Tripoli, March 16: Libyan state TV claims that forces loyal to longtime Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi have seized the strategically important northeastern town of Ajdabiyah.
The state TV stressed that Gaddafi’s loyalists, who have been carrying out air strikes on the town since Monday, are now “in total control” of the town.
“They are bombarding the arms dump with land-based weapons. It is a really heavy bombardment,” Reuters quoted locals and witnesses as saying.
“If they hit the arms cache, it will destroy Ajdabiyah.”
Reports indicate that the situation on the ground is becoming increasingly difficult for poorly-equipped revolutionary forces as Gaddafi’s forces are now pushing closer to the main opposition-held city of Benghazi.
In the west, ground forces and tanks are shelling the town of Zuwara. However, the opposition forces have reportedly staved off a major attack on the city of Misrata.
The UN Security Council discussed a proposal by the Arab League to impose a no-fly zone over crisis-hit Libya. But no consensus emerged among the council members. Also the group of eight industrialized nations is yet to agree on a no-fly zone over the North African country.
Latest reports from Libya indicate that thousands may have been killed or injured as the government crackdown escalates.
Colonel Gaddafi has been in power since a 1969 military coup.
——–Agencies