Col. Muammar Gaddafi’s troops seized the strategic Libyan oil town of Brega Sunday, forcing the rebels to retreat under heavy bombardment while world powers considered imposing a no-fly zone.
Losing Brega and its refinery further limits rebel access to fuel after the insurgents were pushed out of Ras Lanuf on Sunday, another major oil terminal some 100 km to the west along the coast road where all of Libya’s major towns are located. The rebels appeared demoralised. “There’s no uprising any more,” said Nabeel Tijouri. “The other day we were in Ras Lanuf, then Brega, the day after tomorrow they will be in Benghazi.”
The speed of the government advance may overtake drawn-out diplomatic wrangling on whether or how to impose a no-fly zone. The United States said the Arab League’s call for a UN no-fly zone was an “important step”. It satisfies one of three conditions Nato set on Friday for it to police Libyan airspace: that of strong Arab support.