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Libyan Rebels Retreat from Oil Port Under Fire from Pro-Gadhafi Forces

   VOA News  March 13, 2011
   A  rebel  fighter  sits  on  a  truck as he fires an anti-aircraft gun
   during  an air strike at a rebel fighters checkpoint in Al Ugaila area
   along a road between the towns of Brega and Ras Lanuf, March 12, 2011

Photo: Reuters

   A  rebel  fighter  sits  on  a  truck as he fires an anti-aircraft gun
   during  an air strike at a rebel fighters checkpoint in Al Ugaila area
   along a road between the towns of Brega and Ras Lanuf, March 12, 2011

   Witnesses  say  Libyan rebels have been retreating from an eastern oil
   port under heavy shelling from advancing government forces, in another
   setback  to  an  opposition  movement  trying  to topple Libyan leader
   Moammar Gadhafi.
   Rebels  were  seen leaving the town of Brega Sunday, heading northeast
   along  the  coast  toward  the opposition-controlled town of Ajdabiya.
   Libyan  state  television  declared  that  Brega has been "cleansed of
   armed gangs," but there was no immediate confirmation of that claim.
   Gadhafi's  forces  recaptured two other rebel-held towns west of Brega
   in  recent  days, using aircraft, tanks and heavy weapons to pound the
   lightly-armed and poorly-organized opposition fighters. The government
   took  reporters  on  a tour of the towns of Ras Lanuf and Bin Jawad on
   Saturday.
   Opposition  protesters  backed by deserting army units took control of
   most of eastern Libya and parts of the west last month at the start of
   an  uprising  against  Gadhafi's  42-year  rule. Pro-government forces
   reclaimed  the western town of Zawiya, near the capital, Tripoli, last
   week, but the rebels remain in control of the western city of Misrata,
   Libya's third-largest.
   Misrata residents reported hearing gun battles on the city's outskirts
   Sunday.  It  was  not  clear who was involved in the fighting. Gadhafi
   loyalists  have staged several offensives to try to recapture the city
   in recent days.
   Libyan  rebels  and  the  Arab  League  have  urged  the international
   community to impose a no-fly zone over Libya to prevent air attacks by
   pro-Gadhafi  forces  on  the  opposition.  Western powers say they are
   making plans for a no-fly zone but have doubts about its effectiveness
   and want a clear legal mandate before taking such action.
   Gadhafi's  government  appealed  to  foreign  oil  companies to resume
   exports from Libyan oil terminals, after many foreign workers left the
   country  to  escape  the  unrest. Libyan state television said the oil
   terminals are secure and urged their employees to return to work.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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References

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