A rebel fighter carries of load of rocket-propelled grenades while advancing on the front line on Wednesday near Ras Lanuf, Libya.Source: Getty Images
LIBYA's civil war has escalated, with Colonel Muammar Gaddafi bombing a major oil facility for the first time.
In repeated strikes, Gaddafi's airforce bombed the oil refinery at Sidra near the town of Ras Lanuf.
It came as Gaddafi began a major diplomatic effort which was seen by some as a sign that he may be prepared to end the war.
He sent top diplomats to meet the Arab League, European Union and NATO.
NATO defence ministers are set to meet on Thursday to seek a consensus on intense contingency planning that has included study of no-fly zones, humanitarian missions and other possible military action.
Gaddafi's sudden diplomatic flurry followed a telephone conversation in which he asked one of his confidants, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, for advice as to what he should do.
But despite seeking the Greek PM's advice, Gaddafi also passed on a warning that western powers should not intervene.It is believed Mr Papandreou told him he needed to urgently engage with international forums to find an end to the violence.
Libyan state TV said Gaddafi told him: "Greece is a friend of Libya and can pass on this piece of advice to the European Union."
Reports have emerged that Gaddafi had offered a $US 400,000 $397,000 bounty on the head of Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, opposition leader and chief of a self-styled transitional government based in the east.
It continued Gaddafi loyalists' merciless military and propaganda campaign against the rebellion.
In a defiant speech broadcast early on Wednesday morning, Gaddafi derided his opponents, who now control the eastern half of the country, as "traitors'' and blamed foreigners and al-Qa'ida for perpetrating the unrest roiling the North African state he has ruled for more than four decades.
The US seems sceptical of demands for a no-fly zone, which may ground fighter jets but may not deprive Gaddafi of the use of helicopter gunships with which he could launch raids.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has also warned that establishing a no-fly zone over Libya would likely entail attacks on air defence systems - which would likely be seen by Gaddafi as an act of war.
The EU and Britain are seen as much more enthusiastic about a no-fly zone over Libya than the US.
Gaddafi is using many of his 200 or so jets to bomb rebel positions and a no-fly zone under which Libyan planes which flew would be liable to be shot down would limit his military capacity.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said she is prepared to consider a no-fly zone but that the US should not lead it.
But his military offensive continued its ruthless shelling of rebel positions doctors in the most heavily attacked towns, Zawiya and Ras Lanuf, said they were barely able to take new patients as their resources were nearly finished.
Some hospitals also ran out of water as major water pipes had been destroyed.
The rebels have controlled Ras Lanuf, a key oil port, for a week and gaddafi's forces have been bombing it heavily trying to force out the rebels.
For the three weeks since the conflict broke out both sides have attempted to avoid hitting oil facilities.
But yesterday's strikes on the Sidre facility appeared to be deliberate and some observers saw it as an act of desperation by Gaddafi.
On the diplomatic front, Libya's deputy defence minister Abdelrahman al-Zawi was reported to have flown to Cairo to deliver a message to the Arab League.
The Arab League is due to hold an emergency meeting Saturday to try to hasten a no-fly zone over Libya and it was seen as a possible effort to head that off.
In fighting yesterday, the regime appeared to have re-taken Zawiya, 50km to the west of Tripoli which the government has been shelling indiscriminately for several days.
An estimated 50 tanks have surrounded Zawiya and snipers have been through the city shooting at people in the street.
One local doctor told Reuters at least 40 people had been killed in yesterday's fighting including old people, women and children.
Heavy fighting continued around Ben Jawad and Ras Lanuf with the Gaddafi forces clearly stronger than rebel forces.
The opposition's national council released a statement yesterday saying: "We have two options: either freedom and access to development or slavery under the feet of the tyrant Muammar Gaddafi."
Additional reporting: Agencies
(source: theaustralian.com.au/)
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