There are reports this evening that the Libyan National Army has retaken Ras Lanuf from the Benghazi Defence Brigades (BDB) and is now heading toward Sidra 16 kilometres to the west. Since yesterday’s successful assault by the BDB on Ras Lanuf and its neighbouring export terminal at Sidra, the LNA has been rushing forces to the oil crescent. Meanwhile, overnight and today there has been a series of air raids. The LNA claimed that the aircraft had targeted BDB vehicles but it appears that buildings were also hit in Ras Lanuf. At least 15 soldiers have been killed in the last 48 hours and ten are known to be wounded. Dead and injured have been taken to Magarief hospital in Ajdabiya. There are no casualty figures for BDB fighters. The LNA is claiming that some of its soldiers were executed after being captured. It has produced images of four corpses all wearing some form of battle dress. Two have clearly received wounds to the head. None of them had had their hands bound. The main LNA counterattack, code-named “Crushing Lightning” was launched from Brega. The town’s university had been evacuated overnight.
