moussa koussa traveling to britain. the foreign ministry explain what happened. they said that the libyan foreign minister had traveled to the u.k. from tunisia, out here arrived in england some hours ago. if we are told that he traveled under his own free will and he is no longer willing to represent gaddafi on the world stage, a job he has done for several years. we understand moussa koussa is being debriefed probably by intelligence officials but he has not yet met the foreign secretary or the prime minister. the statement from the foreign office goes on to say that he is a senior figure in the gaddafi government at that britain urges other senior figures in tripoli to abandon their leader and to allow the libyan people to transition to democracy. we are waiting for more details to emerge. we have not seen the word defection use by the foreign office but there is no doubt that this is a senior figure turning his back on it gaddafi. >> the bbc's world affairs editor is in tripoli. he says that colonel gaddafi is going

his foreign minister moussa koussa is said to be seeking asylum. still the big news tonight is the rebel retreat. mandy clark has been with them on their odyssey and reports tonight from benghazi. >> reporter: the rebels are running for their lives, giving up nearly all the ground they had gained after allied airs strikes over the weekend took out some of qaddafi's heavy weapons. the front line has been shifting in the sand since then, first sunday, moving west over 200 miles to the outskirts of qaddafi's birth place of surt. then all the way back to the oil town of brega, in less than a week. just a few days ago, this was the scene of celebration when the town fell into rebel hand and the front was moving quickly to the west. now the rebels seem to be in full-scale retreat and are telling us not to go any further because qaddafi forces are approaching once more. rebels are starting to show their combat fatigue, outgunned and regularly outflanked in the field, they lack any sort of military strategy or leadership. >> reporter: they desperately need

as we mentioned, there was word the libyan foreign minister, moussa koussa, has flown to london under a party lost to sever his ties with the regime. >> the libyan government or what is left of that, they said this was an official visit by the foreign minister but it turns out to be rather different. can you tell us about the events that unfolded during the day? >> we were told that there are reports the libyan foreign minister was traveling and it was on official business. but it soon became clear first- rate news agency report and then for make confirmation of sources i was speaking to in the british government that the libyan foreign minister had come here of his own free will and to leave behind him the regime. he made his way to a military airport here in britain. it has not been confirmed how he got here, but i think we can guess he was brought by the british government and has been spending several hours being debriefed, coal -- code for making sure he is indeed coming to defect and not some sort of propaganda coup for muammar gaddafi. the british foreign office as they're conf

but certainly he has been dealt a psychological blow for his foreign minister moussa koussa has defected and he's currently in discussions with the british intelligence are concerned has been the foreign minister of this country since two thousand and nine he's headed the libyan intelligence agency for some fifteen years an acquisition from him the nickname of the man odd is the duffys of the right hand man he is trusted by gadhafi but he certainly has been described as a shrewd operator by the international community so many here are asking what is it exactly that mr wilson cousineau those that has caused him to defect to any just how important any information he has to the coalition partners. or the british authorities say libya's defectors foreign minister won't be granted any special immunity but international relations professor elements so it's embarrassing for the u.k. to acceptance because there is a man with a dubious past. or an intelligence officer on the cover of. attacks and threats against you've been examined rather later on you can go and look at the moment. i heard one h

from a minister mr moussa koussa he said well. i foreigners. call a model of it's clear it's a plot the proof is the group has contacts with great powers and is supported by them first of all which is that they will reserves the u.k. has made several visits negotiations and offered help the same situation is with france and the u.s. great growers compete for the right to own oil gold resources and this rivalry is going on there. it's a new push on the international stage for a fly it certainly looks promising. that is for on the table just like the fact that it has been rejected by the arab league by russia and like a no fly zone might. what is important to note that it's no fly zone as indeed it seems increasingly likely that it might well have a limited impact. any kind of ground offensive which could possibly want to buy. it at the same time nato has begun. immelt surveillance over the country now the trolls do right to tell the information about the movements. and such they can be in into the intelligence that the greatest conducting these

says it's not offering immunity to the libyan foreign minister moussa koussa he's arrived in britain saying he's no longer willing to work under the regime of kind of gets out the. clear has the latest from tripoli. well there have been airstrikes in the east and south eastern suburbs of tripoli at a military base there while the front line seems to have been pushed ever so further back it is now not far from the town of ajdabiya which is just seventy kilometers weights of the rebel stronghold of benghazi there have been a number of coalition air strikes in and around darby i would switch thirty dozen jets where the coalition is afraid that gadhafi forces are closing in on this town and also they can often find a job or two for gadhafi forces now the terrain that a group of fighters are fighting on is working against them it is essentially one highway image is that it is very hard for them to get supplies and serviette this stage it does seem as if those coalition in strikes are making very little difference on the ground gadhafi is winning the war but certainly he has been dealt a p

foreign minister mr moussa koussa he said that this was a well paid by foreigners. model it's clear. that the proof is the. great powers in supporting them first of all which is that. the u.k. has made several visits negotiations and offered to help the same situation is that france and the u.s. great growers compete for the right to own oil gold resources and this rivalry is going on there is a new push from the international stage for ignorant flight certainly no question in france i can often resolution. by the fact that it has been rejected by the arab league by russia france and like to keep a no fly zone might all planes what is important to note that it was no fly zone doesn't need it and it seems increasingly like you got it right it will have a limited impact that's why any kind of ground offensive which could possibly launched by its troops at the same time nato has begun a twenty four hour wait maylands over the country now. any. information about. these that because he's such they can be eased into intelligence. conducting these tools and. we also know t

tripoli there and we'll bring you the full version of our interview with libyan foreign minister moussa koussa in just over an hour so stay with us for that if you can. i mean to our correspondents on a boy who has been among anti-government groups and she brings us the details of developments in libya's second biggest city of benghazi. five is still going on around the towns of bragger and iraq after being starved to their prizing round the opposition was able to capture much of it is to leave the uprising has stalled and it's still unclear where exactly the opposition and government forces are in control both sides are claiming control of various locations i'm in the city of the gods of the second largest city and the stronghold of the opposition some of the opposition leaders told us today that they're now to regroup to accumulate all of their resources. that they have knowledge of the currents of the town of sirte. and hometown of gadhafi and his tribal stronghold are right in the middle of the road carefully armed and guys if they are suggesting that these crowds of may come closer to nex

the protesters are losing ground real time are to have access to get off this foreign minister moussa koussa will continue to press the same big r.p. government because after the regime has been pressing all along that this uprising has been exported to lead there from abroad it's clear that it's a will to carry. these group has contacts with great powers and he's supported by them. which is attracted by the reason the u.k. has pizza released its negotiations and offered help the situation is with france and the u.s. risk compete for the right to. resources and this rivalry is going on. the opposition of course denies these claims in private they started a recent and barrus meant to be a british intelligence services who are group here to bin ghazi a group that was briefly are arrested. back home local leaders say that they do not want any foreign intervention in fact they say if indeed it happens it would play directly into the hands of khadafi and they're very adamant that the surprising for their arrest it's successful on north remains to be seen as an achievement as of january after all

the foreign minister, moussa koussa, sought refuge in london according to britain's foreign office.the ground, the momentum shifted again in qaddafi's favor, as government troops reversed the gains rebels made just two days ago. opposition forces retreated east giving up the towns along the way and there were reports of some heading back to the rebel stronghold of benghazi. lindsey hilsum of "independent televison news" reports from the frontlines. >> reporter: the rebels set fire to one of colonel qaddafi's old tanks before fleeing ras lanuf. it must have been satisfying to watch it go up in flames, but it doesn't alter the balance of forces in this war. in brega, 60 miles east, they were burning his green flag, but the news from the village in >> ( translated ): when we were in ageila, we were suddenly bombed from three directions-- north, south and west. we now demand that the u.n., if they support the libyan people, supply us with weapons, and nato should carry out more airstrikes so we can go forward. >> reporter: the fighters seem to get younger by the day. ahmed saleh said he