Gaddafi troops retreat from city - The Press Association

(UKPA) – 2 hours ago

International air strikes on Libya have forced government troops to retreat, with rebels regaining control of the city of Ajdabiya.

The fall of the eastern gateway urban centre followed a week of coalition action against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's military, which included missile strikes by RAF Tornados on Friday and on Thursday.

The rebel victory in Ajdabiya dealt a blow to the regime, which acknowledged that the air strikes had forced its troops to withdraw and accused international forces of choosing sides in the fight.

"This is the objective of the coalition now. It is not to protect civilians because now they are directly fighting against the armed forces," deputy foreign minister Khaled Kaim said in Tripoli. "They are trying to push the country to the brink of a civil war."

His claims came as the Ministry of Defence released details of the mission carried out by British Tornado GR4 aircraft on Friday afternoon, which saw them take part in a co-ordinated missile strike against units of Gaddafi's military.

Major General John Lorimer said: "The Tornado aircraft launched a number of guided Brimstone missiles, destroying three armoured vehicles in Misrata and two further armoured vehicles in Ajdabiya.

"Britain and her international partners remain engaged in operations to support United Nations Security Resolution 1973, to enforce the established no-fly zone and are contributing to the Nato arms embargo of Libya."

The recapturing of Ajdabiya by anti-government fighters marked the first major turnaround for the uprising. On the road into Ajdabiya, at least eight blackened regime tanks lay on the ground, while drivers honked horns in celebration and flew the tricolour rebel flag.

The US commander in charge of the overall international mission, Army General Carter Ham, said the international partners could easily destroy all the regime forces in Ajdabiya, but the city itself would be destroyed in the process: "We'd be killing the very people that we're charged with protecting."

But despite the air strikes and Saturday's turnaround in Ajdabiya, forces loyal to Gaddafi remain a real threat to civilians, according to Pentagon officials in the US, who are considering expanding the firepower and airborne surveillance systems in the military campaign.

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