20110318
reuters

GENEVA (Reuters) - Aid agencies appealed for Libya's neighbours on Friday to keep borders open as they braced for a potential exodus of refugees from Libya following intensified fighting and the declaration of a no-fly zone.

Some 300,000 people, mainly migrant workers, have fled the North African country since the crisis began, mainly to Tunisia and Egypt, but increasingly to Algeria and Niger.

More Libyans have sought refuge in Egypt in the last few days, signalling the start of a possible massive outflow, and a convoy of 70 trucks carrying African migrants is reported to be heading for Libya's southern border with Niger, agencies said.

The U.N. Security Council authorised military attacks on Muammar Gaddafi's forces to protect civilians, after his forces closed in on rebels and he vowed to storm their stronghold with "no mercy, no pity".

"Events are changing on the ground more rapidly than we can appreciate. The imposition of the no-fly zone has implications which could impact on both the western and eastern borders," Andrew Harper of the U.N. refugee agency told a news briefing.

"If there is one strategy that we have, it is to be extremely flexible and prepare for the worst case scenario."

Official U.N. figures issued at the start of the crisis forecast up to 400,000 people fleeing Libya, split evenly between Tunisia and Egypt. But Harper said on Friday that this was the "public figure", declining to elaborate.