Libyan rebels push forward but supply line shortages begin to bite

WHILE rebel forces strive to push their offensive forward against Muammar al-Gaddafi's forces they are facing a perilously insecure supply line in the battlegrounds of the western mountains of Libya.

With fighting ranging over several towns deep in the Nafusa range, the only route into the region remains under bombardment by regime forces.

"The problem is the indiscriminate shelling. Now there is a general deficit in our stores," said Mohamed Jernaz in Nalut, the first in a string of towns that lie nestled in the mountains.

The road running north-east from Tunisia and the border town of Wazin remains the only supply line for the towns and the fighters as loyalist forces stationed in the plains below continue to shell the border crossing and Nalut.

"The Gaddafi troops are just 5km away from here," said Nadir, a rebel official on the Libyan side of the border. "Shells hit us this morning, and sometimes they fall on Tunisian villages too".

A narrow highway climbs from the border, winding along the dusty mountain ridges that overlook the dry plains where regime soldiers roam.

Two tanks captured by rebel fighters stood with their barrels pointing menacingly in the direction of a regime garrison below. Ensconced behind rocks are rebel fighter stations. Men lay in the sand, scouring the cliffs below through binoculars.

"They look like ants. We can see more than 1,000 just at Al Ghazaya, then they have others in Al Hawamid," said a field commander for the rebel Ali Jerbi brigade, naming towns still in the hands of the regime.

Both sides know the value of the border crossing. While it is more than 200km from the current front lines, regime forces nearby are lead by the elite Khamis brigades.

The commander added: "We intend to fight these guys, but the problem is that we have to make sure that we can defend the border. We have limited amounts of ammunition, and we cannot afford to lose."

Some truck drivers are refusing to come into the area. "When we can we drive down to collect items, but fuel shortages are too bad for us to do this often," said Mr Jernaz.

Only in the last few weeks have United Nations World Food Programme workers entered the area. Previously rebels and residents relied on ad hoc groups, who risked the bombardments to smuggle in food.

"There is a general deficit of supplies in the mountain regions now. Libyan businessmen and others donated goods, but people cannot keep this up for months and now we are running low," said Tarek Onulla, of the Sons of Libya aid group.

The rebels have organised in order to minimise the risk of shortages of food and fuel.Despite the disruptions, on the front lines rebels have so far mounted strong offensives, advancing on twin routes that threaten Col Gaddafi's principal road to Tripoli.

In the military command centre in Zintan, rebel leaders yesterday pored over maps in preparation for the next offensive. Next target is the town of al-Asabiah, just over 80km from Tripoli.

Aided by intensified Nato bombardments, rebels are confident the regime is weakening. "The regime soldiers are dropping away day by day. Soon we will be in Tripoli," said Juma Ebrahim, chief of the operations command room for the Nefusa region.