A relatively calm day at the western gate of Ajdabiya, following the ousting of Gaddafi forces the previous day.
One kilometre from the gate a group of rebels marked the last position that we could get to. Beyond this point, they said, the road was booby-trapped. At times, vehicles sped past in the direction of Ajdabiya, talking of shelling around 30km from our position. As the sun reached its zenith, they kneeled to pray. With the sound of planes overhead, they were waving the Senussi-era flag to the skies, not taking any risks of the “friendly fire” that has tainted the reputation of the foreign intervention.
During a lull in the NATO fly-overs, Gaddafi forces took the opportunity to launch five heavy shells at a position believed to be an opposition forces ammunition dump. The rebels responded with four GRAD rockets, although seemingly firing into the unknown, with little chance of hitting their target.
This isn’t going to be over any time soon.