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NATO has carried out an airstrike against a convoy of Libyan military vehicles heading toward rebel lines near the eastern oil town of Brega.
Libyan rebels clean the road after moving one of two loyalist pick-up trucks destroyed by a NATO airstrike on April 5, 2011 on the outskirts of the east Libya oil port of Brega.
Reports from the area say Tuesday's attack destroyed two of the vehicles, but it is unclear if any Libyan soldiers were killed.
A Libyan rebel inspects one of two destroyed military vehicles of pro-Gadhafi forces that rebels claim were targeted by a NATO strike along the front line near Brega, Libya Tuesday, April 5, 2011.
Opposition fighters were gathered on the eastern edge of Brega early Tuesday. Rival forces have been in a standoff at the city for days. On Monday, anti-Gadhafi fighters took control of a largely residential area of Brega while loyalist troops defended positions near the city's oil infrastructure and other strategic points.
Libyan rebels inspect two destroyed military vehicles of pro-Gadhafi forces that rebels claim were targeted by a NATO strike along the front line near Brega, Libya Tuesday, April 5, 2011. Libya's rebel forces are looking more effective on the front and even scrapping back some of the territory lost to Moammar Gadhafi's army, but the rag tag fighters are still a long way from being able to march to Tripoli.
Control of Brega's refineries and port could provide the rebels with the economic boost needed to maintain their fight against Colonel Gadhafi's forces.
Libyan rebels look at one of two loyalist pick-up trucks destroyed by a NATO airstrike on April 5, 2011 on the outskirts of the east Libya oil port of Brega.
The rebels are expected to soon load their first oil shipment in the eastern oil port of Marsa el Hariga, near Tobruk.
Satellite ship-tracking shows that a tanker capable of carrying one million barrels of oil is likely to arrive at the port Tuesday. News reports say the shipment is likely headed to Qatar. Qatar, along with France and Italy have granted official recognition to the Libyan rebel administration, the Transitional National Council.
Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict are still underway. Libya's acting Foreign Minister Abdul-Ati al-Obeidi held talks with senior Turkish officials on brokering a cease-fire with opposition forces. Turkey said it expects to host representatives from the rebel council in the next few days.
Libyan government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim said Libya is open to political, electoral or constitutional changes, but only as long as Gadhafi leads the transition forward.
The New York Times reported earlier that at least two of the Libyan leader's sons have proposed Gadhafi relinquish power for a transition to constitutional democracy under the direction of his son, Seif al-Islam Gadhafi. Rebel leaders have dismissed that idea.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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