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Fourth Battle of Brega

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Windandsea (talk | contribs) at 19:08, 19 July 2011 (update on 15 july wording, no mention of fallback from brega on friday 15 july in ref article, so removed.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Fourth Battle of Brega
Part of 2011 Libyan civil war
Date14 July 2011 –
Location
Brega, Libya
Result

Ongoing

  • Anti-Gaddfi forces control half town of Brega
Belligerents

Libya Anti-Gaddafi forces

United Nations UNSC Resolution 1973 forces[1]

Libya Gaddafi Loyalists

Commanders and leaders
Gen. Abdul Fatah Younis
Col. Hamid Hassy[3]		 Al-Mu'tasim-Billah al-Gaddafi[4]
Strength
5,000[5] 3,000[6]-7,000[5]
Casualties and losses
34 killed,[7]
283[8][9]-403[10] wounded,
several armored vehicles destroyed or damaged

30 killed,[11] 4 captured[12]

13 technicals, 3 tanks, 6 IFVs, 3 MRLs, 1 rocket launcher destroyed in air-strikes (NATO claim)

The Fourth Battle of Brega is a battle during the 2011 Libyan civil war between forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi and forces of the Libyan opposition for control of the strategic town of Brega and its oil port.

Background

After about three months of stalemate on Libya's "eastern front", interupted only by the occasional clash between infantry units and some artillery duels, opposition military commanders launched an offensive to reclaim control of the town.

NATO Strikes

14th July-to-19th July NATO Strikes
Date Technicals Trucks Tanks Armored vehicles Buildings/Equipment
14 July[13] 1 Armed Vehicles 1 Tank 1 Armoured Fighting Vehicle 1 Command and Control Node, 1 Multiple Rocket Launcher
15 July[14] 7 Armed Vehicles 1 Tank 5 Armoured Fighting Vehicles 1 Multiple Rocket Launcher
16 July[15] 5 Armed Vehicles 1 Tank 1 Multiple Rocket Launcher, 1 Rocket Launcher
17 July[16] 9 Armed Vehicles 2 Armoured Fighting Vehicles 1 Command and Control Node
18 July[17] 8 Armed Vehicles 2 Armoured Fighting Vehicles
Total 30 3 10 6


The Battle

14 July
The battle commenced on the 14 July, in the aftermath of the long-stalemated Battle of Brega-Ajdabiya road. The rebels were armed with refurbished and repaired T-72 and T-55 tanks and armoured personnel carriers as well as with armed technical trucks. Three rebels were killed and 73 were wounded.[18] Opposition forces advanced via the southern desert highway, the main central coastal road, and from the sea to the north of the town.[19] At one point, rebels claimed that loyalist forces were in retreat to an area called Bishr (Bashir), 20 km to the west of Brega.[20] However, Libyan government's spokesman Mussa Ibrahim stated several hours later that the military repulsed the attack by opposition forces, who had air and naval support from NATO, pointing out that NATO was breaking the UN resolution once again.[21][22]

15 July
Battles with loyalist forces continued on three fronts.[23] Late on the second day of the fighting, rebel forces on a recon mission breached Brega, but pulled back to prepare for a fresh offensive the next day. In addition to the large number of casualties suffered by the rebels, pro-Gaddafi forces also sustained a number of dead and wounded during the fighting. At this point, the rebels’ forward position closest to Brega was four kilometers to the north of the town. A second rebel forces attacking from due east of Brega faced stiffer resistance and was about 10-20 kilometres (six to 12 miles) from the town. To the south of the town, where the rebels had made initial gains but suffered large numbers of casualties, Gaddafi forces had pushed back harder.[24] Rebel forces entered the front-line town of Brega at night capturing 4 Gadaffi soliders, before government shelling and land mines killed 10 fighters[25]

16 July
During the morning before dawn on the third day of fighting, according to some reports, rebel forces managed to enter Brega's outskirts but encountered heavy government shelling and multiple land mines. The rebels also stated that they captured four loyalist soldiers since the start of the battle.[12] As for the rebels, the number of casualties on their side during the day was 12 dead and 178 wounded due to the shelling and mines.[26] During 16 July, it was once again reported that the loyalist were withdrawing to Bishr. However, no independent media followed up on the story[27] and later rebel command stated opposition forces were still on the town's outskirts, moving slowly because of hundreds of land mines.[28] They were also slowed due to defensive trenches around the city that had been filled with flammable chemicals by retreating loyalist troops. Government forces had mostly pulled back into the town from its outskirts and left the booby-trapped trenches behind.[29] Most opposition troops were reportedly still 20 kilometers east of Brega by the end of the third day.[30]

17 July
On 17 July, three rebels were killed and 96[31]-127 wounded in street-to-street fighting in residential areas of Brega.[32] A rebel spokesman claimed that opposition forces had captured the north-eastern part of the town and were engaging loyalist troops in the south-western section.[33]

18 July
On 18 July, rebels announced that the main body of loyalist forces had retreated to Ras Lanuf while the main group of rebel forces was already behind Brega and was heading towards Bishr (al-Bashir) and Ugayla (Uqayla, al-Ageila). The rest of the rebel forces were still cleaning up mines and engaging pockets of resistance in Brega where an estimated 150-200 loyalist soldiers were still holed up in the industrial area.[34] However, in the evening, the government stated they were still in control of Brega, vowing to hold it after claiming to have killed 520 rebels,[35] and a rebel commander and fighters returning from the front said that opposition forces did manage to surround the town and enter the residential eastern part of the city, but the loyalists were still holding the western industrial area. Also, rebel forces coming in from the east were significantly slowed by the burning trenches which they were not able to extinguish because of a constant flow of oil into them from an oil pipeline directly linked to the trench system.[36][37] The rebels were also receiving rocket fire from the direction of Bashir.[38]

19 July
On 19 July, the rebels declared that they have full control of all the town except parts of the city including the downtown section which was mined by retreating loyalist soldiers. NATO itself stated it was not sure who controlled the town and described the situation as fluid.[39] Eight rebels were killed and 25 others wounded near Brega by loyalist artillery fire after government troops approached opposition positions in trucks carrying rebel flags. Rebels appear to hold a third of the town, mostly residential areas.[40][41]

References

  1. ^ "UN clears way for Libyan no-fly zone". 18 Mar 2011.
  2. ^ "Nato takes control of enforcing Libya no-fly zone". 25 March 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
  3. ^ "Rebel-held Libyan city pounded". April 16. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ Libyan rebels claim kill 57 Gaddafi soldiers: report
  5. ^ a b Libya rebels blame war planning for front stalemate
  6. ^ Libya rebels killed trying to retake Brega
  7. ^ Libyan Troops Kill 8 Rebels Near Eastern Oil Town
  8. ^ In Libya, rebel wounded tell the story behind fight for key city
  9. ^ 7 rebels dead, dozens wounded in Libyan government shelling
  10. ^ 73 wounded (14-15 July), [1] 178 wounded (16 July),[2] 96[3]-127[4] wounded (17 July), 25 wounded (19 July),[5] total of 372-403 reported wounded
  11. ^ Libyan government vows to hold oil city against rebels
  12. ^ a b Medic: 10 Libya rebels killed in push for oil town
  13. ^ http://www.nato.int/nato_static/assets/pdf/pdf_2011_07/20110715_110715-oup-update.pdf
  14. ^ http://www.nato.int/nato_static/assets/pdf/pdf_2011_07/20110716_110716-oup-update.pdf
  15. ^ http://www.nato.int/nato_static/assets/pdf/pdf_2011_07/20110717_110717-oup-update.pdf
  16. ^ http://www.nato.int/nato_static/assets/pdf/pdf_2011_07/20110718_110718-oup-update.pdf
  17. ^ http://www.nato.int/nato_static/assets/pdf/pdf_2011_07/20110719_110719-oup-update.pdf
  18. ^ Libya rebels begin advance on Brega
  19. ^ Gadhafi government holds talks with U.S. officials
  20. ^ Al Jazeera Live Blog
  21. ^ Libyan Forces Attack Strategic Oil City
  22. ^ Libyan spokesman: 'We will die for oil'
  23. ^ Libya rebels lose three men in Brega assault
  24. ^ Libya rebels breach Brega: spokesman
  25. ^ Libyan rebels fall back after failed advance
  26. ^ Libya rebels continue offensive, Kadhafi defiant
  27. ^ Libyan rebels enter Brega after heavy fighting
  28. ^ Ten rebels killed in push for Brega
  29. ^ Libya rebel advance slowed by 'chemical' trenches
  30. ^ Heavy casualties reported in Libya fighting
  31. ^ Battles rage on in Libya
  32. ^ Over 120 rebels hurt in battle for east Libya town
  33. ^ Libyan rebels 'fighting Gaddafi forces in Brega
  34. ^ Libya rebels say Gaddafi forces retreat in east
  35. ^ Gadhafi government holds talks with U.S. officials
  36. ^ Libyan government vows to hold oil city against rebels
  37. ^ In Libya, rebel wounded tell the story behind fight for key city
  38. ^ Libyan rebels claim victory in battle for Brega
  39. ^ Libyan Rebels Won’t Sign Oil Deals Until Elected Government
  40. ^ Libyan Troops Kill 8 Rebels Near Eastern Oil Town
  41. ^ 7 rebels dead, dozens wounded in Libyan government shelling

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