Libya: rebels driven back by Gaddafi

While the Libyan leader seems to be gaining the upper hand in fighting after weeks of seeing towns fall into rebel hands, pressure from the international community is intensifying.

In Libya, it appears the town of Zawiyah, formerly in rebel hands, has been re-taken by Gaddafi‘s forces using their superior firepower. On Friday they advanced with a land, sea and air attack on the oil port of Ras Lanuf and a reported air strike on Brega, 90 miles to the east.

Rebels said there had been aerial bombardments in Ras Lanuf and fierce fighting, but they retained control of the town.

The essence of the political message is that Gaddafi must quit. Janos Martonvi, EU representative

Witnesses reported scenes of carnage in Zawiyah, with women and children among the dead. Rebels claimed to be holding on to parts of the town, but no reports can be verified as journalists are not allowed in.

Gaddafi’s son Saif Gaddafi told rebels on Thursday they faced a full-scale assault to crush the uprising, inspired by popular revolts in Egypt and Tunisia.

“It’s time for action. We are moving now,” he said.

In Tripoli, Gaddaif’s stronghold, reports came in that protests were quashed before they even began, with tear gas and bullets fired into the air in the Tajoura district.

Gaddafi policy change
"It is an important change in Gaddafi's policy to start attacking installations," John Hamilton, an oil expert from African Energy, told Channel 4 News. 

"Before he had an interest to keep the installations functional, not only for the present, but for when the country eventually gets back to normal business." 

He believes this new strategy could be to take out the infrastructure to prevent the rebels operating the oil refinery in the future – assuming they would keep control of it. Ras Lanuf is important oil refinery, but is only one of a number. It holds fuel oil so it could be he sees the bombing of the refinery as a way to prevent the rebels getting fuel in that area.

"Regarding the Libyan oil industry overall – output has gone down to about 300,000 barrels a day – a fifth of the normal total. With Ras Lanuf out of action, obviously that will decrease further and if it has been destroyed that will mean it will take a while for it to be fixed and operating back at normal levels – whoever is in control of it.

"Basically it is a matter of speculating somewhat on this strategy by Gaddafi as economically it doesn’t really seem to make sense – but Gaddafi, as we all know, will often act in retaliation in situations in which he feels aggrieved in a way that is somewhat illogical."

International pressure

Foreign powers are frantically negotiating to find a way out of the crisis in Libya.

European Union heads of government are set to hold an extraordinary meeting to urge Gaddafi to quit, and may decide on further sanctions against the state.

Janos Martonvi, Foreign Minister of Hungary – which holds the EU presidency – said: “Before any military step we must send very clear political messages and I expect today’s meeting of heads of state and prime ministers, that is, the extraordinary summit of the European Council, to do just that.

The Libyans are being cleansed by Gaddafi’s air force. Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, rebel leader

“The essence of the political message is that Gaddafi must quit and the conditions for a democratic transition to begin in Libya must be created.”

Mr Martonvi said humanitarian efforts must be maintained and the support of Arab countries was key.

No-fly zone

Meanwhile, the United States and NATO’s chief have expressed doubt over the wisdom of imposing a no-fly zone without full international backing and legal justification.

The rebel leader in Libya said the hesitations could give Gaddafi the chance to regain control of Libya.

Read the Channel 4 News Special Report on the Middle East uprisings

“We ask the international community to shoulder their responsibilities,” Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, head of the National Libyan Council, told the BBC.

“The Libyans are being cleansed by Gaddafi’s air force. We asked for a no-fly zone to be imposed from day one, we also want a sea embargo,” he said.

“We urgently need some arms and we also need humanitarian assistance and medicines to be sent to the cities besieged by Gaddafi troops.”

But the US National Intelligence Chief James Clapper warned that Gaddafi was “in this for the long haul” and was likely to prevail, despite Gulf Arab countries saying Gaddafi’s Government was no longer legitimate and France and Britain calling on the EU to recognise the rebel council in Benghazi and impose a no-fly zone.

Protests

Elsewhere across the Middle East, protests were also taking place.

Small protests rattled Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on Friday, Bahrain warned that a planned rally threatened its security and Yemen witnessed huge demonstrations. Heavy police presence and the deployment of tear gas against protesters kept the uprisings small in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, but thousands were out on the streets in Yemen, protesting the 32-year rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Clashes were expected in Bahrain between protesters and those loyal to the royal family, as protesters threatened to march on the royal palace.