20110315
reuters

AJDABIYAH, Libya (Reuters) - Muammar Gaddafi's forces seized a strategic town in eastern Libya on Tuesday, opening the way to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi while world powers failed to agree to push for a no-fly zone.

The small town of Ajdabiyah was all that stood between the relentless eastward advance of Libyan government troops and the second city of Benghazi and lies on a road junction from where Gaddafi's forces could attempt to encircle the rebel stronghold.

"The town of Ajdabiyah has been cleansed of mercenaries and terrorists linked to the al Qaeda organisation," state television said, referring to the increasingly embattled rebels fighting to end Gaddafi's 41 years of absolute power.

Government jets opened up with rocket fire on a rebel checkpoint at the western entrance to Ajdabiyah, then unleashed a rolling artillery barrage on the town and a nearby arms dump, following the same pattern of attack that has pushed back rebels more than 100 miles (160 km) in a week-long counter-offensive.

At least one missile hit a residential area. Residents and rebels piled into cars and pickups to flee town on highways towards Benghazi or Tobruk, which are still in rebel hands.

"The battle is lost. Gaddafi is throwing everything against us," said one rebel officer who gave his name as General Suleiman.

As well as the coastal road to Benghazi, there is also a 400 km (250 mile) desert road straight to Tobruk, near the Egyptian border, that would cut off Benghazi. But it was not clear whether Gaddafi's forces were strong enough to be divided and if they could operate with such long supply lines.

Soliman Bouchuiguir, president of the Libyan League for Human Rights, said in Geneva that if Gaddafi's forces attacked Benghazi, a city of 670,000 people, there would be "a real bloodbath, a massacre like we saw in Rwanda".