First Battle of Brega
Encyclopedia
The First Battle of Brega was a battle during the 2011 Libyan civil war
. It began when pro-Gaddafi government troops attacked the city, held by the National Transitional Council
, in the early hours of 2 March 2011.
and Benghazi
.
As the attack was underway, Libyan Air Force
pilots loyal to Gaddafi bombed a munitions depot at Ajdabiya. However, after a few hours, rebel reinforcements from Ajdabiya arrived in Brega and pushed back pro-Gaddafi fighters to the university campus where they came under siege. Moving along the coast, rebel fighters charged over the sand dunes on the beach up the hill to the university building, while under constant mortar fire. At one moment, a warplane attacked the dunes in an attempt to disperse the rebels, but it caused no casualties, and the siege continued. According to the rebels, the pro-Gaddafi forces at the university used civilians as human shields. Government troops eventually withdrew from the university and out of the city some 8 kilometres (5 mi) to the west. A senior rebel officer stated pro-Gaddafi troops might have run out of ammunition and as such were forced to withdraw.
It was reported that women and children were dragged out of their cars on the Tripoli-Benghazi road by the pro-Gaddafi forces and used as human shields.
The government force retreated to Ra's Lanuf
, about 120 km west of Brega, after the battle.
The assault on the Brega oil port was the first major regime counter-offensive against the opposition-held eastern half of Libya, where the population backed by mutinous army units rose up and drove out Gaddafi's rule during the first few days of the uprising. The offensive came while Gaddafi warned opposition forces that he would fight "until the last man and woman". Following the battle, celebrations were held by rebel fighters and residents in Brega and Ajdabiya. According to BBC correspondent John Simpson
, the rebels were "very proud" and the general feeling in Brega was that Gaddafi's troops "do not necessarily have their hearts in the job."
On 3 March, pro-Gaddafi fighter jets bombed the area between the oil refinery and the residential zone in Brega, and rebels also reported an air raid against positions in Ajdabiya. Analysts believe the Battle of Brega indicates that either side may prove unable to definitely defeat the other.
On 4 March, anti-Gaddafi fighters launched an attack against Ra's Lanuf
. On 6 March the rebel advance was stopped in the battle of Bin Jawad
and government forces reconquered Ra's Lanuf on 10 March. Anti-Gaddafi fighters were reported to have been advising civilians to leave the area around Brega in expectation of a second battle. The Second Battle of Brega
was fought on 13 March, and by the morning of 14 March, rebel forces were holding the residential district and loyalist forces were holding the oil facilities. The next day, the town fell to the loyalists.
2011 Libyan civil war
The 2011 Libyan civil war was an armed conflict in the North African state of Libya, fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and those seeking to oust his government. The war was preceded by protests in Benghazi beginning on 15 February 2011, which led to clashes with security...
. It began when pro-Gaddafi government troops attacked the city, held by the National Transitional Council
National Transitional Council
The National Transitional Council of Libya , sometimes known as the Transitional National Council, the Interim National Council, or the Libyan National Council,...
, in the early hours of 2 March 2011.
The Battle
In the early hours of 2 March, well-armed government pro-Gaddafi forces arrived at Brega in over 100 vehicles. They succeeded in wresting control of the oil refinery, port, terminal and industry airport, as well as the town university. Coming within 2-3 kilometers (1-2 mi) from the town center, pro-Gaddafi forces managed to pin down rebel forces. According to a number of news sources, rebels were rushed to mobilization and hid in the sand for camouflage. Most were volunteer fighters from the rebel-controlled cities of AjdabiyaAjdabiya
Ajdabiya was one of the districts of Libya. It lay in the northeastern part of the country. Its capital was Ajdabiya. As of 2007 it was subsumed within the enlarged Al Wahat District....
and Benghazi
Benghazi
Benghazi is the second largest city in Libya, the main city of the Cyrenaica region , and the former provisional capital of the National Transitional Council. The wider metropolitan area is also a district of Libya...
.
As the attack was underway, Libyan Air Force
Libyan Air Force
The Libyan Air Force is the branch of the Libyan Armed Forces responsible for aerial warfare. In 2010, before the 2011 Libyan civil war, the Libyan Air Force personnel strength was estimated at 18,000, with an inventory of 374 combat capable aircraft operating from 13 military airbases in...
pilots loyal to Gaddafi bombed a munitions depot at Ajdabiya. However, after a few hours, rebel reinforcements from Ajdabiya arrived in Brega and pushed back pro-Gaddafi fighters to the university campus where they came under siege. Moving along the coast, rebel fighters charged over the sand dunes on the beach up the hill to the university building, while under constant mortar fire. At one moment, a warplane attacked the dunes in an attempt to disperse the rebels, but it caused no casualties, and the siege continued. According to the rebels, the pro-Gaddafi forces at the university used civilians as human shields. Government troops eventually withdrew from the university and out of the city some 8 kilometres (5 mi) to the west. A senior rebel officer stated pro-Gaddafi troops might have run out of ammunition and as such were forced to withdraw.
It was reported that women and children were dragged out of their cars on the Tripoli-Benghazi road by the pro-Gaddafi forces and used as human shields.
The government force retreated to Ra's Lanuf
Ra's Lanuf
Ra's Lanuf is a Mediterranean town in northern Libya, on the Gulf of Sidra. The town is also home to the Ra's Lanuf Refinery, completed in 1984, with a crude oil refining capacity of . The oil refinery is operated by the Ra's Lanuf Oil & Gas Processing Company, a subsidiary of the state-owned...
, about 120 km west of Brega, after the battle.
Aftermath
At least 14 people were initially reported killed in the fighting, though some estimates were as low as five dead. Reporters who came in from the Benghazi area saw four dead, two of which were apparently pro-Gaddafi fighters. At least 14 opposition fighters were later reported killed and 28 others wounded. Eight of those killed were former oil workers. The rebels claimed that they killed 10 loyalist soldiers and captured several.The assault on the Brega oil port was the first major regime counter-offensive against the opposition-held eastern half of Libya, where the population backed by mutinous army units rose up and drove out Gaddafi's rule during the first few days of the uprising. The offensive came while Gaddafi warned opposition forces that he would fight "until the last man and woman". Following the battle, celebrations were held by rebel fighters and residents in Brega and Ajdabiya. According to BBC correspondent John Simpson
John Simpson
John Cody Fidler-Simpson CBE is an English foreign correspondent. He is world affairs editor of BBC News. He has spent all his working life at the Corporation...
, the rebels were "very proud" and the general feeling in Brega was that Gaddafi's troops "do not necessarily have their hearts in the job."
On 3 March, pro-Gaddafi fighter jets bombed the area between the oil refinery and the residential zone in Brega, and rebels also reported an air raid against positions in Ajdabiya. Analysts believe the Battle of Brega indicates that either side may prove unable to definitely defeat the other.
On 4 March, anti-Gaddafi fighters launched an attack against Ra's Lanuf
Battle of Ra's Lanuf
The Battle of Ra's Lanuf was a two-phase battle between forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and those loyal to the National Transitional Council for control of the town of Ra's Lanuf. It followed the First Battle of Brega which occurred two days before in the town Brega, roughly to the...
. On 6 March the rebel advance was stopped in the battle of Bin Jawad
Battle of Bin Jawad
The Battle of Bin Jawad was a battle in the 2011 Libyan civil war between forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and the Libyan opposition for control of the town of Bin Jawad.- The Battle :...
and government forces reconquered Ra's Lanuf on 10 March. Anti-Gaddafi fighters were reported to have been advising civilians to leave the area around Brega in expectation of a second battle. The Second Battle of Brega
Second Battle of Brega
The Second Battle of Brega was a battle during the 2011 Libyan civil war. More than 10 days earlier, anti-Gaddafi forces beat back an attempt by loyalist forces to take the town on 2 March 2011, in the First Battle of Brega. Following that battle, rebel forces advanced along the Libyan Coastal...
was fought on 13 March, and by the morning of 14 March, rebel forces were holding the residential district and loyalist forces were holding the oil facilities. The next day, the town fell to the loyalists.