Heavy fighting between Libyan rebels and forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi continued on Sunday around the strategic oil town of Brega, with reports of the rebels beating a fresh retreat in the see-saw battle.
But in the rebel capital of Benghazi in the east, the anti-Gaddafi council named a “crisis team”, including former Libyan interior minister Younes al Abidi as the armed forces chief of staff, to try to run parts of the country it holds.
The team headed by Mahmoud Jebril will take its direction from the transitional national council, which remains the top rebel political body, council spokesman Hafiz Ghoga said.
Younes, a long serving officer in Gaddafi’s forces, changed sides at the start of the uprising but is distrusted by many rebels because of his past ties to Gaddafi.