Fresh Libyan airstrikes hit rebel-held town of Brega

The area is the site of a fierce battle on Wednesday between loyalists who tried to retake control of the strategic oil installation and armed rebels who repelled the attack after hours of fighting.

BREGA, LIBYA // An air strike targeted the rebel-held Libyan town of Brega on Thursday, residents said, a day after clashes between rebels and pro-regime fighters killed at least 12 people.

"Around two hours ago, warplanes dropped a bomb in the area between the oil company and the residential area," Fattah al Moghrabi, director of supplies for Brega hospital, said.

"As far as I know, there was no casualties," he added.

Other people at the hospital also said there had been an air strike.

Mahmoud al Fakhri, a rebel manning a checkpoint on the outskirts of Ajdabiya town about 70 kilometres further east in rebel-held territory, also said he had heard of further air strikes in Brega on Thursday.

Mr al Moghrabi said 12 people were killed in Brega on Wednesday, including nine rebels and three pro-Muammer Qaddafi fighters. "Of these three, one had an ID from Niger and two others were black Africans without IDs."