.- The regime of Moammar Gadhafi struck to their opponents today, launching an intense offensive in the city near Tripoli in rebel hands, and with an operation in the capital, with tear gas and gunfire to quell fresh protests . At least 37 people died in clashes and an explosion in an ammunition depot in eastern Libya, controlled by insurgents.
The bloodshed represented an intensification of efforts by both sides to break the tense deadlock that exists in Libya for 18 days. This crisis has lasted over the revolt in Egypt, which led to the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak and was part of a wave of protests in the region. So far, Gadhafi has had little success to regain territory.
Several cities have repelled rebel attacks and the eastern half of the country has been under rebel control loos. But opposition forces seemed incapable of making an offensive move towards areas that support Gadhafi. Meanwhile, in Tripoli, Gadhafi's most important stronghold, forces that are loyal to him have unleashed a campaign of terror to ensure the protesters did rise up in significant numbers.
Friday's attack on the rebel city of Zauiya, about 50 kilometers west of Tripoli, was the most intense launched by the forces of Gadhafi, after some earlier incursions had to retreat. In the morning, the forces of Jamis Elite Brigade, which is called a son of Gadhafi that command, bombed the western limits of the city with mortar fire.
Also attacked with machine guns, tanks and antiaircraft guns, said several people. For evening, another brigade had opened a front in the eastern side. Zauiya armed citizens, supported by allied units of the army, counterattacked. The commander of the insurgent forces 'darbouka Hussein, a colonel in the army before defecting Gadhafi' was shot in an anti-aircraft machine gun, said a local activist of the opposition, Alaa al-zaoui'a.
Another witness said that 18 people were killed and 120 wounded in fighting with Gadhafi in Zauiya contingent. The witness Zauiya hospital said the insurgents were caught in a pincer on both sides of the city. Libyan state television reported that the attackers had regained the city. However, al-zaoui'a and another resident said Zauiya remains in the hands of the opposition.
In the northeast, hospital executives said at least 17 people were killed in an explosion at an ammunition depot at a military base located about 32 kilometers from the rebel basion Benghazi. The blast destroyed a warehouse at the base and damaged a second warehouse, in accordance with an ambulance driver, who said he recovered more human remains in place.
The driver spoke on condition of anonymity because not authorized to speak to the press. The insurgents attacked government forces in the port of Ras Lanouf, a major oil loading terminals located 620 kilometers (380 miles) east of Tripoli. The fighters, armed with Kalashnikov automatic rifles and heavy machine guns, managed to advance in the eastern port of Brega.
Moreover, security forces launched at least five grenades irritating about a thousand 500 people in the capital district of Tajoura. The demonstrators dispersed but returned briefly to regroup to continue the march, according to an Associated Press reporter who was there. Gaddafi's forces had installed controls in the capital of Libya to register vehicles.
The seals raised among the population of Tripoli on fear of new bloodshed in the capital, where opponents have been harshly repressed. The opposition called the demonstration after Friday prayers to demand an end to Gadhafi. Last Friday there were similar demonstrations were brutally repressed by government militia groups, who fired on demonstrators protest the very beginning.
The attacks killed an undetermined number of dead and wounded. Internet services, which have been sporadic throughout Libya during the unrest in the country, were apparently completely stopped in Tripoli and Benghazi in the east of the North African nation. Hours before the prayers, the streets were empty.
In Tajoura district where there have been riots, a police car parked several blocks from the main mosque and a group of soldiers staged a control input to the district to check on vehicles. 
The bloodshed represented an intensification of efforts by both sides to break the tense deadlock that exists in Libya for 18 days. This crisis has lasted over the revolt in Egypt, which led to the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak and was part of a wave of protests in the region. So far, Gadhafi has had little success to regain territory.
Several cities have repelled rebel attacks and the eastern half of the country has been under rebel control loos. But opposition forces seemed incapable of making an offensive move towards areas that support Gadhafi. Meanwhile, in Tripoli, Gadhafi's most important stronghold, forces that are loyal to him have unleashed a campaign of terror to ensure the protesters did rise up in significant numbers.
Friday's attack on the rebel city of Zauiya, about 50 kilometers west of Tripoli, was the most intense launched by the forces of Gadhafi, after some earlier incursions had to retreat. In the morning, the forces of Jamis Elite Brigade, which is called a son of Gadhafi that command, bombed the western limits of the city with mortar fire.
Also attacked with machine guns, tanks and antiaircraft guns, said several people. For evening, another brigade had opened a front in the eastern side. Zauiya armed citizens, supported by allied units of the army, counterattacked. The commander of the insurgent forces 'darbouka Hussein, a colonel in the army before defecting Gadhafi' was shot in an anti-aircraft machine gun, said a local activist of the opposition, Alaa al-zaoui'a.
Another witness said that 18 people were killed and 120 wounded in fighting with Gadhafi in Zauiya contingent. The witness Zauiya hospital said the insurgents were caught in a pincer on both sides of the city. Libyan state television reported that the attackers had regained the city. However, al-zaoui'a and another resident said Zauiya remains in the hands of the opposition.
In the northeast, hospital executives said at least 17 people were killed in an explosion at an ammunition depot at a military base located about 32 kilometers from the rebel basion Benghazi. The blast destroyed a warehouse at the base and damaged a second warehouse, in accordance with an ambulance driver, who said he recovered more human remains in place.
The driver spoke on condition of anonymity because not authorized to speak to the press. The insurgents attacked government forces in the port of Ras Lanouf, a major oil loading terminals located 620 kilometers (380 miles) east of Tripoli. The fighters, armed with Kalashnikov automatic rifles and heavy machine guns, managed to advance in the eastern port of Brega.
Moreover, security forces launched at least five grenades irritating about a thousand 500 people in the capital district of Tajoura. The demonstrators dispersed but returned briefly to regroup to continue the march, according to an Associated Press reporter who was there. Gaddafi's forces had installed controls in the capital of Libya to register vehicles.
The seals raised among the population of Tripoli on fear of new bloodshed in the capital, where opponents have been harshly repressed. The opposition called the demonstration after Friday prayers to demand an end to Gadhafi. Last Friday there were similar demonstrations were brutally repressed by government militia groups, who fired on demonstrators protest the very beginning.
The attacks killed an undetermined number of dead and wounded. Internet services, which have been sporadic throughout Libya during the unrest in the country, were apparently completely stopped in Tripoli and Benghazi in the east of the North African nation. Hours before the prayers, the streets were empty.
In Tajoura district where there have been riots, a police car parked several blocks from the main mosque and a group of soldiers staged a control input to the district to check on vehicles.
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