Fighting in Libya appears to be descending into a protracted civil war with the opposition making significant gains in the oil enclaves in the east but falling well short of securing towns close to the capital.
Opposition fighters combating forces loyal to Libyan strongman Muammar Qadhafi are now in control of the oil port of Ras Lanuf.
According to Al Jazeera, infighting between regime loyalists has facilitated the takeover of this strategic town. Analysts say divisions within the Qadhafi camp are reflecting deepening inter-tribal faultlines in the area. In Mr. Qadhafi's home base of Surt, clashes are being reported between tribes loyal to the regime and others who have begun to side with the opposition. Reuters is reporting that armed anti-regime forces, joined by men from nearby town of Ajdabiya, are pushing further west and are now in control of Bin Jawad, halfway between Ras Lanuf and Surt. A large number of Libyan military figures have switched sides and have joined the armed opposition groups, witnesses said.
Despite the military gains, casualties have been mounting in the east. The battles for oil have left eight people dead in Ras Lanuf, while 25 have been injured in Ajdabiya. On Friday, explosions at an ammunition depot in the opposition stronghold of Benghazi left at least 27 people dead. On Saturday, mourners had joined funerals being held across the city.
The fighting has also taken its toll on oil exports from Libya. Oil production in the world's twelfth largest oil producer has been substantially reduced. Opposition forces have taken away around 300 vehicles from an oil company compound in Ras Lanuf, an agency report said. Fear of looting has led the Libyan Emirates Oil Refining Company to barricade its compound with concrete barriers.
Contrary to the situation in the east, there has been a bloodbath in Zawiya, an oil town only 50 km west of Tripoli. Elements of the elite Khamis brigade using tanks and heavy weapons have since Friday launched an offensive to recover the town from the opposition.
According to Al Jazeera, at least 30 people have been killed and 150-200 injured in the intense combat. Reuters news agency quotes a doctor in the city as saying: “There is a lot of destruction in the city, I look around and all I see is destruction. Bombed buildings and burning cars everywhere — I cannot even count how many.” Nevertheless, “martyrs square” was with opposition on Saturday, and regime forces had been pushed back to the outskirts of the town. However, pro-Qadhafi forces appeared to be regrouping and reports were emerging by Saturday evening that around 35 tanks were heading for fresh attacks in the town. Around 10,000 men from the opposition were also gearing up for combat, an eyewitness said.
The conflict in Libya has continued to generate a humanitarian crisis, mainly along Libya's border with Tunisia. An estimated 40,000 Bangladeshi migrants have crossed into Tunisia, but many are still trapped inside, Bangladeshi officials said. The last batch of 300 Chinese workers in Libya has left for Guangzhou, China Central Television reported. Nearly 30,000 Chinese workers had been employed in Libya prior to the revolt.
