Ras Lanuf, Misrata, Zawiya still in rebel hands
Battles are raging now all the way between Ras Lanuf and Sirt. Air strikes. "Libya unrest: Gaddafi claims to retake towns disputed..Tobruk, Ras Lanuf, Misrata, Zawiya still in rebel hands."Rebel organizer in Zawiya: 'There are bodies everywhere. We have no ability to collect them'
Mapping Violence Against Pro-Democracy Protests in Libya
This map has been created by compiling reports from trusted accounts on Twitter. Nonetheless, these reports are in general unconfirmed. This information should be considered in the context of there being absolutely no independent media in Libya when I started. This map is not automatically produced. Each posting is considered before it is mapped. These considerations have evolved over time as conditions on the ground have changed. If you have any questions you can contact me via Twitter @Arasmus.
The Libyan Army is a weak force of little more than 40,000, poorly armed and poorly trained. Keeping the army weak is part of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s long-term strategy to eliminate the risk of a military coup, which is how he himself came to power in 1969. The defection of some elements of the army to the protesters in Benghazi is unlikely to trouble the colonel. His security chiefs have not hesitated to call in air strikes on their barracks in the rebellious east of the country.
