Gaddafi Troops, Libyan Opposition Fighting Over Energy-Rich Region

TRIPOLI, Libya — The imprisoned son of slain dictator Muammar Gaddafi made his first appearance on Thursday in a local court on charges of harming state security, attempting to escape prison and insulting the nation’s new flag, Libya’s official news agency said. LANA says the trial of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the ousted leader’s longtime heir apparent, was held in the western town of Zintan where he is being held by militiamen. The spokesman of Libya’s General Prosecutor Taha Baara quoted Saif al-Islam as saying: “only God will defend me.”

TORONTO — The Immigration and Refugee Board ordered the deportation Tuesday of an Ontario-based bodyguard who worked for Saadi Gaddafi during the last throes of the Libyan dictatorship. IRB Member Alicia Seifert found Gary Peters complicit in the crimes against humanity of the former Libyan regime and said he had committed a transnational crime by helping Mr. Gaddafi flee Libya in 2011.

TORONTO — The president of an Ontario-based security firm told an immigration hearing Monday he helped senior members of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s inner circle, including his wife, flee Libya as the dictatorship was falling to rebel forces two years ago. Testifying publicly for the first time about the affair, Gary Peters described his role in ferrying Col. Gaddafi’s wife, daughter and three of his sons to neighbouring Niger and Algeria in August, 2011.

Forces loyal to Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi launched a counterattack on Sunday against rebel advance positions 50 kilometres (30 miles) southwest of Tripoli, an AFP correspondent reported.Loyalist forces fired half a dozen Grad rockets into the hamlet of Gualish.The rebels replied with anti-tank fire as they sought to maintain their grip on Gualish, a key gateway on the road to the capital Tripoli that they seized on Wednesday.

Forces loyal to Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi launched a counterattack on Sunday against rebel advance positions 50 kilometres (30 miles) southwest of Tripoli, an AFP correspondent reported.Loyalist forces fired half a dozen Grad rockets into the hamlet of Gualish.The rebels replied with anti-tank fire as they sought to maintain their grip on Gualish, a key gateway on the road to the capital Tripoli which they seized on Wednesday.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's forces pushed into the rebel-held city of Benghazi on Saturday, defying world demands for an immediate ceasefire.

Libya's rebel leaders, the National Transitional Council (NTC), have announced that they have renamed their armed forces the National Liberation Army (NLA)."The NTC hopes that the temporary name will help better define the increasingly professional and disciplined military efforts to overcome the Kadhafi regime," said the statement.Rebels have been fighting troops loyal to Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi since the February 17 uprising that has effectively split the country in two, with the rebel forces entrenched in the east of the country.

Huge blasts rocked the Libyan rebel-held oil town of Ras Lanuf on Wednesday, sending flames leaping hundreds of metres into the sky, as fighting raged with government troops.A series of powerful explosions went off near an oil facility as forces loyal to Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi rained artillery shells on rebel positions five kilometres (three miles) west of the town, an AFP reporter said.The explosions just outside Ras Lanuf erupted into fireballs and a mechanic said a pipeline had been blown up.