Tripoli ruled unsafe for international football

Libya's 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Comoros has been moved from Tripoli because of the country's political turmoil.

The Confederation of African Football said Tuesday it's seeking a neutral country to host the match, which was scheduled to be played between March 25-27 in Tripoli's June 11 stadium.

After two matches, Libya leads the qualifying group, which includes Mozambique and Zambia.

Last week, CAF decided Libya was unsafe to host the eight-nation African Under-20 Championship scheduled March 18-April 1 in Tripoli and Benghazi.

A new venue and rescheduled match dates in April-May will be announced next week, CAF said in a statement.

Algeria's federation has said it and South Africa have offered to step in as hosts.

The event is a qualifier for the FIFA-organized Under-20 World Cup kicking off in July with the four semifinalists advancing to play in Colombia.

CAF said it will continue to monitor all member countries for their ability to organize safe international matches.

Fighting has spread in Ivory Coast where president Laurent Gbagbo has refused to cede power after being declared to have lost an election last November. The national team is scheduled to host Benin in a Cup of Nations qualifier on March 25.

''If the security is not guaranteed 100 percent the matches will be played in a neutral venue or eventually postponed,'' CAF said.