Libyan rebels made fresh gains on the western front on Tuesday, pushing back forces loyal to leader Muammar Qadhafi in a string of clashes that brought them closer to the capital Tripoli. Insurgents also sought to extend an advance in the east begun on Sunday, setting their sights on the oil town of Brega in a bid to extend their control over the region, epicentre of the four-month rebellion against Qadhafi's four-decade rule.
Insurgents seized the town of Kikla, south-west of Tripoli, after government troops fell back, and pushed several kilometres (miles) west of their Misrata stronghold to the outskirts of government-held Zlitan, Reuters photographers said. Pro-Qadhafi forces retreated about nine kilometres (five miles) from Kikla and rebels were setting up defensive positions, Reuters photographer Youssef Boudlal said.
In Brussels, Nato spokesman Wing Commander Mike Bracken said rebel forces were making steady advances in the west and the Berber highlands, and appeared to "control the ground from Wazin to Jadu and Zintan as well as the town of Yaffran. "In the east ... there has been little movement from either side and no significant changes to the intensity of activity." The rebel thrust to Kikla, some 150 km (90 miles) from Tripoli, came after weeks of relative deadlock between the rag-tag army and government forces, though air strikes by Nato have taken their toll on Qadhafi's better-equipped troops.
Nevertheless, rebels in the west said attacks on a Misrata oil refinery were causing them fuel supply problems. And a Nato leaflet drop warning of helicopter strikes prompted some rebels to retreat from their newly captured positions outside Zlitan. "We came back because of the leaflets from Nato. I hope there is some co-ordination between the fighters and Nato. Qadhafi's forces are far away. Is it logical that Nato has no idea we took those positions?" Mohammed Genei, 31, local commander told Reuters. "Nato dropped the leaflets right on us." A leaflet obtained by Reuters showed a picture of a helicopter and a burning tank. "When you see these helicopters, it means it is already too late for you," it said in Arabic. "There is no place to hide. If you continue threatening civilians, you will be killed."
A Nato official said the alliance did drop leaflets warning of the possibility of attack by attack helicopters, but said this was west of Misrata, and closer to Zlitan. However, even without the threat of Nato attack, the rebels said they would not attack Zlitan, citing tribal sensitivities. Instead they would wait for the local inhabitants to rise up. Despite the successes on the battlefield the insurgents could struggle to maintain their momentum after a rocket attack on Monday badly damaged a refinery near Misrata port, potentially saddling them with serious fuel supply problems. An engineer on site said it was unclear how long it would take to repair the refinery.