Libyan rebels fight for Ajdabiya ahead of U.N. vote on no-fly zone

BENGHAZI, Libya — There was fierce fighting on Thursday in the Libyan town of Ajdabiya as rebels tried to prevent government forces advancing on their last stronghold ahead of a U.N. Security Council vote on action that could shift the balance of power.

The rebels deployed tanks, artillery and a helicopter to repel an attack by troops loyal to Muammar Gaddafi on the last town protecting the rebel bastion of Benghzai in eastern Libya, the BBC reported.

Government forces had claimed victory in Ajdabiya, saying the fall of Benghazi and the end of the rebellion is imminent. Gaddafi said his troops would also fight a "decisive battle" to recapture the western town of Misrata.

But fighting continued in Ajdabiya Wednesday and Thursday, according to the New York Times. Medics said at least 30 people have been killed and 80 injured in the latest fighting in Ajdabiya, the Associated Press reported. It said Gaddafi's forces had surrounded the city on three sides.

Benghazi was "armed to the teeth" as rebel fighters prepared for what could be their last stand, a rebel spokesman told AP. Red Cross teams have begun pulling out of the city, fearing an onslaught.

“We’re ready for anything,” Omar, 46, a jobless refrigeration technician from Benghazi told GlobalPost. “We expect to win, but we know Gaddafi is using his forces to kill off the Libyans.”

As the U.N. Security Council prepared to vote on possible action, the United States ended its opposition to a no-fly zone and called for further measures.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday described a "sea change in opinion" in favor of closing down Libyan air space, a measure already backed by Britain, France and the 22-member Arab League, the New York Times said.

Washington's ambassador the the United Nations Susan Rice said the United States would push for further measures, including the serial bombing of Libyan tanks and heavy artillery, saying a no-fly zone would have only limited use, according to the Guardian.

"We need to be prepared to contemplate steps that include, but perhaps go beyond, a no-fly zone at this point, as the situation on the ground has evolved, and as a no-fly zone has inherent limitations in terms of protection of civilians at immediate risk," she said.

The rebels have repeatedly urged an aerial blockade on Libya, saying without it they will be overwhelmed by the firepower of government forces. They have warned their defeat could result in genocide at the hands of Gaddafi's troops.

Also Thursday, the New York Times said hoped that four of its journalists reported missing since Tuesday in Libya were alive and being held by the government, AP reported.

Executive editor Bill Keller said there were unconfirmed reports the four — Anthony Shadid, Stephen Farrell, Tyler Hicks and Lynsey Addario — had been detained at a government checkpoint between Ajdabiya and Benghazi.

"Beyond that, we're still pretty much in the dark," he said.

The rebel stronghold of Benghazi is fortifying itself for a siege against Gaddafi's forces. The rebels claim to have hijacked a ship carrying 26,000 tons of gasoline, according to AP.

"People here are terrified," said Ahmed al-Hasi, a former diplomat who left Benghazi Wednesday for Bayda. Speaking to the New York Times, he said: "People are saying, 'We fight until we die, or we surrender and we are humiliated and then we are killed,'" he said. "It will be a very, very bloody fight and I know I will fight to the end."

— Barry Neild