The tide has turned for the Libyan rebels

The Washington Post is reporting that coalition bombing is helping the rebels in their fight against Gaddafi forces. The opposition is claiming to have retaken the oil port of Ras Lanuf a day after having taken back the city of Brega. After having been pushed eastward almost to their capital of Benghazi, the rebels now seem to have the tide turned in their favour as they now push back west. Coalition forces whether by jet bombings or Tomahawk cruise missile launches have been disabling or just taking out pro-Gaddafi forces which otherwise would have overwhelmed poorly armed and poorly organized opposition forces. – I note the difficulties in finding out what is actually going on. Today the NY Times writes that the rebels have taken Brega and are moving on to Ras Lanuf meaning it’s not yet been retaken. Who’s right?

The Post goes on to explain that despite coalition intervention, this is not going to be a walk in the park. The mandate of U.N. resolution 1973 is that the coalition are not going to set foot in Libya so anything they do is going to be from a distance leaving the rebels to do it on their own. As the rebels move back west, they are going to be running into areas of strong Gaddafi loyalty, such as his home town of Sirte. Headway is going to be slow and very much dependent on the support of the coalition. The rebels are clearly outgunned.

Wikipedia’s article “Timeline of the 2011 Libyan uprising” shows for today, March 27:

Rebel fighters have taken control of the small town of Uqayla and the oil town of Ra’s Lanuf, say reporters from Agence France Presse in Ras Lanuf. Rebels begin a push towards Bin Jawad.

Rebels recaptured Bin Jawad, a hamlet another 50 kilometres (30 miles) to the west as they moved towards Gadaffi’s hometown Sirt. With the capture of Bin Jawad, the rebels have regained all the ground in the east they lost to the pro-Gaddafi counter-offensive in the days prior to the imposition of the UN mandated no-fly zone.

Rebel forces claim to advance further along the coast, taking the town of Nufilia, 100 kilometres (62 mi) from Sirt. Rebels have said they plan to halt their advance here for the time being as pro-Gaddafi forces were supposedly stationed 50 kilometres (31 mi) down the road ready to defend Sirt.

NATO says it has agreed to take over command of the military operation that is enforcing UN resolutions on Libya.

Eight people were killed and 24 wounded in Misrata as forces loyal to Gaddafi fired mortars while advancing towards the city from the west.

Canadian to lead NATO in taking over Libyan operation

Sometime this week, NATO is to take over command and control of Operation Odyssey Dawn from the Americans, under the leadership of Canadian Lieutenant-General Charles Bouchard. However, newspapers are reporting that NATO says it will only take part in enforcing the no-fly zone. That would somehow suggest they do not intend on continuing the aerial bombardment of Gaddafi troops. If this is truly the case, are we going to see the rebels pushed back once again? After all, pro-Gaddafi forces do seem better equipped and better organized.

The latest from BBC

The rebels have taken back Brega, Ras Lanuf and now Bin Jawad. A rebel commander has said government troops are in full retreat. France says it destroyed at least five Pro-Gaddafi war planes and two helicopters at a base near Misrata. (BBC as of 2:20 EST)

Interactive Map

The New York Times has a map of Libya showing what’s going on where. Even if the rebels have taken Bin Jawad, they still have a long way to go to Tripoli and I’m sure that the capital city is going to be the most difficult of cities to seize control of. This will be Gaddafi’s last stand.

Woman accuses Gaddafi mercenaries of raping her

On Saturday, March 26, 2011, a woman slipped into the hotel in Tripoli where all the foreign journalists are staying to tell her story. She managed to show off bruises and scars accusing Gaddafi’s militiamen of detaining her at a checkpoint then raping her. She was quickly dragged away by security men who scuffled with journalists who protested her treatment.

CNN has a video of the incident and a full account of what happened witnessed first-hand by the author of the article. The Telegraph also reports on this event with their own video.

CNN writes:

Breakfast at a Tripoli hotel housing international journalists took a decidedly grim turn Saturday when a desperate Libyan woman burst into the building frantic to let the world know she had been raped and beaten by Moammar Gadhafi’s militia.

Her face was heavily bruised. So were her legs. She displayed blood on her right inner thigh.

She said her name was Eman al-Obeidy. She was well-dressed and appeared to be a well-to-do middle-aged woman. She spoke in English and said she was from the rebel stronghold of Benghazi and had been picked up by Gadhafi’s men at a checkpoint east of Tripoli.

She sobbed and said she was held against her will for two days and raped by 15 men.

“Look at what Gadhafi’s brigades did to me,” she said. “My honor was violated by them.”

She showed the journalists how she had been tied at her wrists and ankles. She had visible rope burns.

“We are all Libyans,” the woman said. “Why don’t you treat us the same?”

Al Jazeera – Mar 27/2011

Libyan rebels gain momentum after Brega win

Libyan rebels have begun advancing rapidly westward, moving through Uqayla and on to Ras Lanuf where there is fighting. The pro-democracy fighters, who are quickly retaking control of key areas in the country’s east, already have control of Brega and Ajdabiya.

ITN News – Mar 27/2011

Libyan rebels move towards Gaddafi heartland

Libyan rebels seize more territory from Colonel Gaddafi’s forces as Western planes continue military raids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osMlTxPZs4Q

Al Jazeera – Mar 26/2011

Ajdabiya victory spurs rebel advancement

It has been a week since coalition countries began their bombing campaign to impose restrictions on Libya’s government. That air raid has helped opposition fighters retake the strategic town of Ajdabiya, and they are also claiming the oil town of Brega. It is yet another major milestone in the battle for Libya.

Russia Today – Mar 26/2011

Night video of UK Tornado jets bombing Gaddafi battle tanks

UK Ministry of Defence has released footage showing warplanes attacking targets near the town of Ajdabiya as part of coordinated strikes against Moammar Gadhafi’s forces. The images, which were filmed on Thursday, show Tornado GR4 jets bombing pro-Gaddafi Libyan battle tanks a few miles south of Ajdabiya. Other footage released by the MoD shows Tornadoes returning from Libya to Gioia Del Colle airbase in Italy after a mission in which British aircraft destroyed at least two Libyan Main Battle Tanks.

Russia Today – Mar 24/2011

Combat camera video of Canadian CF-18 striking Libya weapon depot

[If you watch this video carefully, some structure is bombed but then, from out of the fireball and cloud of smoke, something goes taking off to the right of the screen. Is this an artillery shell ignited by the explosion? A rocket propelled grenade?]

Canadian Department of Defense released a video showing Canada’s CF-18 attack on a Libyan weapons depot. It comes as fresh explosions and gunfire have been heard in the Libyan capital Tripoli, with reports saying coalition forces are targeting major military facilities across the country. Allied forces have also conducted air strikes against troops loyal to the leader Muammar Gaddafi, in the country’s western city of Musrata.

National Defence and the Canadian Forces

http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/feature-vedette/2011/02/libya-libye-eng.asp

[This is the main government page on Operation MOBILE, Canada’s mission in Libya]

Operation MOBILE (images and video)

http://www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca/common/combatcamera/opmobile-eng.asp

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