After a series of counter-attacks by troops of Muammar Gaddafi, the outgunned and loosely organised rebels were on Sunday pushed out of the eastern oil town of Brega, as the Arab League supported a 'no-fly' zone to halt the advance of the Libyan military to the opposition stronghold of Benghazi. The army loyal to Gaddafi has cleared 'armed gangs' from Brega, the Libyan state TV was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera channel. "Brega has been cleansed of armed gangs," it said.
Fans were flanked by hundreds of police trucks securing the area as they let off fireworks and flares to the sound of honks and cheers.
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.
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".
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.
Defying global pressure to stop attacks on civilians, Muammar Gaddafi's fighter jets on Thursday carried out fresh strikes on the rebel-held oil terminal town of Brega in eastern Libya, a day after clashes between the two sides left at least 14 people dead in the region. The warplanes swooped down on the town on Thursday morning, according to eyewitnesses. The Libyan army, backed by mercenaries, continued its efforts to penetrate the rebel-held eastern parts of the country.
Hammered by Muammar Gaddafi's tanks, heavy guns and rockets, rebel forces were in panicky retreat in east Libya on Wednesday, fleeing from the oil towns of Ras Lanuf and Brega prompting United States and its allies to mull arming the ragtag fighters.
After Nigeria, Libya has invited Indian oil firms to operate its old refineries after investing in their revamp and has offered New Delhi rights to explore oil in the country.
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