Fresh fighting breaks out in two Libyan towns
March 7th, 2011 - 3:55 pm ICT by IANSTripoli, March 7 (IANS) Heavy fighting broke out in at least two Libyan towns early Monday when troops loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi attempted to wrest control from the rebels, a media report said.
Reports of heavy fighting poured in from Ras Lanuf, home to an important oil refinery, and Misurata, where the opposition claimed to have captured some pro-Gaddafi soldiers.
The violence since the unrest began Feb 14 has left - according to one estimate - around 6,000 people dead and forced around 140,000 people to flee the country.
Though the capital city of Tripoli is still in Gaddafi’s control, some parts of the country, particularly towns in the east, have been taken over by the opposition.
DPA reported Sunday that fighting in Misurata left at least 15 people dead and 38 injured. Armed forces and tanks advanced inside the town, and fierce fighting took place inside an iron and steel factory.
Opposition fighters Monday claimed Ras Lanuf still remains in their hands, Al Jazeera reported.
Mohammed Ali, a member of the civil committee for affairs in Misurata, said the pro-democracy activists were in control of the area.
“We have also captured some Gaddafi soldiers, and we will interrogate them. They will be shown on television on Monday,” he was quoted as saying.
“Our armoury is not a lot, but we have moral strength. We also need specific outside help,” he said.
In Brega, opposition fighters were making gains, but pro-Gaddafi forces also made some ground overnight, the report said.
Meanwhile, the situation was calm in Benghazi.
Abu Sadr, an activist in Benghazi, said: “For the time being, government forces are not going to come into Benghazi unless it’s an airforce attack. People here are very relaxed and we know for the time being we are safe from any ground attacks.”
In Italy’s Lampedusa island, at least 10 boats arrived from North Africa overnight carrying nearly 850 immigrants. They are being identified at a holding centre which is overcrowded with over 1,000 immigrants seeking registration.
Coastguard officials said another boat with 100 immigrants was en route to the island.
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- Gaddafi brutalizes rebel forces near Tripoli, claims control of town - Mar 05, 2011
- Gaddafi's troops routed in Libyan oil port battle - Mar 03, 2011
- Fighting engulfs Libya as Gaddafi offers bounty for opposition leader (Lead) - Mar 10, 2011
- Air strikes continue as Gaddafi sees foreigners hands in protests (Lead) - Mar 09, 2011
- Gunfire breaks out in Libyan capital - Mar 06, 2011
- Rebels warns of 'catastrophe' if Libyan forces attack Benghazi city - Mar 13, 2011
- Libya's Brega town cleared of rebels - Mar 13, 2011
- Gaddafi troops bomb oil town - Mar 03, 2011
- Libyan rebels forced to retreat from Ras Lanuf port - Mar 11, 2011
- Gaddafi troops take control of Ras Lanuf - Mar 12, 2011
- Gaddafi forces intensify fight to retake oil port of Ras Lanuf - Mar 12, 2011
- Gaddafi forces using schoolboy conscripts to regain Misurata - Apr 16, 2011
- 48 killed as coalition forces target Libyan air defence - Mar 20, 2011
- Gaddafi forces regain strategic town of Ajdabiya (Lead) - Mar 16, 2011
Tags: al jazeera, armoury, democracy activists, early monday, fierce fighting, government forces, iron and steel, lampedusa island, libyan leader muammar, libyan leader muammar gaddafi, misurata, mohammed ali, moral strength, muammar gaddafi, north africa, oil refinery, opposition fighters, sadr, steel factory, tripoli