TRIPOLI: The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant today for Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, and rebels trying to oust him said their forces had advanced to within 80 km of the capital Tripoli.

The court approved warrants for Gadhafi as well as his son Saif al-Islam and Libyan intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi on charges of crimes against humanity. ICC prosecutors allege they were involved in the killing of protesters who rose up in February against Gadhafi’s 41-year rule.

Gadhafi has “absolute, ultimate and unquestioned control” over Libya’s state apparatus and its security forces, presiding judge Sanji Mmasenono Monageng said in reading out the ruling.

She added that both Gadhafi and Saif al-Islam “conceived and orchestrated a plan to deter and quell by all means the civilian demonstrations” against the regime and that al-Senussi used his position of command to have attacks carried out.

Gadhafi’s government denies targeting civilians, accusing NATO jets staging air strikes on behalf of rebels of doing so.

Anti-Gadhafi rebels, based in the Western Mountains region southwest of Tripoli, made their biggest breakthrough in weeks to reach the town of Bir al-Ghanam, where they are now fighting pro-Gadhafi forces for control, their spokesman said.

The advance took them about 30 km north from their previous position and closer to Tripoli, Gadhafi’s power base.

“We are on the southern and western outskirts of Bir al-Ghanam,” Juma Ibrahim, a rebel spokesman in the nearby town of Zintan, said by telephone.

Tunisia’s state news agency TAP reported late on Sunday that Libyan Foreign Minister Abdelati Obeidi was on the island of Djerba, in southern Tunisia, where he was “negotiating with several foreign parties.”

It gave no details on the talks. Libya’s rebel leadership, in the eastern city of Benghazi, said last week it was in indirect contact with Gadhafi’s government, via foreign intermediaries, about a possible peace settlement.

Obeidi was joined at the Djerba talks by Health Minister Ahmed Hijazi and Social Affairs Minister Ibrahim Sherif, the Tunisian news agency reported.

BENGHAZI: Libyan rebels today welcomed the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants for Gadhafi, his son Saif al-Islam and spy chief Abdullah al-Senussi, saying they will hasten the leader’s departure. “We are happy that the whole world has united in prosecuting Gadhafi for the crimes he has committed,” rebel council spokesman Jalal al-Galal said by telephone from Benghazi. “Gadhafi was never inclined to leave Libya in the first place. He’s buying time and holding out in his territory for as long as he can. This will only hasten the departure of Gadhafi and his regime.”