Originally posted by Wikinews.
Wikinews content appears under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 license
except where specified. As these articles are static snapshots of news
items that may be later updated, they may not represent the latest or final
revision of that article, and posted information may be only preliminary.

Gaddafi loyalists go on offensive, rebels pushed back
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 30, 2011
Original URL: http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Gaddafi_loyalists_go_on_offensive,_rebels_pushed_back



Troops loyal to Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi launched an
offensive Tuesday and managed to push rebel forces out of the town of
Bin Jawad. This comes as world powers met the same day to discuss the
future of the country.

Rebels disclosed that their troops in Bin Jawad came under heavy
artillery and rocket fire, after which they made a hasty retreat. Rebels
who were still in the open desert sought cover and fired at Gaddafi
troops as they appeared. One rebel warrior said that the shelling was
too much for them to handle, A rebel fighter, Ashraf Mohammed, was
quoted by Reuters as saying, "[t]he Gaddafi guys hit us with Grads
[rockets] and they came round our flanks."

Rebel forces retreated to the city of Ras Lanuf, which they had captured
days before on Sunday, where they recuperated. However, they were not
completely safe there as they came under heavy gunfire at the western
fringe of town and had to defend themselves with any weapons that they
could find. 

Civilians also retreated from the war zone.  One man criticized rebel
troops, telling them to "[g]et yourselves up there and stop posing for
pictures." 

Today's battle marked a shift of momentum in favour of government
troops; earlier this week rebels held the advantage over pro-Gaddafi
forces as they made their westward march with little to no resistance. 

== Sources == 

* http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/03/29/libya.war/index.html?hpt=T1
* http://www.todayszaman.com/news-239558-gaddafi-troops-halt-rebel-offensive-push-them-beyond-bin-jawad.html



.