Gadhafi forces retake oil town
Source: Agencies |
March 14, 2011, Monday
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MOAMMAR Gadhafi's troops seized the strategic Libyan oil town of Brega yesterday forcing rebels to retreat under a heavy bombardment while world powers considered imposing a no-fly zone.
Losing Brega and its refinery further limits rebel access to fuel after the insurgents were pushed out of Ras Lanouf yesterday, another major oil terminal some 100 kilometers to the west along the coast road where all of Libya's important towns are located.
Brega is 220 kilometers south of the rebel stronghold of Benghazi with the town of Ajdabiyah the only sizeable town standing in the way. From Ajdabiyah there are roads to either Benghazi or Tobruk, close to the border with Egypt.
Libya's flat desert terrain means the government's air supremacy and big advantage in tanks outweighs the rebels' enthusiasm and light weaponry. Only towns and cities provide some cover for the insurgents and partially even the odds.
The speed of the government advance may overtake drawn-out diplomatic wrangling on whether or how to impose a no-fly zone.
The United States said a call by the Arab League for a United Nations no-fly zone over Libya was an "important step," but while Washington said it was preparing for "all contingencies," it has remained cautious over endorsing direct military intervention.
Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said the League had "officially asked the UN Security Council to impose a no-fly zone against any military action against the Libyan people."
That would appear to satisfy one of the factors that NATO has said is needed for it to take on the task of policing Libyan air space, that of strong Arab support. But the other, a UN mandate, is still not in sight.
Meanwhile fresh from crushing the revolt in Zawiyah, west of the capital Tripoli, government troops and tanks turned to Misrata, Libya's third biggest city and the only pocket of rebel resistance outside the east.
Losing Brega and its refinery further limits rebel access to fuel after the insurgents were pushed out of Ras Lanouf yesterday, another major oil terminal some 100 kilometers to the west along the coast road where all of Libya's important towns are located.
Brega is 220 kilometers south of the rebel stronghold of Benghazi with the town of Ajdabiyah the only sizeable town standing in the way. From Ajdabiyah there are roads to either Benghazi or Tobruk, close to the border with Egypt.
Libya's flat desert terrain means the government's air supremacy and big advantage in tanks outweighs the rebels' enthusiasm and light weaponry. Only towns and cities provide some cover for the insurgents and partially even the odds.
The speed of the government advance may overtake drawn-out diplomatic wrangling on whether or how to impose a no-fly zone.
The United States said a call by the Arab League for a United Nations no-fly zone over Libya was an "important step," but while Washington said it was preparing for "all contingencies," it has remained cautious over endorsing direct military intervention.
Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said the League had "officially asked the UN Security Council to impose a no-fly zone against any military action against the Libyan people."
That would appear to satisfy one of the factors that NATO has said is needed for it to take on the task of policing Libyan air space, that of strong Arab support. But the other, a UN mandate, is still not in sight.
Meanwhile fresh from crushing the revolt in Zawiyah, west of the capital Tripoli, government troops and tanks turned to Misrata, Libya's third biggest city and the only pocket of rebel resistance outside the east.
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