A WARPLANE WHICH WAS reportedly bombing the eastern city of Benghazi has been shot down this morning, as the opposition and Gaddafi’s forces accuse each other of breaching the ceasefire.

The head of Libya’s opposition council Mustafa Abdul Jalil told Al Jazeera that the jet belonged to the rebel forces, according to the news organisation’s Evan Hill.

The Libyan government called a ceasefire after the UN Security Council agreed to impose a no-fly zone over the troubled north African state yesterday and denies breaking it.

President Barack Obama warned Gaddafi that he faces military action if he fails to comply with that UN’s demands for a total ceasefire.

While hosting a press conference with Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said:

The efforts by the international community to come together to make clear to Colonel Gaddafi that he cannot continue his violence against his own people, he cannot continue to attack those who started out by peacefully demonstrating for changes that are within the right of any human being to do so…

Ceasefire breach denied

Today, Libyan government spokesman Ibrahim Musa denied that a government plane had been shot down and said that government forces have not shelled any Libyan towns today. He claimed that rebels were the only ones breaking the ceasefire by attacking military forces.

According to Al Jazeera, reports from Libya say Gaddafi’s forces have entered the outskirts of Benghazi – where a plane was shot down earlier today. Fresh fighting has also been reported in two other rebel-held towns, Misurata and Ajdabiya.

World leaders are holding urgent talks in Paris today to discuss possible military action against Libya following that UN Security Council resolution to allow the use of force to protect civilians.

[caption id="attachment_106508" align="alignnone" width="511" caption="A huge explosions is seen over the outskirts of Benghazi after a plane was shot down today. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)"][/caption]

- Includes reporting by the AP

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