US, Russia thwart progress on UN call for Libya ceasefire: diplomats

A British bid at the UN Security Council to demand a ceasefire in Libya faced opposition from Russia and the United States, raising doubts about prospects for a draft resolution to halt the bloodshed in Tripoli, diplomats said.

Britain put forward the measure after forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar launched an offensive on April 4 to seize Tripoli, a move that threatened to plunge the north African country into deep turmoil.

During a closed-door council meeting on Thursday, Russia again insisted that there be no references in the draft resolution criticising Haftar while the United States appealed for more time to weigh its options, diplomats said.

The divisions among world powers deepened as fighting escalated in Tripoli, with the death toll now reaching over 200, while more than 25,000 people have been driven from their homes.

"We want to have this resolution," German Ambassador Christoph Heusgen told reporters after the meeting. "We want to have a strong resolution... with a united council - everybody behind it - that says who is responsible and what needs to be done."