Libyan revolutionaries capture oil town

Libyan revolutionaries have managed to take control of an oil-rich town in the country’s east as anti-regime forces continue advancing towards government positions.

The Libyan revolutionary forces on Friday captured Brega, some 800 kilometers (500 miles) east of Tripoli, a Press TV correspondent reported.

The news comes as representatives of countries involved in the NATO-led war in Libya have decided to recognize the Libyan opposition as the legitimate authority of the country and end the rule of embattled Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Libya has been the scene of intense fighting between government troops and revolutionary forces since mid-February. The deadly conflict has left thousands of people dead and wounded.

Tripoli and some western provinces remain under Gaddafi’s control while the revolutionaries hold Benghazi, most of the east and several western cities.

NATO launched a major air campaign against the Gaddafi regime in mid-March under a United Nations mandate to “protect the Libyan population.”

But witnesses and locals say the Western coalition airstrikes have claimed the lives of scores of civilians so far.

Libyan revolutionary forces have also frequently criticized NATO for its failure to prevent Gaddafi’s troops from killing civilians.