Troops loyal to Libyan leader shell western mountains in bid to thwart rebels advancing towards

[pampango]

Source: Aljazeera

capital, Tripoli

Forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, have shelled rebel positions in the western mountains, after opposition fighters edged closer to the capital on three fronts.

The rebels have made advances in key areas in recent days but still have to overcome heavy odds if they are to successfully march on Gaddafi's well-defended territory.

On Tuesday, the rebels tried to advance in the east, setting their sights on the oil town of Brega to extend their control over the region, epicentre of the four-month rebellion against Gaddafi's four-decade rule. In a sign that Gaddafi's forces may be getting stretched, the rebels seized the town of Kikla, 150km southwest of Tripoli.

The push by the rebels came as the NATO commander heading the Libya operations said that the alliance's mission "can be completed without the use of ground troops". Lieutenant-General Charles Bouchard also said that the military situation in western Libya was developing "very positively". "I do believe we can complete the mission without bringing in ground troops," the Canadian general told reporters off Libyan shores on the Garibaldi, the flagship for NATO's maritime embargo on Libya.

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net//news/middleeast/2011/06/2011615133337553660.html

[dipsydoodle]

1. Meanwhile- NATO strike on Kikla bus kills 12 - Libyan TV

(Reuters) - The NATO-led military alliance on Wednesday hit a bus at the entrance to the Libyan town of Kikla, 150 km southwest of Tripoli, killing 12 people, Libyan state television said.

The station gave no further details. NATO was not immediately available for comment on the report. (Writing by Joseph Nasr; editing by John Irish)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/06/15/libya-violence-idUKLDE75E21K20110615

[pampango]

2. "Libyan state television said." We shall see. n/t

[al bupp]

3. Twitter reports say that this was a troop transport bus

FWIW, they also assert that there is no bus service between Nafusa and any other part of Libya.

For more go to: http://twitter.com/#!/ChangeInLibya">@ChangeInLibya