Wars in the World

Pro-government forces have intensified their attacks on Libyan rebels, driving them back tens of kilometres over ground they had taken in recent days.

The BBC’s Nick Springate says the rebels have lost Bin Jawad and most have now fled even further east past the town of Ras Lanuf.

Misrata, closer to Tripoli, has also come under heavy attack and blasts have been reported in the capital.

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There has been celebratory gunfire over Benghazi following follows reports that Libyan rebels have captured Muammar Gaddafi’s hometown of Sirte.

There is no independent confirmation of the claim but Western journalists there say it is quiet in the city. Rebel forces have pushed west to retake a series of key towns from pro-Gaddafi troops who are being pounded by Western coalition air strikes.

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Libyan rebels continue to advance toward the capital Tripoli, after securing control of the strategic oil towns of Ras Lanouf, Brega and Ajdabiyah from Muammar Gaddafi’s forces.

­Meanwhile, NATO is due to meet on Sunday to discuss assuming control of the mission in Libya.

Recent reports claim that rebel troops have also taken control of the town of Bin Jawad, shortly after they entered the crucial oil port of Ras-Lanouf, located 660 km (410 miles) from Tripoli.

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Libyan rebel fighters have reached the outskirts of the oil-exporting town of Brega on Saturday after taking Ajdabiyah from Muammar Gaddafi’s forces, a rebel spokesman said.

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Libyan rebels have taken the strategic eastern town of Ajdabiya from government control, our correspondent there reported.

“There is no doubt about it, you can probably hear some of the celebrations behind me, Ajdabiya is in opposition hands,” Al Jazeera’s James Bays said from the city on Saturday.

“Gaddafi forces have been controlling the ring road that goes around Ajdabiya … that has been the situation for six days, but they have now been cleared from that position.”

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