Jordan urges Libya to stop ''bloodshed''

Amman, Feb 22 (AFP) Jordan today called on the Libyanauthorities to stop the "bloodshed" in the north Africancountry, following a bloody crackdown on anti-regime protests.

"Jordan rejects targeting and bombarding civilians...

The bloodshed in Libya must immediately stop," foreignministry spokesman Mohammad Kayed said in a statement.

"Dealing with civilians this way is a stark violationof human rights and international laws."Libyan security forces have cracked down severely onmounting protests against the 41-year-old regime of ColonelMoamer Kadhafi, which began late last week, following theprecedents of Tunisia and Egypt.

Human Rights Watch has cited 233 dead, while theInternational Federation of Human Rights says that between 300and 400 people have lost their lives.

"We call on the Libyan authorities to practicerestraint and resort to reason," Kayed said in the statement,carried by the state-run Petra news agency.

"Jordan will take part in any Arab League meeting todiscuss the situation in Libya." The Arab League was to meetlater today to discuss the bloody uprising.

Meanwhile, around 500 people, including Libyans,Islamists and trade unionists, demonstrated outside Tripoli''sembassy in Amman, calling for the fall of Kadhafi''s regime.

"Kadhafi the butcher, it''s your turn you dictator. Getout of Libya," the protesters chanted, urging the Libyanambassador in Jordan to "support the change."The Islamic Action Front (IAF), the political arm ofJordan''s Muslim Brotherhood, called on "Arabs and Muslimsaround the world to raise their voices and have a clearposition on what happens in Libya.""Kadhafi the tyrant has disgraced his people duringthe past four decades, and what he did to his people is muchmore than what the colonists did," the party said on itswebsite.

Amman has asked the Libyan authorities to help bringhome its citizens, and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh wasquoted on Monday as saying that there are 9,000 Jordanians inLibya. (AFP)