http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/03/20113711929686158.html#
Middle East
Fierce fighting rages in Libya
Opposition forces across the country are battling forces loyal to Muammar
Gaddafi in their bid to overthrow his regime.
Last Modified: 07 Mar 2011 12:09 GMT
This map shows the areas that rebels have taken over and are now struggling to
defend against Gaddafi forces
Forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, the country's long-time leader, have been
staging a fightback against opposition forces, taking the town of Bin Jawad and
moving on to the oil port of Ras Lanuf.
Witnesses have also told Al Jazeera that Az Zawiyah, in the west of the country
near the capital Tripoli, was under heavy attack by government forces.
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There has been fierce fighting in Misurata, located between Tripoli and
Gaddafi's hometown Sirte, with reports of at least 18 people killed.
However, Al Jazeera's Jacky Rowland, reporting from the town of Brega, said
that the opposition forces had advantages in terms of "their sheer number,
patriotism and enthusiam".
"For a few days the rebels were making gains, but overnight it would appear
that pro-Gaddafi forces took some ground," our correspondent said.
Line drawn
Government forces appeared to have "drawn a line in the sand" on the road to
Sirte, Gaddafi's hometown, she added. "If the rebels want to capture Sirte,
they will have to prepare for heavy fighting along the way."
At the hospital in Brega, 42 injured members of the opposition force were being
treated, while there were confirmed deaths of at least eight, our correspondent
reported.
"The vast majority of those injured had been injured by their own weapons," she
said, explaining that the rebels had little or no military training.
"People with no prior military experience, telling the soldiers that they want
to fight and they want to fight in the anti-Gaddafi forces," Rowland said.
The opposition forces "have plenty of rifles and ammunition", but Gaddafi's
troops had aircraft which the rebels did not.
Rebel strongholds
With helicopter gunships, fighter planes and tanks, Gaddafi loyalists have
pounded opposition fighters with artillery, rockets and gunfire in several
cities, including Bin Jawad, Tobruk, Ras Lanuf and Misurata.
Abdel Basset Abu Zouriq, a spokesperson of the opposition, told Al Jazeera on
Monday that Misurata was still under control of opposition forces.
Read more of our Libya coverage
"Pro-Gaddafi forces are still somewhere outside the city, regrouping for future
attacks," he said.
He said that the city was anti-Gaddafi in general and so government forces
could only attack the city or invade it for few hours and then withdraw.
In the rebel stronghold of Benghazi, much of the euphoria and excitement that
victory was close at hand had faded, said Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel-Hamid.
Some feared that pro-Gaddafi forces had deliberately retreated to around Sirte,
drawing the inexperienced and poorly-equipped rebel fighters forward and
leaving rebel-held towns exposed to a possible counter-offensive.
"Some people told me all the young people had gone to the front. There is no
one left to protect the city," Abdel-Hamid said. "There is an understanding
that [Gaddafi's ousting] is not going to happen so easily."
Abu Sadr, an opposition activist in Benghazi, told Al Jazeera that for the time
being people in the city were very relaxed.
"We know we are safe from any attack on the ground and government forces are
not going to come into Benghazi unless it is an airforce attack," Sadr said.
"From Brega to Ras Lanuf is important, because Gaddafi forces are very close."
Gaddafi's claims
But Gaddafi may also be seeking dialogue, with a former prime minister
appearing on state television urging opposition members to join talks.
Gaddafi himself made a brief appearance in Tripoli's Green Square on Sunday
night, but disappeared almost immediately.
Rebels fight for Libya's Ras Lanuf
Crowds were seen celebrating and shouting the leader's name as he appeared in
Tripoli's Green Square, but no explanation was given as to why state TV did not
stay with footage of the president. They instead cut back to the studio, going
on to a separate interview.
He also appeared in an interview for television station France 24, where he
repeated claims that al-Qaeda was responsible for plunging the country into
chaos.
Gaddafi said that Libya was an important partner to the West in containing
al-Qaeda and also played a vital role in keeping sub-Saharan illegal migrants
trying to reach Europe.
"Even the Israelis in Gaza, when they moved into the Gaza strip, they moved in
with tanks to fight such extremists," Gaddafi said, likeing the Palestinians to
al-Qaeda.
"It's the same thing here! We have small armed groups who are fighting us. We
did not use force from the outset ... Armed units of the Libyan army have had
to fight small armed al-Qaeda bands. That is what's happened."
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