Rebels flee Gaddafi rockets in east Libya oil town

Wednesday, 6 April 2011 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters) - Libyan rebels fled east under heavy rocket fire from leader Muammar Gaddafi’s forces in the oil town of Brega on Tuesday in a sixth day of fighting that has failed to give either side the upper hand.

Pounding and machinegun fire was heard in the west of the sparsely populated desert settlement before rockets landed near a group of rebels waiting with machinegun mounted pick-up trucks at the town’s eastern gate.

Rockets zipped back towards Brega from a rebel position near the entrance to its eastern residential zone.

Nearby, the remains of two trucks mounted with heavy machineguns lay smouldering, their burning tyres giving off a cloud of acrid smoke. Rebels said the trucks were hit by an air strike.

Scores of rebels leapt into their pick-ups and sped off, not stopping until they were more than 5 km (3 miles) east of the town limits.

A familiar pattern has set in, with lightly-armed volunteers pulling back under rocket fire. The better-trained rebel soldiers, most from army units that defected from Gaddafi or came out of retirement, tend to hold their ground.

The sustained burst of rocket fire appeared to give the Gaddafi forces the upper hand.

Actress Jolie says people fleeing Libya need support

(Reuters) - Actress and goodwill ambassador Angelina Jolie appealed on Tuesday for international support for people fleeing the conflict in Libya and for increased aid for those inside the country.

Jolie, a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations' refugee agency UNHCR who visited the Libyan-Tunisian border, said recent arrivals from Libya had told her about heavy fighting, harassment and assaults.

More than 400,000 people have fled Libya to Tunisia, Egypt, Niger, Algeria, Chad and Sudan since February when rebels rose up against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. More than half have arrived in Tunisia.