On Thursday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed his "deep concerns" over the rising number of civilian deaths in the country, calling on "all parties" to use "extreme caution" in the battle. While attempts by spokesmen for the murderous government of Muammar Gaddafi to criticise Nato over the civilian deaths ring hollow in light of the regime's mass killings of its own people, it is also true that Nato forces seem to have exceeded their mandate in Libya.

Despite the daily air strikes, Gaddafi is still well ensconced in his capital while life for ordinary Libyans is getting worse by the day. There is no way that the bombing of civilian areas in Tripoli and other cities will contribute towards deposing Gaddafi. Nato must not mistake Resolution 1973 as a licence to kill.