Gaddafi forces push Libya rebels back to Bin Jawad

Rebels retreat after gov't forces attack; US forces attack 3 Libyan ships to stop indiscriminate fire at merchant vessels.

By REUTERS
F16 fighter jet (photo credit: Reuters)
F16 fighter jet
(photo credit: Reuters)
BIN JAWAD - Muammar Gaddafi's forces attacked rebel fighters with a hail of machinegun and rocket fire on Tuesday, prompting a panicked, chaotic retreat to the town of Bin Jawad, a Reuters witness said.
As the onslaught began, rebels jumped behind sand dunes to fire back but they gave up after a few minutes, jumped into their pick-up trucks and sped off down the road to Bin Jawad, about 150 km (100 miles) east of Gaddafi's home town of Sirte.
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Shells landed near the road as they retreated.
In a separate incident, US forces attacked three Libyan ships, including a coast guard vessel, to stop them firing indiscriminately at merchant ships in the port of Misrata, military officials said on Tuesday.
The action on Monday night was against the Libyan coast guard vessel Vittoria and two smaller craft. The Vittoria was beached. One of the smaller craft was destroyed and the other abandoned, the US Sixth Fleet said in a statement.
The statement from the fleet flagship's home port in southern Italy said the the US forces involved were an Air Force A-10 thunderbolt attack aircraft, the guided missile destroyer USS Barry, and a Navy P-3C maritime patrol aircraft.
The statement said the attack took place after "confirmed reports Vittoria and accompanying craft were firing indiscriminately at merchant vessels" in the port of the city 200 km (120 miles) east of Tripoli.
President Barack Obama told Americans on Monday the United States would work with its allies to hasten the day when Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi leaves power, but would not use force to topple him.
In a nationally televised address, Obama -- accused by many lawmakers of failing to explain the US role in the Western air campaign against Gaddafi's loyalists -- made the case for his decision to intervene militarily in the Libya conflict.


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