Fierce battle for Ajdabiya amid diplomatic mission in Libya

Gaddafi's forces shelled rebel positions in Ajdabiya amid fierce fighting for a second day in the key eastern town, which is the gateway to the opposition stronghold of Benghazi, after forcing the rebels to retreat from the oil town of Brega.

The rebels had been outflanked by pro-Gaddafi forces and forced back from their advance on Brega.

"Reliable military sources told us that Gaddafi's forces managed to advance overnight from the southern desert and started shelling from that area," Al Jazeera reported.

"We are also told that there is street fighting going on inside Ajdabiya between rebels and Gaddafi loyalists. This is a very serious development because there is now fighting on two fronts – around Ajdabiya and around Brega," the Arab channel said.

According to Mohammed Idris, a supervisor at Ajdabiya hospital, at least eight rebels were killed and nine people, including two civilians, were injured in the shelling by
Gaddafi forces and the subsequent gun battle with rebels in the streets.

The battle for the control of Ajdabiyah came as rebels pushed back an advance by Gaddafi's forces into Misurata, 214 kilometres east of Tripoli. The lone rebel bastion in western Libya has been under siege for six weeks.

The government today claimed that it had downed two helicopters belonging to the opposition which were undermining the 'no-fly' zone enforced by the NATO.

"A clear violation was committed by the rebels to [UN] resolution 1973 relating to the no-fly zone," Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim said.

Amid warnings that the situation in Libya was reaching a stalemate, the African Union (AU) began a key diplomatic mission to end the crisis.

The peace mission, which is due in Libya after a visit to Mauritania, appealed for "an immediate end to all hostilities", "dialogue between the Libyan parties" and a transition period to adopt reforms in the insurrection-hit country.

The committee, which includes South African President Jacob Zuma, will visit Benghazi today and meet opposition's Interim Transitional National Council before heading to Tripoli to meet Gaddafi. The delegation also includes the leaders of Mali, Uganda, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo.