Rebels capture city just 30 miles from Libya capital

Muammar Gaddafi is running out of options. The Libyan dictator has been left with nowhere to run after rebels took a city just 30 miles from the capital of Tripoli, where he has held his defiant stand.

Meanwhile the U.S. has frozen his assets, the UN Security Council is referring his repression to the Inteational Criminal Court, and Britain has revoked his diplomatic immunity.

U.S. President Barack Obama is calling for him to step down as the UN urged member countries to invoke a travel ban against him and his family.

Rebels: An army officer teaches other soldiers how to use an anti-aircraft gun in Benghazi

On guard: A rebel soldier sits inside an ammunition store in Benghazi after anti-govement forces seized control of Zawiya, just 30 miles from Tripoli

Gaddafi has launched by far the bloodiest crackdown in a wave of anti-regime uprising sweeping the Arab world.

Thousands are believed to have been killed amid reports the regime has been opening fire on protesters.

As many as 100,000 are said to have fled the country.

Fleeing: Chinese nationals disembark from a Greek ferry in Heraklion. Around 100,000 people are believed to have left Libya since the uprising began

Safe: Passengers watch from a ferry as their ship arrives in Valetta, Malta

Unrest: The brutal crackdown on protesters has been referred to the Inteational Criminal Court over fears of war crimes

The Security Council said its actions were aimed at 'deploring the gross and systematic violation of human rights, including the repression of peaceful demonstrators'.

Members expressed conces about civilian deaths, 'rejecting unequivocally the incitement to hostility and violence against the civilian population made from the highest level of the Libyan govement'.

A host of inteational figures have welcomed the move, including British Foreign Secretary William Hague and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Scores of oil workers were dramatically rescued by British military aircraft from remote desert locations on Saturday night in a secret mission involving British special forces.

Anger: Protesters draw caricatures of Gaddafi in a looted security building Benghazi. The UN has backed a freeze on the Libyan dictator's assets

Exodus: Egyptian residents wait for a bus at the Ras Jdir border crossing with Tunisia

Defiant: A rebel soldier fires his gun into the air and, right, British Foreign Secretary William Hague has called on Gaddafi to step down after revoking his diplomatic immunity in the UK

It is unclear if further missions will take place.

Asked if the Gaddafi could remain in power, Mr Hague told the BBC's Andrew Marr show: 'We have here a country descending into civil war, with atrocious scenes of killing of protesters and a govement actually making war on its own so of course it is time for Colonel Gaddafi to go.

'And last night I signed a directive revoking his diplomatic immunity in the UK but also the diplomatic immunity of his sons, his family, his household.

'So it is very clear where we stand on his status as the head of state.'

The Libyan uprising began on February 15 and has swept over nearly the entire easte half of the country, snatching entire cities from the govement's grasp.

Gaddafi and his backers continue to hold the capital Tripoli and have threatened to put down protests aggressively.

Abandoned: Colonel Gaddafi's beloved nurse Halyna Kolotnyska, right centre, has told her family she will retu home to the Ukraine soon

Daring: Oil workers shake hands with RAF ground crew after they were dramatically rescued from the Libyan desert

Dangerous: Evacuees disembark at the port of Piraeus, Athens

Reports have emerged that govement forces have been firing indiscriminately on peaceful protesters and that as many as 1,000 have died.

It comes as hundreds of anti-govement forces backed by rebel troops seized control of the city closest to the capital.

Rebels are now in control of Zawiya, around 30 miles west of Tripoli, and have deployed tanks and anti-aircraft guns on trucks in the city.

But the outskirts of the city have been surrounded by troops still loyal to Gaddafi and six checkpoints between the two cities have been heavily defended.

Police stations and govement offices inside the city have been torched and barricades have been constructed in streets.

A member of Benghazi city council said Libyan cities under rebel control had appointed an ex-justice minister to lead a provisional govement.

Fathi Baja said opponents of Gaddafi had named Mustafa Abdel-Jalil to the provisional leadership post.

Yesterday, Libya's top envoy to the U.S. said Gaddafi opponents were rallying behind efforts to form an alteative govement led by Mr Abdel-Jalil, who has criticised the brutal crackdown.

A Ukrainian newspaper has also reported the dictator's beloved nurse is planning to abandon him and retu home.

A U.S. diplomatic cable said the Libyan leader is deeply attached to 38-year-old Halyna Kolotnytska, describing her as a 'voluptuous blonde'.

The Segodnya daily quoted her daughter Tetyana as saying she was planning to retu to the Ukraine in the near future.