Cameron: Gaddafi Regime Is In 'Full Retreat'

The Prime Minister has said Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's regime is "falling apart and in full retreat" and he should stop fighting now.

David Cameron has spoken after chairing a meeting of the National Security Council's Libya Group and said "the vast majority" of Tripoli is now in rebels' hands.

He added that the Nato mission to protect civilians would continue as long as needed and he urged a quick transition to a "democratic and inclusive" Libya.

British pilots, air staff and ground crew have been praised by the PM for their "bravery, great professionalism and dedication".

Mr Cameron confirmed there is no confirmation of Colonel Gaddafi's whereabouts but at least two of his sons had been detained.

He said the Government will establish a "diplomatic presence" in Tripoli as soon as it was safe to do so.

His spokesman said the Prime Minister has also discussed the situation with United Nation Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.

A fresh UN Security Council resolution on Libya is in the process of being formulated.

The Secretary-General has said the UN stands ready to deliver assistance to the Libyan people, who have demonstrated "courage and determination".

He said he did not know where Colonel Gaddafi was but UN representatives had been trying to contact him.

World leaders have been increasing the pressure on Colonel Gaddafi to accept the end of his 42-year rule, after rebels appeared to seize control of Tripoli.

Sky's Alex Crawford was with opposition fighters at they rode into Green Square - the symbolic heart of the capital city and the scene of wild celebrations.

A spokesperson added that Mr Cameron had interrupted his holiday in Cornwall to chair the meeting, although may return "at some point".

Defence Secretary Liam Fox said the Libyan people should "determine their own future" but added "it is not an easy situation for them".

"We will still be maintaining air operations as there are threats from the remnants of Colonel Gaddafi's regime," he said.

But he confirmed there are no plans for British forces to be on the ground in Libya.

International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell told Sky News the focus would be on "stabilisation" once the fighting is over.

He said lessons had been learnt from post-conflict Iraq and the priorities would be "security, justice, restarting the economy, having a proper political process".

Ensuring access to essentials such as medical supplies, electricity and food will also be vital, he added.

Britain has made clear it will release funding to the World Health Organisation and the Red Cross will visit hospitals in Tripoli, Mr Mitchell continued.

"These are very, very difficult circumstances on the ground as your reporter [Alex Crawford] has so bravely made clear in recent days but we're doing everything we can to assist and help," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: "The momentum for change is breathtaking and, for the cynics who said change wasn't possible, who had written off the Libyan uprising, written off the Arab Spring, clearly, they were wrong."

"The movement for freedom hasn't been stamped out. It's alive and kicking, and it's here to stay."

Labour leader Ed Miliband said the "situation in Libya is fragile but it's clear that the regime is crumbling".

"Welcome news for all of us who believe brutality should not be allowed to stand," he added on Twitter.

Shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander told Sky News the "Gaddafi era has finally come to an end".

Hundreds of people - many of them of Libyan descent - have flocked to London's Edgware Road to celebrate the rebels' apparent victory.

There has also been jubilation in countries including Egypt and Tunisia, where crowds have gathered in solidarity with Libya's revolutionary forces.

US President Barack Obama released a cautious statement, urging Col Gaddafi to signal he had relinquished power.

"The momentum against the Gaddafi regime has reached a tipping point," the statement said.

"Tripoli is slipping from the grasp of a tyrant. The Gaddafi regime is showing signs of collapsing.

"The people of Libya are showing that the universal pursuit of dignity and freedom is far stronger than the iron fist of a dictator.

"The surest way for the bloodshed to end is simple: Muammar Gaddafi and his regime need to recognise that their rule has come to an end.

"Gaddafi needs to acknowledge the reality that he no longer controls Libya. He needs to relinquish power once and for all."

The statement added that the US had recognised the Transitional National Council as "the legitimate governing authority in Libya".

French President Nicolas Sarkozy will speak with the Libyan Transitional Council later to discuss the current situation and the support needed to build democracy in the country.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said in a statement: "We ask Colonel Gaddafi to stop all useless resistance so as to save his people from further suffering.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said: "We continue to call on Colonel Gaddafi to get out of the way, and of course we believe that he should face the international charges that are against him."

Nato secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Col Gaddafi's regime was "clearly crumbling" and that the time to create a new Libya had arrived.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez - a staunch ally of Col Gaddafi - condemned Nato's role in the dictator's apparent overthrow.

"We are seeing images of the democratic governments of Europe, along with the supposedly democratic government of the United States destroying Tripoli with their bombs," he said.

Read more about Libya here:

:: Libyan Rebels Battle For Control Of Tripoli

:: Live Blog: Latest Updates From Libya's Capital

:: Cameron: Gaddafi Regime Is In 'Full Retreat'

:: Gaddafi's Sons Captured By Rebels In Tripoli

:: Libya Q&A: What Next After Colonel Gaddafi?

:: Profile: The Long Rule Of 'Mad Dog' Gaddafi

:: Pictures: Celebrations In Libya

:: Interactive Map - Middle East Hotspots