Troops loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gadafy are still in control of the oil terminal and refinery of the strategic eastern port of Brega despite rebel advances, a spokesman for rebel forces said today.
The two sides have been battling for months over Brega, 750km east of Tripoli. The rebels see securing the oil facilities as a tipping point in the war and hope to resume oil exports from there as quickly as possible.
Rebels said they had captured a residential area of Brega yesterday. But spokesman Mohammed Zawawi told reporters it was still not safe to go into the city. The oil terminal is about 15kms from the residential district.
"Now we're trying to clear that area. There are some Gadafy troops still there," said Mohammed Zawawi. "Gadafy troops are shooting rockets into the city."
The Libyan leader is clinging to power despite a near five-month-old Nato air campaign, tightening economic sanctions, and a lengthening war with rebels trying to end his 41-year rule.
The rebels have seized large swathes of the North African state, but are deeply divided and lack experience, and Thursday's gains in the east broke weeks of stalemate.
In the west, rebel forces driving north towards the town of Zawiyah, within striking distance of Col Gadafy's strongold in the capital, have not moved up from Thursday's positions.
Rebels said they had reached the village of Bir Shuaib, some 25km from Zawiyah, which has unsuccessfully risen up against Col Gadafy twice this year.
Reuters