TRIPOLI (Reuters) - The Libyan armed forces have issued a command to all units to observe an immediate cease-fire, a Libyan army spokesman told a news conference on Sunday.
The announcement came after some 24 hours of air bombardment from American, French and British forces aiming to implement a U.N. resolution authorising the use of force to protect Libyan civilians from government troops.
"The Libyan armed forces ... have issued a command to all military units to safeguard an immediate cease-fire from 9 p.m. (1900 GMT) this evening," a Libyan army spokesman said.
Earlier in the day, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, using tanks and artillery to try to put down the most serious uprising in his 41 years in power, had said he would give out weapons to his people to help defend Libya against Western forces.
(Writing by Kevin Liffey; editing by Myra MacDonald)