.- Rebels backed by Western air forces recaptured the strategic town Saturday Ajdabiyah in eastern Libya, forcing Moammar Gadhafi forces to retreat. Rebel fighters danced on tanks, waved flags and fired shots from buildings full of bullet marks, after a night battle which suggested that the wind is playing against Gadhafi for forces in the east.
A Reuters correspondent saw a half dozen tanks destroyed near the eastern entrance of the city and the floor full of empty shells from mortars. There were also signs of heavy fighting at the western entrance, the last part of the city that was under the control of government troops. "Everything was destroyed last night by our forces," said rebel fighter Sarhag Agouri.
Witnesses and rebel fighters said the entire city was in opposition hands around noon. Ajdabiyah capture is an important victory for the rebels, after two weeks resist in battle. Gadhafi forces, which are better armed, previously arrested a rebel advance close to the largest exporter of crude terminal, Ras Lanuf, and retreated to their stronghold in Benghazi until Western powers attacked government positions by air and sea.
The African Union said it was planning to help facilitate talks to end the war, but NATO said the operation could last three months, and France indicated that the conflict would not end soon. In Washington, a U.S. military spokesman said the coalition fired 16 Tomahawk cruise missiles and flew 153 missions in the last 24 hours against artillery, mechanized forces and command and control infrastructure of Gadhafi.
Western governments hope that the raids, which began a week ago with the goal of protecting civilians from changing the balance of power in favor of the most violent in the Arab world. In Tripoli explosions were heard Saturday morning, indicating possible new attacks by warplanes or missiles.
Libyan state television was broadcasting occasional reports of air strikes in the West. But most showed material - old and grainy image - of crowds waving green flags and carrying pictures of Gadhafi. Neither Gadhafi nor their children have been seen on state television from the Libyan leader delivered a speech on Wednesday from his compound in Tripoli.
Libyan state television said the "brother leader" had risen to all members of its armed forces and police "for their heroic and courageous fight against the assault cross-colonialist", without giving further details. U.S. says Gadhafi's ability to command and maintain their strength was decreasing.
Asserted that rebel officials and aid agencies could deliver some supplies to the western city of Misrata, but were concerned that government snipers in the city center. A resident told Reuters on Saturday that Gaddafi loyalists were still attacking civilians in Misrata and that the death toll from a week has now reached 115.
"There are still operating Gadhafi forces against civilians in the city," he said by phone the resident, who did not disclose his name, adding that government troops controlled the east and west of the town. Gadhafi forces bombed an area on the outskirts of the city, killing six people, including three children, said a rebel.
Misrata has been the scene of the fiercest fighting between rebels and government troops since the uprising began on 16 February. At the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, the head of the AU commission Jean Ping said the organization is planning to facilitate peace negotiations in a process which should culminate in democratic elections.
It is the first release of the AU - who had rejected any form of foreign intervention in the crisis of Libya - since the Security Council the UN imposed an air exclusion zone last week and began air strikes against Libyan military targets . But in Brussels, a NATO official said planning for the operations of the Western alliance took a mission that would extend for 90 days, although this could be extended or shortened as needed.
France said the mission could last for weeks. 
A Reuters correspondent saw a half dozen tanks destroyed near the eastern entrance of the city and the floor full of empty shells from mortars. There were also signs of heavy fighting at the western entrance, the last part of the city that was under the control of government troops. "Everything was destroyed last night by our forces," said rebel fighter Sarhag Agouri.
Witnesses and rebel fighters said the entire city was in opposition hands around noon. Ajdabiyah capture is an important victory for the rebels, after two weeks resist in battle. Gadhafi forces, which are better armed, previously arrested a rebel advance close to the largest exporter of crude terminal, Ras Lanuf, and retreated to their stronghold in Benghazi until Western powers attacked government positions by air and sea.
The African Union said it was planning to help facilitate talks to end the war, but NATO said the operation could last three months, and France indicated that the conflict would not end soon. In Washington, a U.S. military spokesman said the coalition fired 16 Tomahawk cruise missiles and flew 153 missions in the last 24 hours against artillery, mechanized forces and command and control infrastructure of Gadhafi.
Western governments hope that the raids, which began a week ago with the goal of protecting civilians from changing the balance of power in favor of the most violent in the Arab world. In Tripoli explosions were heard Saturday morning, indicating possible new attacks by warplanes or missiles.
Libyan state television was broadcasting occasional reports of air strikes in the West. But most showed material - old and grainy image - of crowds waving green flags and carrying pictures of Gadhafi. Neither Gadhafi nor their children have been seen on state television from the Libyan leader delivered a speech on Wednesday from his compound in Tripoli.
Libyan state television said the "brother leader" had risen to all members of its armed forces and police "for their heroic and courageous fight against the assault cross-colonialist", without giving further details. U.S. says Gadhafi's ability to command and maintain their strength was decreasing.
Asserted that rebel officials and aid agencies could deliver some supplies to the western city of Misrata, but were concerned that government snipers in the city center. A resident told Reuters on Saturday that Gaddafi loyalists were still attacking civilians in Misrata and that the death toll from a week has now reached 115.
"There are still operating Gadhafi forces against civilians in the city," he said by phone the resident, who did not disclose his name, adding that government troops controlled the east and west of the town. Gadhafi forces bombed an area on the outskirts of the city, killing six people, including three children, said a rebel.
Misrata has been the scene of the fiercest fighting between rebels and government troops since the uprising began on 16 February. At the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, the head of the AU commission Jean Ping said the organization is planning to facilitate peace negotiations in a process which should culminate in democratic elections.
It is the first release of the AU - who had rejected any form of foreign intervention in the crisis of Libya - since the Security Council the UN imposed an air exclusion zone last week and began air strikes against Libyan military targets . But in Brussels, a NATO official said planning for the operations of the Western alliance took a mission that would extend for 90 days, although this could be extended or shortened as needed.
France said the mission could last for weeks.
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