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Video: People of all ages are fleeing the battle for Bani Walid. Watch here: feb17.info/news/live-liby… #Libya rt @feb17libya
6:00pm: People of all ages are fleeing the battle for Bani Walid.
5:00pm: China recognized the rebel National Transitional Council (NTC) as Libya’s “ruling authority.”
4:00pm: A massive explosion at an arms depot near the international airport in Tripoli’s south injured two people on Monday, an AFP photographer and witnesses said. “The munitions exploded because they were badly stored,” a guard at the depot said. “Two people were hurt in the explosion and were taken to hospital.”
3:00pm: Muammar Gaddafi loyalists attacked an oil refinery, killing 15 guards, on Monday, in an apparent attempt to disrupt a drive by Libya’s new rulers to seize the ousted leader’s last bastions and revive the oil-based economy. Witnesses said the assailants damaged the front gate of the refinery, 20 km (13 miles) from the coastal town of Ras Lanuf, but not the plant itself, which is not fully operational.
2:00pm: Muammar Gaddafi urged Libyans not to give up to those he said were colonising the North African country, the Syrian channel Arrai reported on Monday in a message read out by the channel’s owner. “We were due today or last night to have televised speech of the leader of fighters but for security reasons the appearance of this televised message has been postponed,” Mishan Jabouri said before reading out the message. “It was meant to show the leader between his fighters and people leading the struggle from Libyan lands, and not from Venezuela or Niger or anywhere else,” he said.
12:14pm: Dozens of cars loaded with Libyan families and personal belongings are streaming out of the key loyalist stronghold of Bani Walid in anticipation of an assault on the town by revolutionary forces.Former rebels have been battling Gadhafi supporters in Bani Walid since Friday and have captured most of the northern half of the town, some 90 miles (140 kilometers) southeast of Tripoli. But Gadhafi supporters have put up fierce resistance, fighting former rebels in the streets. Resident Fadila Salim was driving out of Bani Walid Monday because she was told “the fighting will be very bad.”
Her son, Mohammed Ibrahim, says there is no electricity, no water and shops are running out of food. He says many are “stuck in their houses and afraid to leave.”
12:03pm: Algeria says it will officially recognize the revolutionary forces’ National Transitional Council as being in control of Libya once it forms a new government. Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci said late Sunday at a press conference with his Malian counterpart that he was awaiting the formation of a government “representing Libyans of all tendencies.” Medelci added that contacts have improved between the two countries over the last two weeks.11:47am: Libyan oil firm the Arabian Gulf Oil Company (Agoco) said on Monday it has restarted production at the eastern oilfield of Sarir in an early sign the industry is coming back to life after six months of war. ”We now in Sarir have 70 wells in production,” said Abdeljalil Mayuf, spokesman for Agoco. He said they are planning to restart the refinery of Sarir and that the first crude oil will be sent to the Tobruk export terminal on Tuesday. Current output is 50,000 barrels per day, he said.11:43am: Forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi attacked the front gate of oil refinery 20 km outside the coastal town of Ras Lanuf on Monday, killing 15 guards and injuring two, witnesses said.The refinery, called the “Ras Lanuf Factory for Production of Oil and Gas,” was not fully operational. Around 60 staff were there when it was attacked overnight, witnesses being treated in hospital said.
11:40am: Reuters news agency is reporting that pro-Gaddafi forces have attacked an oil refinery near Ras Lanuf, a coastal town located approximately 200km east of Sirte – Muammar Gaddafi’s hometown. The refinery was 20km away from the residential area of Ras Lanuf and it is unclear whether the attack was an operational hit, the report said. The attack has not damaged the main site of the oil refinery near Ras Lanuf, only the front gate, Reuters reports, citing witnesses.
10:53am: Libyan rebels said they were delaying an assault on one of the last bastions of fugitive leader Muammar Gaddafi after meeting fierce resistance, Arab media reported Monday. The spokesperson for the National Transitional Council (NTC) government Ahmed Bani told reporters “the plan for Bani Walid for now was to wait”.
10:50am: @DavidPoort: Bani Walid residents fleeing fresh clashes in the city as NATO jets circle the area. NTC fighters said to be preparing big push. #Libya
10:05am: A pro-Gaddafi radio station in Bani Walid is urging residents to rise up against the revolutionaries, promising “the prettiest girls” in town as a reward.