LIBYA: Government spokesman dismisses rebel claims that they are controlling Brega

Record ID: 784598

  • Title: LIBYA: Government spokesman dismisses rebel claims that they are controlling Brega
  • Date: 19th July 2011
  • Summary: TRIPOLI, LIBYA (JULY 18, 2011) (REUTERS) LIBYAN GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN MOUSSA IBRAHIM TALKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIBYAN GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN MOUSSA IBRAHIM SAYING: "Every single wave of attack has been repulsed successfully. Do not believe the rumours, the lies, the misinformation spread wildly by the rebels. We have complete control, I'm not talking about partial control, part of the city, I'm not even talking about the fighting that still going on. We don't just have complete control of Brega, we are actually beyond Brega, we are east of the Brega. In these waves of attacks unfortunately we believe around 520 of the rebel forces have been killed in these five days." IBRAHIM AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LIBYAN GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN MOUSSA IBRAHIM SAYING: "Our army forces are supported by thousands of volunteers from our great tribes controlling Brega completely and in a strategic way that it's impossible for anyone to advance in Brega and control it, we are talking from a military view, the occupation of Brega is impossible, there is only one way which is destroy Brega, by nuclear bomb." IBRAHIM LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 3rd August 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Libya
  • Country: Libya
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAAB8CVQ9Z3WXSQPTMKBGQ0HU4N
  • Story Text: The Libyan government on Monday (July 18) denied claims by rebels that they have routed most of Muammar Gaddafi's troops in the Libyan oil town of Brega in the biggest boost of their campaign in weeks.
    "Every single wave of attack has been repulsed successfully. Do not believe the rumours, the lies, the misinformation spread wildly by the rebels. We have complete control, I'm not talking about partial control, part of the city, I'm not even talking about the fighting that still going on. We don't just have complete control of Brega, we are actually beyond Brega, we are east of the Brega. In these waves of attacks unfortunately we believe around 520 of the rebel forces have been killed in these five days," Government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim told reporters in Tripoli.
    "Our army forces are supported by thousands of volunteers from our great tribes controlling Brega completely and in a strategic way that it's impossible for anyone to advance in Brega and control it, we are talking from a military view, the occupation of Brega is impossible, there is only one way which is destroy Brega, by nuclear bomb," he added.
    More than 40 people on both sides were reported killed in fighting over the city since late last week.
    The rebels have encircled Brega, an oil export terminal with a refinery which for months marked the eastern limit of Gaddafi's control, said spokesman Shamsiddin Abdulmolah.
    But its streets were strewn with landmines, making it hard to secure full control of the area.
    Brega, about 750 km (465 miles) east of Tripoli, has a strategic oil terminal. The attack could signal a new rebel push westwards after weeks of stalemate.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register