New air strikes in Libya oil town

The Libyan oil terminal town of Brega has been targeted with air strikes, sources in the town said.

The strikes come a day after clashes between rebels and government troops in the town in which 14 people died.

Forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi took control there on Wednesday morning but were forced out by opposition fighters later in the day.

Col Gaddafi has lost control of the eastern half of Libya during two weeks of unrest but has vowed to fight on.

In a televised speech on Wednesday, Col Gaddafi also said that thousands of Libyans would die if Western forces intervened.

Thousands of people are thought to have died in the violence after security forces fired on protesters in the early stages of the protests.

International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo has said that he will announce the names of between 10 and 15 Libyan leaders that the court intends to investigate for crimes against humanity.

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.

John Simpson: “Rebels may head west against Gaddafi’s forces”

It was not clear what was being targeted in the air strikes on Brega.

“Around two hours ago, warplanes dropped a bomb in the area between the oil company and the residential area,” hospital official Fattah al-Moghrabi said, quoted by AFP news agency.

“As far as I know, there were no casualties.”

A rebel spokesman said planes had also bombed positions in Ajdabiya, a larger town further inside rebel territory.

Rebels were reported as saying pro-Gaddafi forces were in Ras Lanuf, another oil terminal to the west of Brega, and were preparing another attack.

Separately, the Netherlands confirmed three of its marines had been captured by pro-Gaddafi forces.

They had been helping to evacuate two European civilians when they were detained in the city of Sirte.