Ban said he was dispatching a UN envoy to Tripoli after calling Libyan Prime Minister Baghdadi Mahmudi on Tuesday.

“I told him the Libyan authorities must stop attacking civilians, I said there must be an immediate verifiable ceasefire negotiations towards the peaceful resolution of the conflict and unimpeded access to humanitarian workers,” Ban told journalists.

“The prime minister agreed to receive my envoy Mr Al Khatib and I have instructed him to travel to Tripoli as soon as possible again,” the UN Secretary General added.

Ban also said there “should be an end of fighting in Misrata and elsewhere” to allow political dialogue and humanitarian assistance.