Muammar Gaddafi struck a defiant stance after two high-profile defections from his regime, saying he was not the one who should go but the Western leaders who decimated his military with air strikes.

Libya has played down the resignation of Foreign Minister Musa Kusa says it is a personal decision driven by health problems, not a sign that the embattled regime is cracking at the highest levels.

Libya has shrugged off the defection of foreign minister Musa Kusa insisting it is involved in “a struggle of a whole nation”.