Rebels tighten hold on Libya oil port

[Turborama]

Source: AP

By PAUL SCHEMM | March 3, 2011

BREGA, Libya — Rebels strengthen their hold on the strategic oil installation at Brega on Thursday after repelling an attempt by loyalists of Moammar Gadhafi to retake it. International pressure on the Libyan leader increased as an international court began investigating whether to charge him and his inner circle with crimes against humanity.

Army units allied with the rebels fanned out in the oil facilities and port at Brega, armed with machine guns and rocket launchers. Government warplanes launched a new airstrike on the town in the morning, according to witnesses. It was not clear what they targeted, but it was likely an airstrip that belongs to the huge oil complex on the Mediterranean coast.

But there were no reports of casualties, and pro-Gadhafi forces had withdrawn to another oil port, Ras Lanouf, 80 miles (130 kilometers) west along the Mediterranean coast after their defeat a day earlier.

"We are in a position to control the area and we are deploying our forces," a rebel army officer in Brega told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/all/7454938.html

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Yesterday's reports on the "Battle for Brega": http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4753517">Protesters Retake A Key Strategic City And Are Now Chasing The Military Into The Desert

[uppityperson]

1. The ones fighting to get rid of Moammar are the rebels? I guess so but seems odd. k&r

[David in Canada]

2. Well, yes...

Since the regime of Mu'ammar al-Qaddafi is the status quo, the protesters and other freedom fighters are indeed rebels. At least until they assume the levers of power, anyways.

The term "rebel" is basically matter of fact in nature and morally neutral unlike terms such as "freedom fighter" or the common pejorative of "terrorist". We are all in agreement that Qaddafi and his coiterie of henchmen are the villains in this saga but it is best if reports are kept to a "just the facts, ma'am" basis.