Abdul-Ati Al-Obeidi said that the violence in Libya is being carried out by "extremists" and foreign intervention. Al-Obeidi is a member of the Libyan delegation at African Union talks in Ethiopia. Earlier Friday a top African Union official called for a transition period in Libya that would lead to democratic elections.

The Libyan government delegation met with five African heads of state who plan to develop a road map to encourage political reform in the North African country. Rebel leaders indicated that they had no representatives at the talks.

African Union Commission Chairman Jean Ping said in an opening speech that the AU favors an inclusive transitional period that would lead to democratic elections.

On Friday, Qatar became the first Arab country to fly combat missions over Libya after NATO agreed to take command of the no-fly zone part of air operations against Muammar Qaddafi's regime.

The Qatari fighter jet flew its first sortie alongside a French jet on Friday and the United Arab Emirates pledged 12 warplanes to the effort to thwart Qaddafi. The international effort has no other countries from the Arab League, the 22-member group that was among the driving forces behind the UN Security Council decision to impose a no-fly zone over Libya.

"Having our first Arab nation join and start flying with us emphasizes that the world wants the innocent Libyan people protected from the atrocities perpetrated by pro-regime forces," US Air Forces Africa Commander Maj. Gen. Margaret Woodward said.

Canadian Lt. Gen. Charles Bouchard was designated to lead what the country's defense minister described as "yet to be fully defined NATO operations." The international coalition confronting Qaddafi has agreed to put NATO in charge of enforcing the no-fly zone, but was still hammering out a deal to relieve US forces of command of all military operations in the country.

British and French warplanes, meanwhile, hit targets near the town of Ajdabiyah, destroying an artillery battery and armored vehicles. Ajdabiyah and the western city of Misrata, in particular, have suffered because the rebels lack the heavy weapons to end the siege from Qaddafi's forces.

The US launched 15 more cruise missiles from the Mediterranean Sea, targeting garrisons near Tripoli, a military official said.

Ajdabiyah has been under siege for more than a week, with the rebels holding the city center under shelling from government troops positioned on the outskirts. Rebels are haphazardly manning checkpoints, but are forced to scatter under shelling several times each day.