THE LIBYAN GOVERNMENT has said that the regime is open to reform – but stressed that Muammar Gaddafi must remain in a position of authority in order to avoid the creation of a power vacuum, such as those experienced in Iraq and Somalia.

Describing Col Gaddafi as ”unifying” figure, spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said that it was not the place of the west to tell Libya “you have to lose your leader or your system or your regime”, reports the BBC.

Ibrahim said that “many” Libyans wished for Gaddafi to lead political reform in the country “because they are scared if he is not there for any reason we will have what happened in Iraq, we will have what happened in Somalia, we will have what happened in Afghanistan.”

Ibrahim also denied that Gaddafi’s men were committing atrocities against civilians: “We are fighting armed militias. You are not a civilian if you take up arms.”

On Sunday, two crews on humanitarian missions evacuated hundreds of wounded Libyans from a hospital in Misrata, as the city was bombarded by a relentless campaign of shelling and sniper fire by government forces. Patients on life support, suffering from major trauma, abdominal wounds and open fractures were among the 71 people rescued by Médecins San Frontieres – while 250 wounded were rescued by the Turkish ship Ankara and brought back to Turkey for treatment.

Read: Two rescue teams evacuate hundreds of wounded from Libyan hospital (Slideshow) >