The RAF's commander of the air operations has said that the Libyan air force "now no longer exists as a fighting force".

Air Vice Marshall, Greg Bagwell, on a visit to RAF airmen based at Gioia del Colle in Southern Italy, said that the allies could now operate "with near impunity" over the skies of Libya.

He said they were applying unrelenting pressure on the Libyan armed forces to protect "the innocent people of Libya".