya. 8.45am – Libya: Libya’s leader Moammar Gaddafi appeared briefly on Libyan state TV on Monday evening to deny reports that he had fled the country, as key diplomats continued to disown his regime. “I want to show that I’m in Tripoli and not in Venezuela. Do not believe the channels belonging to stray dogs,” Gaddafi said, reported by the station as speaking outside his house. He was holding an umbrella in the rain and leaning out of a vehicle. “I wanted to say something to the youths at the Green Square [in Tripoli] and stay up late with them but it started raining. Thank God, it’s a good thing,” the embattled leader said in a 22-second appearance. Libyan state TV earlier said military operations were under way against “terrorist nests” and there were predictions of a bloodbath by a desperate regime which feels the end approaching. Several key Libyan diplomats have disowned Gaddafi’s regime for its brutal crackdown on protesters and the country’s deputy UN ambassador has called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council, that will take place today. The Libyan ambassador to the United States urged Gaddafi to step down, the ambassador to India resigned as did the ambassador to Bangladesh who protested the killing of family members by government troops. Almost all Libyan diplomats at the United Nations backed deputy ambassador Ibrahim Dabbashi’s pleas to Gaddafi to end his 40-year rule and to the international community to intervene. In other developments: • The US ordered all non-emergency staff to leave Libya – a sure sign that the crisis is worsening. • Libya’s justice minister announcing he was quitting, as did ambassadors in at least seven countries. • Benghazi, Libya’s second city and the scene of alleged massacres in recent days, was reported to be in the hands of anti-government protesters, but violence continued unabated. Residents were organising vigilante groups to protect themselves and distribute food. • Information remained fragmentary and confused, with phone lines and the internet intermittently cut and al-Jazeera satellite TV reportedly jammed by Libyan intelligence. • Qatar condemned the use of military aircraft and machine guns against unarmed protesters and called for an emergency meeting of the Arab League. • The death toll passed 250 after six days of unrest but this is a conservative estimate. Al-Jazeera quoted medical sources in Tripoli saying 61 people had died in the latest protests there. The International Federation of Human Rights estimated the death toll at 300 to 400. Arab and Middle East protests Libya Protest Yemen Egypt Bahrain Iran Tunisia Adam Gabbatt Matthew Taylor guardian.co.uk