Qaddafi forces attacked the oil terminal and small town of Brega/Marsa al-Burayqah and briefly captured it. Militias from nearby Ajdabiya assembled and recaptured the port, surrounding and then defeating 200 Qaddafi loyalists who had barricaded themselves in a university. An AP reporter observed the battle. Qaddafi forces used aircraft, but not terribly effectively. The rebels managed to bring up at least one tank. Footage is available here.
Militarily this is a fairly significant victory, and the rebels’ ability to keep up an assault for several hours, while undergoing mortar and air attack, speaks to their determination. Brega however is only about 80 km from Ajdabiya, and the logistical and organizational challenges needed to stage a similar assault on Surt, let alone relieve Tripoli, would be exponentially greater.
