Second Battle of Brega

Last updated
Second Battle of Brega
Part of Libyan Civil War
Date13–15 March 2011
Location
Result Pro-Gaddafi victory [1]
Territorial
changes
City retaken by loyalist forces
Belligerents

Flag of Libya (1951-1969).svg Anti-Gaddafi forces

Flag of Libya (1977-2011).svg Armed forces of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Commanders and leaders
Bashir Abdel-Qader [2]
Khaled Kowati [3]
Flag of Libya (1977-2011).svg Muammar Gaddafi
Strength
2,000[ citation needed ] unknown
Casualties and losses
5-7 killed [4] 25 killed [5]
71 captured [6]

The Second Battle of Brega took place during the 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 Highway, taking the towns of Ra's Lanuf and Bin Jawad. However, after the Battle of Bin Jawad and the Battle of Ra's Lanuf, government troops retook all of the territory lost and were once again threatening Brega by mid-March.

Contents

The battle

On 13 March, regime's forces, advancing from Ra's Lanuf, succeeded in retaking Brega, though that night reports indicated that fighting was still ongoing and rebels possibly still controlled portions of the town. [7] [8] Reportedly, the rebels re-entered the town and heavy fighting ensued, after which government troops retreated to Brega's airport. [5] However, just an hour later, it was stated that loyalist forces had pushed back rebel troops from the town to aj-Ojela, 20 kilometers east of Brega. [9]

By the morning of 14 March, rebel forces were holding the residential district and loyalist forces were holding the oil facilities. [10]

On 15 March, rebel forces had abandoned Brega and were in full retreat towards Ajdabiya. Ajdabiya itself came under ground attack just a few hours later, marking the beginning of the Battle of Ajdabiya.

Aftermath

On 26 March, after loyalists lost Ajdabiya and retreated further down the coast, rebel forces recaptured Brega. [11] [12] A few days later, loyalist troops returned again, recapturing the city after a prolonged battle with rebel forces. [13]

Related Research Articles

Brega, also known as Mersa Brega or Marsa al-Brega, is a complex of several smaller towns, industry installations and education establishments situated in Libya on the Gulf of Sidra, the most southerly point of the Mediterranean Sea. It is located in the former Ajdabiya District, which in 2007 was merged into the Al Wahat District. The town is the center of Libya's second-largest hydro-carbon complex.

Ras Lanuf is a Mediterranean town in northern Libya, on the Gulf of Sidra in Tripolitania. The town is also home to the Ra's Lanuf Refinery, completed in 1984, with a crude oil refining capacity of 220,000 bbl/d (35,000 m3/d). The oil refinery is operated by the Ra's Lanuf Oil & Gas Processing Company, a subsidiary of the state-owned National Oil Corporation. Additionally, the city houses the Ra's Lanuf petrochemical complex – a major oil terminal – and oil pipelines: the Amal–Ra's Lanuf, the Messla–Ra's Lanuf, and the Defa-Ra's Lanuf pipeline.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of the 2011 Libyan Civil War and military intervention (19 March – May)</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Gulf of Sidra offensive</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of the 2011 Libyan Civil War and military intervention (June – 15 August)</span>

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References

  1. Abbas, Mohammed (15 March 2011). "Gaddafi forces seize key town, G8 stalls on no-fly". Reuters India. Ajdabiya. Reuters. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  2. "Live Blog - Libya March 2 | Al Jazeera Blogs". Al Jazeera. 1 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  3. Potter, Mitch (2 March 2011). "The Star in Libya: Rebels quash Gadhafi raid". The Toronto Star. Toronto. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  4. 5 on 14 March, 2 on 15 March , total of 7 reported killed
  5. 1 2 "Libyan rebels regain control of Brega". RTÉ News. 13 March 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
  6. "Rebels reclaim Brega from Gaddafi forces after fierce fighting". MaltaToday. Archived from the original on 23 September 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
  7. "Libya Live Blog - March 13". Al Jazeera. March 13, 2011. Archived from the original on March 14, 2011. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
  8. "Libya: Gaddafi troops 'force rebels out of Brega'". BBC News. March 13, 2011. Archived from the original on March 14, 2011. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
  9. Lucas, Ryan; Hadid, Diaa (14 March 2011). "Gadhafi warplanes strike rebel-held Libya city". The Star Tribune. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 15 March 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
  10. "Fearing attack, Libya rebels fortify eastern town". The Associated Press. 15 March 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
  11. Brown, Ben (26 March 2011). "Libya revolt: Rebels grab Ajdabiya from Gaddafi". BBC. Ajdabiya. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  12. "Libyan rebels facing tough fight for Sirte". Al Jazeera. 26 March 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  13. Chivers, C.J. (1 April 2011). "Rebel Attack on Brega Ends in Stalemate". The New York Times.

30°26′6″N19°40′1″E / 30.43500°N 19.66694°E / 30.43500; 19.66694