The United States has urged Libya to uphold human rights and probe a report regarding alleged summary executions of Gaddafi loyalists in Sirte.

Victoria Nuland, a US State Department spokesman termed the report "extremely disturbing".

US Ambassador to Libya Gene Cretz "raised it with the Transitional National Council today and asked them to conduct a full investigation," she said.

"We seek a democracy that meets international human rights standards, that provides a place for all Libyans and that serves to unify the country," Nuland said.

On the subject of Islamic law in Libya, Nuland said:  "The number one thing is that universal human rights, rights for women, rights for minorities,  right to due process, right to transparency, be fully respected."