Libyan leader asks UN to lift sanctions

Libya's de facto prime minister Mahmoud Jibril has asked the UN Security Council to lift some of the economic sanctions on his country, but says Nato should stay until civilians are no longer being killed.

Jibril, the prime minister appointed by the former rebels' National Transitional Council, thanked the UN council Monday for two resolutions that established the sanctions against the Moammar Gadhafi regime and created a Nato-led no-fly zone to protect civilians earlier this year.

But he says it is "imperative" that the council lift some of the asset freezes so the country can begin to rebuild infrastructure demolished during months of armed conflict, including electrical plants and schools.

AP