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”.

Musa Kusa’s defection to Britain is a “great day” for relatives of those killed in the Lockerbie bombing, a relative of one of the victims said today.

Rebels pleaded for more help as Muammar Gaddafi's ground forces recaptured a strategic oil town and moved within striking distance of another major eastern city.

Libyan warplanes have launched a fresh air strike on rebel positions around a key oil port, trying to block fighters from advancing toward Muammar Gaddafi’s stronghold in the capital, Tripoli.

Libyan rebels today vowed to regroup and bring in heavy weapons after forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi pounded opposition fighters with helicopter gunships, artillery and rockets to stop their rapid advance toward the capital.