Libyan rebels are advancing westwards after recapturing the strategic eastern town of Ajdabiya from government controls with the help of coalition airstrikes.
Reports on Saturday afternoon suggested rebels had already pressed onto the oil-port town of Brega, 80 kilometres to the west."We are in the centre of Brega," rebel fighter Abdelsalam al-Maadani told the AFP news agency by telephone. But there were reports too that pro-Gaddafi forces were attacking the opposition-held city of Misurata with heavy shelling, rebels told the Reuters news agency.Earlier, rebels celebrated on the streets of Ajdabiya after driving pro-Gaddafi forces out of the town. "There is no doubt about it, you can probably hear some of the celebrations behind me, Ajdabiya is in opposition hands," Al Jazeera's James Bays said from the city on Saturday as celebratory gunfire rang out.
"Gaddafi forces have been controlling the ring road that goes around Ajdabiya ... that has been the situation for six days, but they have now been cleared from that position.""The opposition forces tell me there may be some pro-Gaddafi forces hiding, snipers possibly on buildings, they are telling us to take care," he said, but he added that Ajdabiya was "firmly back under the control of opposition fighters". But Libyan government officials said that the army had withdrawn to save residents from more bloodshed. Rebel forces had initially captured Ajdabiya during an advance along Libya's east coast that was halted and reversed in a counter-offensive by government forces backed by superior air power earlier this month. But coalition airstrikes have tipped the balance back towards the rebels, Bays said.
"The road is open beyond Ajdabiya, and [the rebels] are heading, streaming along that road ... they are on the road and they are moving forward," Bays reported. Many fighters belonging to forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi were also taken hostage by rebels. Among them, according to reports in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi, is one of Gaddafi's most senior soldiers, General Bilgasim Al-Ganga, said Al Jazeera's Sue Turton. "We're hearing reports that the number three in Gaddafi's army, Bilgasim Al-Ganga, has been captured overnight in fighting in Ajdabiya. He has a fierce reputation among the opposition who accuse him of committing many atrocities under the Gaddafi regime," our correspondent said.
http://english.aljazeera.net//news/africa/2011/03/201132681812362552.html
"We are in the centre of Brega," Libyan rebel fighter tells AFP news agency by telephone: http://aje.me/eV2jwo #LibyaTop TweetTop TweetWell well well, Freedom fighters are in the town of Brega. #libya#feb17 #gaddaficrimesTop Tweet#libya #feb17 #gaddafi Saturday rebels pressed onto the Brega, 80 km west ."We are in the centre of Brega," http://tinyurl.com/6lyjo6fRT @oli2be: Libye: Les rebelles auraient repris Brega - Yémen : le président prêt à quitter le pouvoir ow.ly/4mXoB /@jeanrem #LibyaAFP: #Libya revolutionaries announce they have taken control of oil town of Brega (800km/500miles east of Tripoli)RT @MonseTalleyrand: LIBYA: Fuerzas opositoras a Gaddafi obtienen pleno dominio de Ajdabiyah y se dirigen a Puerto Brega(este).RT @MonseTalleyrand: LIBYA: Fuerzas opositoras a Gaddafi obtienen pleno dominio de Ajdabiyah y se dirigen a Puerto Brega(este).RT @AJELive: "We are in the centre of Brega," Libyan rebel fighter tells AFP news agency by telephone: http://aje.me/eV2jwo #Libya»RT @iyad_elbaghdadi: The revolutionaries have retaken Bregawithout a fight. #Libya
