Washington, DC, United States (AHN) – In a flurry of international activity Friday, the United States continued to evacuate Americans stranded in Libya and anti-Gadhafi protestors battled mercenaries across the country.

A ferry carrying fleeing Americans finally departed from Tripoli, Libya at 1:37 p.m. local (6:37 a.m. EST), en route to Malta with an estimated transit time of eight hours, subject to weather conditions, according to the U.S. State Department.

Aboard the M/V Maria Delores “are more than 300 passengers, of whom more than half are U.S. citizens,” the State Department announced, saying, “Additional passengers were added prior to departure.”

Moreover, to help Americans still stranded in Libya, the State Department is arranging a chartered aircraft to fly Friday from Tripoli to Istanbul, Turkey, that would depart from the Mitiga Air Field near downtown Tripoli.

Expressing inability to provide ground transportation for U.S. citizens, the State Department advised U.S. citizens to proceed to the airport, adding the passengers “will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to persons with medical emergencies or severe medical conditions.”

“The aircraft will depart no later than 5:30 p.m. local time,” the advisory said, adding, “Travelers should bring valid travel documents and any necessary medications. Each traveler may bring one suitcase and a small personal carry-on item. Pets are not allowed on the aircraft. U.S. citizens seeking evacuation should be prepared to wait several hours. Travelers are advised to bring food, water, diapers, and other necessary toiletries with them to the airport.”

Should they lack a valid U.S. passport or visa, Americans were advised to contact the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Embassy Tripoli by sending an email to LibyaEmergencyUSC@state.gov or by calling 1-202-501-4444.

On Friday, the United Nations Human Rights Council is convening a special session to address reports of mass killings during Libyan protests, as anti-government forces battle Moammar Gadhafi’s mercenaries.

“The crackdown in Libya of peaceful demonstrations is escalating alarmingly with reported mass killings, arbitrary arrests, detention and torture of protestors,” U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was scheduled to travel to Geneva, Switzerland, on on Sunday. While in Geneva, she is expected to hold consultations with her counterparts “on the situation in Libya, and events and trends in the broader Middle East,” the State Department announced. “She will also address the high-level segment of the 16th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.”

There was a call for international support from Libyan Crown Prince Mohammad al-Senussi, now based in London, and the U.S. did not deny action on the request.

“There are going to be decisions made in the coming days that respond to what we see that has happened in Libya,” PJ Crowley, the State Department spokesman, told journalists at a special briefing at the Foreign Press Center in Washington, D.C.

“As the Secretary – as the President and Secretary Clinton made clear yesterday, there – all options are on the table. And as decisions are made, we will let you know. But we are taking action, and we are going to put pressure on the Libyan Government that the violence has to stop,” Crowley added.

View full post on All Stories