As the continuing violence in Libya surmounts and Colonel Muammar Gaddafi would not step down, Europe has begun to evacuate citizens still stranded in the country.

European countries led by United Kingdom, has announced that it would provide an airlift for nationals and a Royal Navy frigate was ordered for protection of those still trapped in the country.

William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, said in a report by the Telegraph that a chartered plane would arrive in Tripoli within 48 hours.

"The safety of British nationals in Libya is of paramount concern to us," Mr Hague said. "In light of the fluid and dangerous situation, we are urgently reinforcing our team on the ground with specialist personnel to provide help and assistance to British nationals."

Colonel Gaddafi would not heed international calls for him to step down and once more appeared on national television calling supporters to quash the national protests.

And he called on the population to take to the streets in a show of support for his regime on Wednesday.

In a live, unscripted speech, the 68-year-old former army colonel said: "Muammar Gaddafi is the leader of a revolution; Muammar Gaddafi has no official position in order for him to resign. He is the leader of the revolution forever.

"This is my country, my country," he shouted, in a roughly 75-minute speech consisting of short, angry bursts of words, which he punctuated by shaking his fist or pointing his finger.

Agence France Presse said in a related report that Colonel Gaddafi even denied that his armed forces gunned down unarmed protesters.

AFP said the defiant Libyan leader stood against the backdrop of his bombed house in 1986 and announced that he would "die a martyr in the land of my ancestors" and "will fight to the last drop of my blood".