الرئيسية
Loyalists of Libya's ousted leader Muammar Gaddafi have seized
control of the town of Bani Walid, raising the former government's green
flag, an official and a commander have said.
The retaking of the town, 150km southeast of Tripoli, the
capital, comes as Libya's new leaders have struggled to unify the
oil-rich North African nation three months after Gaddafi was captured
and killed.
Hundreds of well-equipped and highly trained remnants of Gaddafi's
forces raised the flag over buildings in the western city late on Monday
after hours of clashes, said Mubarak al-Fatamni, the head of Bani
Walid's local council.
Fatamni, who fled to the nearby city of Misrata following the attack,
said four revolutionary fighters were killed and 25 others were
wounded.
A resident of the town said the fighters used heavy weaponry,
including 106-mm anti-tank guns, and that seven people were killed and
20 wounded.
Al Jazeera's Stefanie Dekker, reporting from the outskirts of Bani
Walid, said that pro-Gaddafi fighters seized the town late on Monday and
are still in control there.
"Many brigades from other parts of the country have assembled here on
the outskirts of Bani Walid and are now waiting for orders from the
government as to how to proceed," she said.
Fatamni said the Libyan defence ministry had not sent any forces to the area.
'NTC let us down'
"There are around 100 and 150 men armed with heavy weapons who are
attacking," Mahmud Warfelli, a spokesperson for the Bani Walid local
council.
"We have asked for the army to intervene, but the defence ministry and NTC [National Transitional Council] have let us down."
control of the town of Bani Walid, raising the former government's green
flag, an official and a commander have said.
The retaking of the town, 150km southeast of Tripoli, the
capital, comes as Libya's new leaders have struggled to unify the
oil-rich North African nation three months after Gaddafi was captured
and killed.
Hundreds of well-equipped and highly trained remnants of Gaddafi's
forces raised the flag over buildings in the western city late on Monday
after hours of clashes, said Mubarak al-Fatamni, the head of Bani
Walid's local council.
Fatamni, who fled to the nearby city of Misrata following the attack,
said four revolutionary fighters were killed and 25 others were
wounded.
A resident of the town said the fighters used heavy weaponry,
including 106-mm anti-tank guns, and that seven people were killed and
20 wounded.
Al Jazeera's Stefanie Dekker, reporting from the outskirts of Bani
Walid, said that pro-Gaddafi fighters seized the town late on Monday and
are still in control there.
"Many brigades from other parts of the country have assembled here on
the outskirts of Bani Walid and are now waiting for orders from the
government as to how to proceed," she said.
Fatamni said the Libyan defence ministry had not sent any forces to the area.
'NTC let us down'
"There are around 100 and 150 men armed with heavy weapons who are
attacking," Mahmud Warfelli, a spokesperson for the Bani Walid local
council.
"We have asked for the army to intervene, but the defence ministry and NTC [National Transitional Council] have let us down."