Gaddafi tanks, jets strike deeper into rebel heartland, Posted by Meosha Eaton

* Tanks move in, fire on rebels outside oil port Ras Lanuf
* Libyan warplanes bomb oil town Brega further to east
* Libyan army siege seeks to starve out rebels in Zawiyah
* NATO, EU ministers to discuss "no-fly zone"
* France recognises rebel council

(Adds gov't forces advancing in east, France recognises rebels)

By Mohammed Abbas and Alexander Dziadosz

RAS LANUF, Libya, March 10 (Reuters) - Libyan tanks fired on rebel positions around the oil port of Ras Lanuf and warplanes hit another oil hub further east on Thursday as Muammar Gaddafi carried counter-attacks deeper into the insurgent heartland. In the west, Gaddafi's army sought to starve out insurgents clinging to parts of Zawiyah after see-saw battles this week but the rebels took an important step toward international legitimacy when France recognised their national council.

NATO and the European Union were considering imposing a "no-fly" zone over the large North African desert state to stop Gaddafi using jets and helicopters against the rebels, who have seized cities east and west of the capital Tripoli. More than 500 km (300 miles) to the east, Gaddafi's forces bombarded Ras Lanuf anew with projectiles crashing close to a building of the Libyan Emirates Oil Refinery Company.

There was a series of air strikes, and insurgents fired rockets out to sea to counter Libyan gunboats targeting their positions in the oil-producing east.
Later, at least two tanks were seen advancing towards rebel positions outside Ras Lanuf and opening fire.

The rebels also reported an air strike on Brega, another oil port 90 km (50 miles) east of Ras Lanuf, indicating that Gaddafi loyalists had not only halted a westwards insurgent push in its tracks but were making inroads into the rebels' eastern centres.
Brega had not been targeted for several days.

During fighting in the east on Wednesday, an engineer told Al Jazeera television he had seen air strikes on eastern oil facilities, apparently the first time such a complex was hit.
OPEC member Libya was turning away tankers from ports as storage depots dried up because of supply disruptions caused by the fighting, which has paralyzed exports by Africa's third largest producer and a major supplier to Europe. The Gaddafi counter-offensive has stalled a rebel advance from their eastern power base of Benghazi. They were forced to withdraw from the front-line town of Bin Jawad, just west of Ras Lanuf, after coming under heavy shelling earlier this week.

One fighter said rebels had retaken the heart of Zawiyah, the closest city -- 50 km (30 miles) west -- to Gaddafi's main stronghold Tripoli, from the army overnight. The centre appeared to change hands twice during the day in a hard-fought battle.
"We fought until after three in the morning. It's all quiet here this morning," said the insurgent, named Ibrahim, by phone.

Mohamed, a Libyan in exile abroad who got through to a relative on the outskirts of Zawiyah on Thursday morning, said it was simply not clear who was winning the battle for the city but the army had it under siege to break the rebels' will. "Yesterday (rebel sympathisers) tried to bring food and medicine from Subratha but failed. Government troops surround Zawiyah from everywhere. It is unclear who controls the centre. It changes all the time. It's street to street fighting."
Authorities have kept journalists away from Zawiyah.

Military analysts believe Gaddafi may focus on quelling the revolt to the west before turning on the east, where the rebel-held city of Misrata, which residents said has been quiet for the past few days, would lie first in their path. "Gaddafi forces are around the outside the city. They suffered a big defeat in Misrata. But they have heavy weapons," said an insurgent. "We are ready to defend any attack they launch even if we know it's going to be at a heavy price."


FRENCH RECOGNITION
France became the first significant country on Thursday to recognise the rebel Libyan National Council as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people. An official at President Nicolas Sarkozy's office said France would send an ambassador to Benghazi and receive a Libyan envoy in Paris. He was speaking after Sarkozy met officals from the Libyan National Council.

The Pentagon said it was preparing a "full range" of military options for Libya, including a no-fly zone. Plans were to be discussed by NATO ministers at talks in Brussels on Thursday. Military officers said a zone could be set up quickly. Rebel forces have appealed to Washington and its allies to impose a no-fly zone to deny Gaddafi's forces the advantage of using warplanes and prevent him moving troops by helicopter.

A no fly zone could also help protect civilians who have been caught in the fighting, with scores if not more people reported killed so far in cities like Zawiyah. A burgeoning humanitarian emergency could hasten a no fly zone decision.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said Libya had descended into civil war with increasing numbers of wounded civilians arriving in hospitals in the east.

ICRC President Jakob Kellenberger called on Libyan authorities to grant the  Humanitarian agency access to western areas including the capital Tripoli and reminded both sides that civilians and medical facilities must not be targeted.

General Raymond Odierno, commander of the U.S. Joint Forces Command, said the U.S. military was probably capable of establishing a "no-fly" zone over Libya "within a couple of days" if the international community so decided.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has made it clear imposing a no-fly zone is a matter for the United Nations and should not be a U.S.-led initiative. Russia and China, permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, oppose the idea, which could entail bombing Libyan air defences as a first step.

Italy, whose bases could play a critical role in any military action, has said it will back any decisions taken by NATO, the EU or the United Nations, clearing the way for U.S. naval forces based in Naples to be deployed if needed.


LINE IN THE DESERT
Counter-attacks by Gaddafi loyalists suggest the flamboyant leader, in power for four decades, will not go as quietly or quickly as fellow leaders in Egypt and Tunisia did in a tide of popular unrest rolling across the Arab world.

An upsurge of fighting appears to have cemented a de facto split of Africa's fourth biggest country into a government-held western area around Tripoli and an eastern region held by ragged but dedicated rebel forces.

EU foreign ministers will also discuss North Africa in Brussels on Thursday, focusing on how they can support the process of transition in Egypt and Tunisia, while using sanctions and other means to apply pressure on Gaddafi.

Two members of Libya's opposition council visited the European Parliament on Wednesday and said they wanted EU moral support, political recognition and a no-fly zone shielding the territory they hold -- but not any form of military intervention in a country sensitive about former colonial domination.


RUSSIA CUTS OFF ARMS TO LIBYA
In another move to isolate the Libyan leader, Russia will ban all weapons sales to Libya, the Kremlin said in a statement on Thursday, effectively suspending its arms contracts with the government of Gaddafi.

Libya's top oil official said the unrest had cut output to about half a million barrels per day from 1.6 million, but the oil industry was still centrally coordinated. Brent crude oil rebounded above $116 a barrel, renewing fears global economic recovery could be hit. Gaddafi has said he will die in Libya rather than flee. But a Libyan-born analyst said Gaddafi's inner circle had approached countries in Africa and Latin America about giving him refuge.


(Additional reporting by Tom Pfeiffer in Benghazi, Mariam Karouny in Ras Jdir, Mohammed Abbas in Ras Lanuf, Piotr Pilat in Benghazi, Alexander Dziadosz in Ajdabiya, Hamid Ould Ahmed in Algiers, Luke Baker in Brussels, Ross Colvin and Andrew Quinn in Washington, Stefano Ambrogi and William Maclean in London, John Irish in Paris, Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva; writing by Mark Heinrich; editing by Giles Elgood)

Egypt army says sorry after protester clashes, Posted by Meosha Eaton

* Egyptian soldiers move against protesters, protesters say
* Army says sorry, no orders given, blames "altercations"
* Thousands in Tahrir Square had called for new cabinet
* Egyptian investigators detain former information minister
(Adds military releases all protesters detained)
By Marwa Awad and Dina Zayed


CAIRO, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Soldiers used force on Saturday to break up a protest demanding more political change in Egypt in the toughest move yet against demonstrators who accused the country's military rulers of "betraying the people".
Protesters said the soldiers had moved against them after midnight, firing in the air and using sticks to break up the remnants of a demonstration urging the military to enact deeper reforms including a complete overhaul of the cabinet. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which has been ruling Egypt since President Hosni Mubarak stepped down in the face of a mass uprising, apologised, said there had been no order to assault the protest and the incident was unintentional.

Protesters detained overnight would be released, it said, without stating how many of them there were. It said "infiltrators" had thrown bottles and rocks at soldiers.
"What happened last night was ... the result of unintentional altercations between the military police and the children of the revolution," the council said on a Facebook page that has become a main tool in its public relations effort. Ashraf Omar, a demonstrator, said soldiers had used tasers and batons against the protesters. "I thought things would change. I wanted to give the government a chance but there is no hope with this regime," he said.

The military council has promised constitutional changes leading to free and fair elections within six months. The judicial council tasked with drafting the constitutional reforms is expected to announce its proposals soon. As it manages domestic affairs for the first time in decades, the military also wants Egyptians to get back to work to revive an economy drained by weeks of turmoil unleashed by the mass uprising that toppled Mubarak on Feb. 11.

Thousands of people had gathered in Tahrir Square on Friday to press broader demands including the replacement of the prime minister, who was appointed by the ousted president in the last weeks of his rule and had long served his administration.
As day broke, a few dozen protesters left in the square flagged down motorists, telling them that the army had attacked the protest. A number of the activists held aloft signs declaring "the army betrayed the people".

One taxi driver remonstrated with a protester, telling him: "The people can't find food to eat." His view reflected the feelings of those Egyptians who believe continued protests are obstructing a return to normality.


FOR NOW, MILITARY APPEARS HESITANT ON FURTHER REFORM
Witnesses said they saw several protesters fall to the ground but it was not clear if they were wounded and if so, how seriously. Protesters were heard yelling and shouting as they were chased down side streets surrounding Tahrir Square. The protesters want the resignation of Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq as well as the removal of other ministers associated with Mubarak's rule and the immediate release of remaining political detainees.  A partial cabinet reshuffle has not satisfied them.

Opposition groups want a complete break with the past in the run up to democratic elections promised by the military. Having committed to constitutional changes and democratic elections, the military appears reluctant to enact further reforms, a Western diplomat said. The military council appears to want to leave further reforms to an elected civilian government, the diplomat added.

The military appeared to want to "get out from under the obligation" of government, the diplomat added.  An anti-corruption campaign targeting prominent figures in Mubarak's era is one of the clearest signs yet of a break with the past. The foreign ministry has instructed governments overseas to freeze the assets of Mubarak and his family.
Several former ministers and businessmen linked to the ruling party are also under investigation.

In the latest case, investigators have ordered the detention of former Information Minister Anas el-Fekky for 15 days on charges of profiteering and wasting public funds, the state news agency MENA said on Saturday. (Additional reporting by Yasmine Saleh and Mohamed Abdellah; Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Caroline Drees)

Libyan forces fight Benghazi protesters, 100 dead, Posted by Meosha Eaton

* Benghazi men says security forces withdraw from streets
* Witnesses say snipers using high-velocity rounds
* "Stop the massacre now!" say Muslim leaders
(Updates with fresh witness accounts)

TRIPOLI, Feb 20 (Reuters) - At least 20 protesters were killed overnight in the Libyan city of Benghazi, a rights watchdog said on Sunday, after witnesses said security forces fired heavy weapons at civilians from a fortified compound.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch said the latest night of violence took the death toll from four days of clashes centred on Benghazi and surrounding towns beyond 100. The unrest, the worst in Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's four decades in power, started as a series of protests inspired by popular revolts in neighbouring Egypt and Tunisia, but was met by a fierce response. A picture pieced together from witness accounts suggested that the city is in a cycle of violence, where people are killed and then, after funeral processions to bury the dead the next day, security forces shoot more protesters.

Conflicting accounts were given over poor phone lines but it appeared the streets were under the control of protesters while security forces had pulled back to a high-walled compound, known as the Command Centre, from where they shot at people. "A massacre took place here last night," one Benghazi resident, who did not want to be named, told Reuters by telephone on Sunday. He said security forces were using heavy weapons, adding: "Many soldiers and policemen have joined the protesters."
A Benghazi hospital doctor said victims had suffered severe wounds from high-velocity rifles.


"CIVIL MUTINY"
Another witness, a leading tribal figure who requested anonymity, suggested the security forces remained confined to their control centre. "The state's official presence is absent in the city and the security forces are in their barracks and the city is in a state of civil mutiny," he told Reuters. "People are running their own affairs." He said that, as on previous days, thousands of people were gathered near the northern Benghazi courthouse. He said they were chanting: "We want to bring down the regime ... Allahu Akbar!"

Human Rights Watch said at least 20 more people had been killed in Benghazi on Saturday, taking the overall toll, compiled from interviews with witnesses and hospital officials, to a "conservative" 104. The Libyan government has not released any casualty figures or made any official comment on the violence. Libyan analysts say it is unlikely for the moment that Gaddafi will be overthrown because the unrest is largely confined to the eastern Cyrenaica region where his support has traditionally been weaker than in the capital Tripoli, 1,000 km (600 miles) to the west, and the rest of the country.

The crackdown prompted about 50 Libyan Muslim religious leaders to issue an appeal, sent to Reuters, for the security forces, as Muslims, to stop the killing. "We appeal to every Muslim, within the regime or assisting it in any way, to recognise that the killing of innocent human beings is forbidden by our Creator and by His beloved Prophet of Compassion (peace be upon him) ... Do NOT kill your brothers and sisters. STOP the massacre NOW!" the appeal said. Foreign reaction to the unrest in Libya, a major energy producer with significant foreign investment, has so far been muted, but Britain called for a stronger response.

"The world should not hesitate to condemn those actions," Hague told Sky News. "What Colonel Gaddafi should be doing is respecting basic human rights, and there is no sign of that in the dreadful response, the horrifying response, of the Libyan authorities to these protests."


TEXT APPEAL
Some analysts have said there may be negotiations between Gaddafi and eastern tribal leaders, and an SMS message sent late on Saturday to Libyan mobile phone subscribers hinted at a more conciliatory approach.

"All citizens and youth of Benghazi, those who died among the civilians and police are all sons of our country. Enough of what has happened and stop the bloodshed." In Tripoli, several thousand Gaddafi supporters rallied in the city's Green Square until the early hours of Sunday morning, a Reuters reporter said.
They chanted "God, Libya and Muammar!" and "Muammar is the pioneer of Arab nationalism!".
Libya's state news agency said some cities had seen acts of arson and vandalism, and blamed "a foreign network trained in creating clashes and chaos so as to destabilise Libya".

Sir Richard Dalton, a former British ambassador to Libya, told the Independent on Sunday newspaper that Gaddafi would find it hard to make concessions in order to survive. "I think the attitude of the Libyan regime is that it's all or nothing," he said. Witness accounts have been hard to verify independently because Libyan authorities have not allowed foreign journalists into the country since the protests erupted and local reporters have been barred from travelling to Benghazi.

Mobile phone connections have often been out of service and Internet service in Libya has been cut off, according to a U.S. company that monitors web traffic. People in Tripoli said they had Internet access late on Saturday.

(Additional reporting by Suleiman al-Khalidi in Amman, Tom Heneghan in Paris, Hamid Ould Ahmed in Algiers; Writing by Christian Lowe; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

Ivorian troops fire to disperse anti-Gbagbo protest, Posted by Meosha Eaton

As reported by Reuters:

* Ouattara calls for mass protests to oust incumbent
* Abobo often scene of violent clashes with security forces
* One wounded, Lebanese department store attacked (adds one wounded, Lebanese store looted)

By Loucoumane Coulibaly

ABIDJAN, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Ivorian security forces fired live bullets and teargas on Saturday to disperse protesters in Abidjan calling for incumbent leader Laurent Gbagbo to step down, wounding at least one of them, witnesses said.

His rival, Alassane Ouattara, has called for Egypt-style mass protests to oust Gbagbo, who has refused to step down as leader of the world's top cocoa grower after a Nov. 28 presidential election that U.N.-certified results show Ouattara won. Witnesses said hundreds of youths gathered in Abobo, a pro-Ouattara area of the main commercial city Abidjan, but soldiers and police dispersed them. Abobo has often been the scene of violent clashes between security forces and civilians.

"The ... youths started assembling at the roundabout this morning. The security forces came in armoured vehicles and fired teargas and bullets into the air," said Tieba Doumbia, 30, who owns a small shop nearby.
A teargas grenade landed in a local market, forcing dozens of women to flee, he said. There was no immediate comment from the military or police.

At least one protester was shot and wounded by a soldier, witness Idrissa Diarrassouba said. He also said protesters looted a large department store owned by a Lebanese businessmen seen as close to Gbagbo.
There are tens of thousands of Lebanese in Ivory Coast, running everything from small shops to huge export businesses. Many are seen as pro-Gbagbo and Lebanon's ambassador was one of only two to go to his swearing in. They are rarely targeted. The army imposed a night-time curfew across the country this weekend that will be lifted at 0600 GMT on Sunday.

Gbagbo has defied widespread international condemnation and Western sanctions by clinging to power, with backing from a legal body that overturned Ouattara's win and the military, which has crushed dissent.
West Africa's central bank has cut him off, triggering a liquidity crisis that has forced international banks to close their Ivorian operations. Gbagbo decreed this week that the main ones are to be forcibly nationalised and re-opened on Monday.

Paramilitary forces loyal to Gbagbo killed at least six civilians in Abobo last week. At least 300 people have been killed in violence since the disputed election, mostly Ouattara supporters killed by pro-Gbagbo forces, the United Nations says. "A military vehicle drove towards the protesters. They fired in the air to disperse them. I didn't see any deaths for the moment," said witness Ladgi Traore, 28, a newspaper seller.

(Reporting by Loucoumane Coulibaly; Writing by Tim Cocks; editing by Tim Pearce)