LIBYA: In another advance towards the capital Tripoli in a matter of days, Libyan rebels have captured the Zawiyah oil refinery
Record ID:
572675
LIBYA: In another advance towards the capital Tripoli in a matter of days, Libyan rebels have captured the Zawiyah oil refinery
- Title: LIBYA: In another advance towards the capital Tripoli in a matter of days, Libyan rebels have captured the Zawiyah oil refinery
- Date: 19th August 2011
- Summary: ZAWIYAH, LIBYA (AUGUST 18, 2011) (REUTERS) REBELS AT ENTRANCE GATE TO ZAWIYAH OIL REFINERY WITH ROCKET LAUNCHER ROCKET LAUNCHER AND SIGN IN ARABIC, PRAISING MUAMMAR GADDAFI, LIBYAN LEADER REBEL WITH GUN AT ENTRANCE TO REFINERY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LIBYAN REBEL IN MILITARY VEHICLE SAYING "Gaddafi is finished! He has fallen! This is Brega, it's the Zawiyah refinery. Libya freedom despite them! We are her children (Libya) and he is a (Gaddafi Jew!" SIGN READING ZAWIYAH REFINERY REBELS TAKING GREEN FLAGS DOWN FROM ENTRANCE REBELS WITH GREEN FLAGS ON THE FLOOR REBELS PULLING GREEN FLAG AND POLE WITH PICK UP TRUCK CHILD WITH REBEL FLAG ON PICK UP TRUCK CHILD'S FACE AND REBEL FLAG REBELS AT THE ENTRANCE REBEL SHOUTING VICTORY BURNED OUT VEHICLE NEAR THE ENTRANCE ANOTHER BURNED OUT VEHICLE CAR DRIVING TOWARDS REFINERY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) REBEL LEADER SALEH OMRAN SAYING: "This is the Zawiyah refinery. The battle lasted for 2 days to take it. We took it last night, before sundown. We took the whole of the refinery. Some (Gaddafi fighters) ran away by sea, some of them were Tuaregs, others were Chadian. Thanks to God, we took the refinery and we will move forward, towards Tripoli, God willing. God is greatest, we are victorious, God is greatest! God is greatest! We are coming towards you (Gaddafi) and blood will not be spilled in vain. We are coming. We are coming to get you, house to house." SIGN READING ZAWIYAH PORT, INSIDE THE REFINERY MAN WITH REBEL FLAT AT TOP OF POLE IN FRONT OF THE REFINERY MORE OF REBEL FLAG (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) REBEL LEADER SALEH OMRAN SAYING: "May all of Zawiyah fall. And, God willing, we shall retake all of Libya." REFINERY ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING PORTRAITS OF GADDAFI UPSIDE DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING GREEN LIBYAN NATIONAL FLAG REBELS TEARING UP THREE POSTERS AFTER HAVING TAKEN THEM OUT OF THE FRAMES MAIN ROAD FROM TRIPOLI TO ZAWIYAH TRACKING SHOT/ CLOSED SHOPS, POCK-MARKED BUILDINGS EXTERIOR BURNED OUT BUILDING SHOPPING TROLLEY INSIDE BURNED OUT BUILDING ON MAIN ROAD CAR DRIVING IN FRONT OF REMAINS OF ROAD BLOCK WHERE THERE WAS FIGHTING OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS/THIS ROAD WAS HIT BY GRAD ROCKETS REBEL CHECKPOINT ON THE MAIN ROAD LEADING TO THE CITY
- Embargoed: 3rd September 2011 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Libya
- Country: Libya
- Topics: Conflict
- Reuters ID: LVA1ZHCXSI0RVGHCE8L6133PGM9U
- Story Text: Libyan rebels took control of an oil refinery in the western town of Zawiyah and blocked the main highway north to the capital on Thursday (August 18), further isolating Muammar Gaddafi's Tripoli stronghold.
Rebel advances in recent days have cut Gaddafi's forces off from their main re-supply routes following a months-long stalemate, putting the Libyan leader's 41-year rule under unprecedented pressure.
Small groups of rebel fighters occupied the inside of the Zawiyah refinery complex, about 50 km (30 miles) west of Tripoli along the highway linking Tripoli to Tunisia, with no sign of the pro-Gaddafi forces that had battled for the plant.
"Gaddafi is finished! He has fallen! This is Brega, it's the Zawiyah refinery. Libya freedom despite them! We are her children (Libya) and he is a (Gaddafi Jew," said one rebel fighter, linking the seizure of the Zawiyah refinery to the rebel's battle to control the Brega refinery in the east of Libya.
One rebel leader, Saleh Omran, from Zawiyah, said the rebel forces had battled about 150 Gaddafi troops, who later fled the sea-side refinery on Zodiac inflatable boats.
"This is the Zawiyah refinery. The battle lasted for 2 days to take it. We took it last night, before sundown. We took the whole of the refinery. Some (Gaddafi fighters) ran away by sea, some of them were Tuaregs, others were Chadian. Thanks to God, we took the refinery and we will move forward, towards Tripoli, God willing. God is greatest, we are victorious, God is greatest! God is greatest! We are coming towards you (Gaddafi) and blood will not be spilled in vain. We are coming. We are coming to get you, house to house."
Rebel fighters at the refinery said NATO warplanes had targeted the fleeing Gaddafi fighters. Reuters had no independent confirmation of this.
Doctors at a hospital a few kilometres south of Zawiyah said nine people were killed and at least 45 injured in fighting around the town and at the refinery on Wednesday (August 17), most of them rebels, and said pro-Gaddafi forces had hit a house near the hospital with Grad rockets.
Rebels also controlled the town of Garyan, which sits about 80 km (50 miles) south of Tripoli on the main highway, a Reuters reporter there said, adding that rebels had placed a T-34 tank and an anti-aircraft gun taken from Gaddafi forces in the main square.
A spokesman for Gaddafi played down recent rebel gains on Thursday and said the government remained in control of the country.
Aided by NATO bombers, assault helicopters and a naval blockade, the rebels have transformed the battle in the last few days after many weeks of stalemate.
On the eastern front, rebel forces said they had tightened their grip around the oil town of Brega, but had suffered high casualties in fighting over the past several days.
The 69-year-old Gaddafi seems isolated with rebel forces closing in and vowing to enter Tripoli by the end of the month - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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