Libyan rebels on Saturday regained control of the strategic oil town of Ajdabiya after a week-long airstrikes by western coalition crippled Muammar Gaddafi's forces, amid indication that the tide may be turning against the emabattled leader.
Libyan rebel forces in besieged Misurata on Saturday pushed back the advancing Gaddafi troops amid fierce battle for the control of the key eastern town of Ajdabiya as African Union leaders embarked on a diplomatic mission to end the conflict.
Undaunted by missile and air-strikes on his military, Muammar Gaddafi's forces are pressing ahead with their assault on rebel-held towns of Misruta, Ajdabiya and Zintan in Libya.
Ibrahim Dabbashi, Libya's deputy envoy to the United Nations, who had turned against Muammar Gaddafi, has called on the United Nations Security Council to pass a resolution imposing a no-fly zone in the North African country within the next 10 hours.
A North Atlantic Treaty Organisation air attack on Thursday killed at least 13 rebels and wounded several others near Brega, after they were mistaken for Muammar Gaddafi's forces which was engaged in fierce fighting for the control of the eastern oil hub.
Fierce fighting raged on Saturday between the rebels and troops loyal to Muammar Gaddafi for the control of the eastern oil town of Brega as the government of the embattled leader dismissed conditions for a ceasefire as "mad".
A United States war plane crash landed in Libya as coalition forces hit several defence targets across Tripoli on Tuesday, but there was no let up by Muammar Gaddafi's military which pounded rebel-held towns of Misurata and Ajdabiya.
Loud explosions and anti-aircraft fire rang across the Libyan capital for the third night in running as coalition bombers and missiles struck targets, including Muammar Gaddafi's Tripoli compound and a big naval base on the outskirts of the city.
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