Libyan opposition rebels have taken the strategic eastern town of Ajdabiya from government control

Libyan opposition rebels have taken the strategic eastern town of Ajdabiya from government control, Al Jazeera's correspondent there reported.

"There is no doubt about it, you can probably hear some of the celebrations behind me, Ajdabiya is in opposition hands," Al Jazeera's James Bays said from the city on Saturday.

"Gaddafi forces have been controlling the ring road that goes around Ajdabiya ... that has been the situation for six days, but they have now been cleared from that position."

"The opposition forces tell me there may be some pro-Gaddafi forces hiding, snipers possibly on buildings, they are telling us to take care," Bays said, but he added that Ajdabiya was "firmly back under the control of opposition fighters".

Rebel fighters were now reportedly on their way to the key oil port town of Brega, where Gaddafi forces were retreating, witnesses said.

"The road is open beyond Ajdabiya, and [the rebels] are heading, streaming along that road ... they are on the road and they are moving forward," Bays reported.

Earlier on Saturday, rebels reported having entered Ajdabiya in a bid to wrestle control of the strategic area.

Many fighters belonging to forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi were held hostage after fierce fighting on Friday, rebels said.

Pro-Gaddafi forces are now mainly positioned in the west of the town, having previously held the entire area, they said.

On Friday, western warplanes bombed Gaddafi's tanks and artillery outside the town to try to break a battlefield stalemate and help rebels retake the strategic area.

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Australian military said it had launched an investigation into the offensive Facebook remarks, which included troops joking about running over and shooting Afghans.

Stephen Smith, the Australian defence minister, apologised to Abdul Rahim Wardak, his Afghan counterpart, Abdul Rahim Wardak, on behalf of the 1,550 Australian troops based in Afghanistan's restive Uruzgan province.
"I said, 'I am ringing you, minister, because I don't want this to lower our standing,'" he told ABC radio.
"He said that in his mind, in his own view it would not."
The Australian military said it had launched an investigation into the offensive Facebook remarks, which included troops joking about running over and shooting Afghans. The defence force have warned that the comments could jeopardise the country's mission in Afghanistan.
Mr Smith described the postings, in which Afghans are referred to as "ragheads", as appalling.

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Muammar Gaddafi last night continued to defy the world and vowed to attack civilians.

America and Britain have rained missiles on Libya, causing substantial damage - but dictator Muammar Gaddafi last night continued to defy the world and vowed to attack civilians.

Explosions were reported at an airport east of Tripoli as a British Trafalgar-class submarine and US Navy ships and submarines stationed off Libya fired 112 Tomahawk missiles at 20 targets in what one source described as a "night of carnage".

The missiles were aimed at Libyan command and control centres, radar installations and surface-to-air missile sites.

Libyan officials said the attacks were barbaric, and state TV claimed they killed 48 people and wounded 150.

It said most of the casualties were children, but the report could not be verified.

Gaddafi promised retaliatory strikes. He said "all the Libyan people are being armed" to defend the country against "colonial, crusader aggression".

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Ajdabiyah, about 150 km (90 miles) south of Benghazi, was the last rebel-held town in the east to fall to Gaddafi's troops before the failed assault on Benghazi and subsequent retreat.

Ajdabiyah, about 150 km (90 miles) south of Benghazi, was the last rebel-held town in the east to fall to Gaddafi's troops before the failed assault on Benghazi and subsequent retreat.

El-Hasi said the rebel leadership had coordinated with international powers on the air strikes.

"There is a connection between us. One, to pinpoint the position of Gaddafi's troops, and two, to pinpoint the position of our fighters so they don't get hit with bombardments."

However, a key question now is whether the international powers are willing to go beyond defensive actions to protect civilians -- the ostensible mandate -- or to support rebels as they advance.

"We are not asking the allies to pinpoint Gaddafi's troops to help us to advance. We are telling them to target them when they are trying to come into the city," El-Hasi said.

Speaking at a later news conference, Ghoga was more ambiguous. He said that if Gaddafi's troops and armour threatened a city, it was legitimate for foreign forces to act.

"The coalition forces will level the playing field with the air strikes then our revolutionary forces will advance," he said.

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