Under-fire rebels fail to break Libya stalemate

REBELS came under fire on the outskirts of Ajdabiya, hemming them in to their eastern outpost and denting their hopes of pushing west to try to end a stalemate in the Libyan war.

Witnesses saw around a dozen rockets land around the western entrance to the town, which rebels wanted to use as a staging post to retake the oil port of Brega. Many fled the attack as loud explosions boomed across the town.

“There are still some guys out there at the western gate but the situation isn’t very good,” said Wassim el-Agouri, a 25-year-old rebel volunteer waiting at Ajdabiya’s eastern gate.