THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Libya's Gaddafi regime escalated its ferocious military campaign across the country on Wednesday, forcing rebels onto the defensive on three fronts.
For the first time since the uprising began three weeks ago, Libya's key oil infrastructure – much of it under rebel control – came under aerial attack. Flames leapt hundreds of feet into the sky after a fighter jet struck at one of the country's most important oil terminals in Ras Lanuf, a port town on the front line of rebel-held eastern Libya that has seen heavy fighting for the past 10 days.
Meanwhile forces loyal to Col Muammar Gaddafi were still unable in the west to bring the isolated but strategically important oil town of Zawiya under control. Officials announced it was in government hands and organised a victory tour for western journalists in Tripoli, but called off the visit without explanation.
One man who had left Zawiya in mid-afternoon said fighting was still going on around the central square, though a government tank had taken up position. A rebel fighter still there told reporters by telephone: "We have pulled back and they are inside the square but we will attack them again and have it back. We will do that tonight. This is not the end."
State television showed a crowd of pro-Gaddafi women demonstrators celebrating the retaking of the town. But it appeared not to have been filmed in the city centre.
A doctor told reporters that at least 40 people and probably more had been killed in fighting just on Wednesday. He said the dead included the elderly, women and children. The town remained cut off from the outside world. >>> Adrian Blomfield, Ras Lanuf and Richard Spencer in Tripoli | Wednesday, March 09, 2011
