Libyan government warplanes fired missiles on the suburbs of the rebel-held oil port of Ras Lanuf in eastern Libya. Two people were injured in the airstrike.
Libyan government warplanes fired missiles on the suburbs of the rebel-held oil port of Ras Lanuf in eastern Libya. Two people were injured in the airstrike.
The rebels responded to the airstrike by heavy shelling. They have six artillery mounts that they captured earlier from a military base in eastern Libya.
A long line of passenger cars left Ras Lanuf early Monday morning, sources in the city say. The residents are afraid that Gaddafi’s troops and mercenaries will kill them during a city assault. Photo: Ras Lanuf residents leaving the city.
Only journalists and a few hundred rebels, who are quickly building fortifications, remain in the city. Photo: Men praying in the desert near the city of Ras Lanuf.
There are reports that reinforcement has left from the rebel-controlled city of Benghazi, 300 kilometers east of Ras Lanuf, to help the rebels.
Pro-Gaddafi forces launched several airstrikes on houses in Ras Lanuf on Tuesday, March 8. Photo: A fighter-launched missile exploding in the city of Ras Lanuf.
The majority of the airstrikes brought no results.
There were no reports on victims or damage.
The Libyan opposition managed to gain control over the city of Ras Lanuf on Friday, March 4, after heavy fighting with pro-Gaddafi troops. At least four people were killed in the fighting, preliminary reports say.
Pro-Gaddafi forces launched an attack on Ras Lanuf the day after retaking the town of Bin Jawad, west of Ras Lanuf. Photo: A Ras Lanuf resident standing by a dud air bomb.
The oil port of Ras Lanuf, a strategically important city, is located 300 kilometers southeast of Benghazi, which is the headquarters for the revolt against Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi.
Representatives from Britain, France, the EU, and NATO announced the possibility of imposing a no-fly zone over Libya. The main purpose of the no-fly zone would be to prevent the Libyan Air Force from attacking the rebels and, thus, avoid a considerable loss of life among civilians.
Mass street demonstrations calling for the resignation of Muammar Gaddafi, who has been Libya’s leader for over 40 years, have continued since mid-February. The government is fiercely confronting the rebels. Up to 6,000 people have been killed in the clashes with Libyan soldiers and mercenaries, international organizations report.
