Libya unrest: UK and France to send helicopters - Paris

Britain and France are to deploy attack helicopters in Libya, French Defence Minister Gerard Longuet says.

Mr Longuet said they would start as soon as possible. The UK has yet to confirm the deployment.

The move would increase pressure on Col Muammar Gaddafi's forces, as helicopters can hit targets on the ground more accurately.

Nato jets have been targeting Col Gaddafi's military infrastructure, but have been unable to stop the fighting.

In a separate development, the most senior US diplomat yet to visit the rebels in Libya is holding talks in their Benghazi strongold.

US Assistant Secretary of State Jeffrey Feltman met the Transitional National Council, which rules the east of the country.

In a statement released during the visit, Washington reiterated that Col Gaddafi - who controls most of the western Libya and also the capital Tripoli - must leave power.

However, the Libyan rebels failed to gain full recognition when they travelled to the US a week ago.
Running out of ideas?

On Monday, Mr Longuet confirmed earlier media reports that France was sending its attack helicopters to Libya. Speaking on the sidelines of talks with European Union defence ministers in Brussels, Mr Longuet also said: "The British, who have assets similar to ours, will also commit."

"The sooner the better is what the British think," the French minister added.

He declined to provide any further details, and the British defence ministry had no immediate comment.

Earlier, France's Le Figaro newspaper said that 12 helicopters were despatched to Libya on the French carrier Tonnerre on 17 May. The helicopters involved were allegedly Tigre and Gazelle.

Britain's largest warship HMS Ocean left Plymouth in April carrying Apache attack helicopters, the BBC's Christian Fraser in Paris reports.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he was very much behind the intensification of the military campaign but would not be drawn on whether additional assets were now being deployed, our correspondent says.

Experts say these helicopters are able to identity targets quickly but they are more vulnerable than the strike aircraft.

Their use is perhaps the first sign the alliance is running out of ideas, and perhaps the French and British governments are also running short on patience, our correspondent adds.