LIBYA: Rebels fight artillery duel with army near a town on the road to Sirte

Record ID: 697884

  • Title: LIBYA: Rebels fight artillery duel with army near a town on the road to Sirte
  • Date: 7th March 2011
  • Summary: ROAD TO BIN JAWAD, LIBYA (MARCH 6, 2011) (REUTERS) ANTI-GADDAFI REBELS ON ROAD NEAR BIN JAWAD ANTI-GADDAFI REBELS ON ROAD / SMOKE BILLOWING IN DISTANCE VARIOUS OF SMOKE BILLOWING / ANTI-GADDAFI REBELS AND SMOKE BILLOWING IN DISTANCE ANTI-GADDAFI REBELS RUNNING VARIOUS OF ANTI-GADDAFI REBELS STANDING AT HIGH WATCH POINT ANTI-GADDAFI ARMED REBELS / ONE MAN RAISING FING
  • Embargoed: 22nd March 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Libya
  • Country: Libya
  • Topics: Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVAB05M6OH1Q2V3UAFRPDQ346ZJ0
  • Story Text: Rebels in east Libya regroup and move back towards Bin Jawad after forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi ambushed rebels and ejected them from the town earlier in the day.
    Rebels fought an artillery duel with the Libyan army on Sunday (March 6) near a town on the road to Sirte, the hometown of Muammar Gaddafi and a prize they are determined to capture.
    Rebels captured Bin Jawad, 160 km (100 miles) from Sirte, on Saturday (March 5) but then pulled back, which let the army occupy houses and mount an ambush earlier on Sunday (March 6). Rebels were forced into a full retreat to Ras Lanuf port to regroup for another attack.
    The new rebel front line was three km (2 miles) from Bin Jawad, firing rockets and mortar bombs at the army, which returned fire with similar weapons plus heavy artillery.
    Hundreds of fighters armed with machineguns and assault rifles were waiting to advance.
    "This dog, this tyrant. We want him to hear us, this tyrant. God willing, we will not leave him, we are going to kill him. We are coming for him," one rebel said.
    Trucks with ammunition and supplies moved to and from the front line. Smoke rose above the battlefield.
    One fighter, returning wounded from Bin Jawad to rebel-held Ras Lanuf further east, said Gaddafi loyalists had earlier ambushed rebels with machineguns and rocket-propelled grenades.
    The rebels said they want a no-fly zone.
    "We only want planes, but we want nothing else. They should only come in with planes, but we don't want them to come into our country with troops on the ground," one rebel said.
    "We ask European countries for just one thing: to enforce a no-fly zone and block passage by sea. That's it. We only ask for this," said another.
    Doctors and other staff at Ras Lanuf hospital said two dead and 31 injured had arrived from fighting in Bin Jawad. Witnesses said many dead and wounded could not be reached because of the fighting, including civilians.
    Some rebels said the people of Bin Jawad had sided with Gaddafi's forces.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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