Situation in East Libya’s Ajdabiyah Unclear as Fighting Continues

Conflicting Reports Claim Victories by Both Sides

Underscoring just how difficult reliable information is to come by in Libya, myriad conflicting reports emerged today about the key Eastern city of Ajdabiyah. The city is the last coastal city before the rebel capital of Benghazi.

Many reports had Ajdabiyah falling to the Gadhafi forces, with quotes from people claiming to be rebel military leaders lashing NATO for not launching more air strikes. The reports had rebels fleeing to Benghazi for what could be a “last stand.”

Other reports say that Gadhafi’s forces had been shelling the city, but a rebel attack on the artillery on the outskirts chased them away. They insisted the rebels still held control of the city, and interestingly enough credited NATO air strikes for helping.

Still other reports, which given the lack of conclusive stories might be the most reliable, insisted the clash for control over the city was still ongoing. Though rebel counter-offensives have stalled in the center of the country, the Gadhafi regime has never taken Ajdabiyah either. This has led many to believe the war is destined to end in a stalemate.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.