RAS LANOUF, Libya (AP) -- Forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi struck an oil pipeline and oil storage facility Wednesday, sending a giant yellow fireball into the sky as they pounded rebels with artillery and gunfire in at least two major cities. At least four people were killed in Wednesday's fighting, officials said. Gadhafi appeared to be keeping up the momentum he has seized in recent days in his fight against rebels trying to move on the capital, Tripoli, from territory they hold in eastern Libya.
A tiny clinic in the city built mainly for foreign workers at this oil facility has turned into a front-line field hospital for the rebel army. Volunteer doctors from across Libya's east have replaced the long evacuated foreign staff and toil to patch together fighters blown up by the rockets and tank shells of Moammar Gadhafi's army. (26 images)
A tiny clinic in the city built mainly for foreign workers at this oil facility has turned into a front-line field hospital for the rebel army. Volunteer doctors from across Libya's east have replaced the long evacuated foreign staff and toil to patch together fighters blown up by the rockets and tank shells of Moammar Gadhafi's army. (26 images)
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Libyan rebels fire rockets at government troops on the frontline on March 9, 2011 near Ras Lanuf, Libya. The rebels pushed back government troops loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi towards Ben Jawat. Getty Images / John Moore
Libyan rebels take positions while fighting government troops as a natural gas facility burns on the frontline on March 9, 2011 near Ras Lanuf, Libya. Getty Images / John Moore
A Libyan rebel fires on a government jet as a natural gas facility burns on the frontline on March 9, 2011 near Ras Lanuf, Libya. Getty Images / John Moore
Anti-Gadhafi rebels ride on a truck with a multiple rocket launcher, as flames rises from a fuel storage facility that was attacked during fighting with pro-fighters, in Sedra, eastern Libya, Wednesday March 9, 2011. AP / Hussein Malla
Anti-Libyan Leader Moammar Gadhafi rebels walk under a pall of smoke and flames rising from a fuel storage depot, struck during fighting against pro-Moammar Gadhafi forces, in Sedra, eastern Libya, on Wednesday March 9, 2011. AP / Hussein Malla
A Libyan rebel fires a rocket propelled grenade at government troops on the frontline on March 9, 2011 near Ras Lanuf, Libya. Getty Images / John Moore
Anti-Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi rebel, fires an anti-aircraft machine gun against pro-Gadhafi warplanes flying overhead, in Ras Lanouf, eastern Libya, on Wednesday March 9, 2011. AP / Hussein Malla
Anti-Libyan Leader Moammar Gadhafi rebel, stands behind his anti-aircraft machine gun as smokes rises from shell impacts in the distance during fighting against pro-Moammar Gadhafi forces, in Sedra, eastern Libya, on Wednesday March 9, 2011. AP / Hussein Malla
An anti-Gadhafi rebel, walks along a sand barrier, as other rebels fire a rocket launcher seen in the right, during fighting against pro-Gadhafi fighters, in Sedra, eastern Libya, Wednesday March 9, 2011. AP / Hussein Malla
A Libyan weapons vehicle is seen as smoke rises from the oil port of Sirdra on the outskirts of the eastern town of Ras Lanouf, Libya, Wednesday, March 9, 2011. AP / Tara Todras-Whitehill
A Libyan rebel cries out for a comrade injured while fighting government troops on the frontline on March 9, 2011 in Ras Lanuf, Libya. Getty Images / John Moore
A Libyan volunteer cheers as smoke rises from the oil port of Sirdra in the background, in the eastern town of Ras Lanouf, Libya, Wednesday, March 9, 2011. AP / Tara Todras-Whitehill
Libyan volunteers cheer as smoke rises from the oil port of Sirdra in the background, in the eastern town of Ras Lanouf, Libya, Wednesday, March 9, 2011. AP / Tara Todras-Whitehill
A rebel soldier pushes towards the frontline as a truck burns after being destroyed by government soldiers on March 8, 2011 near Ras Lanuf, Libya. Getty Images / John Moore
A rebel militiaman crawls while under fire on the frontline on March 8, 2011 near Ras Lanuf, Libya. Getty Images / John Moore
Anti-Gadhafi rebels run as smoke rises, background, from an air strike by pro-Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi warplanes that attacked a house in the town of Ras Lanouf, eastern Libya, Tuesday, March 8, 2011. AP / Hussein Malla
A rebel militiaman weeps after his brother was critically wounded on March 8, 2011 near Ras Lanuf, Libya. Government troops loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi continued their counteroffensive, pushing rebels back east towards the strategic oil town of Ras Lanuf which the opposition had seized only days before. Getty Images / John Moore
A rebel militiaman is brought from the frontline after being wounded on the frontline on March 8, 2011 near Ras Lanuf, Libya. Government troops loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi continued their counteroffensive, pushing rebels back east towards the strategic oil town of Ras Lanuf which the opposition had seized only days before. Getty Images / John Moore
A Libyan man who was injured during clashes with pro-Gadhafi forces is brought into a hospital in the eastern town of Ras Lanouf, Libya, Tuesday, March 8, 2011. AP / Tara Todras-Whitehill
Libyan rebel soldiers are treated in an emergency room after being wounded on the frontline on March 8, 2011 near Ras Lanuf, Libya. Getty Images / John Moore
A rebel militiaman is treated in a hospital after being wounded on the frontline on March 8, 2011 near Ras Lanuf, Libya. Getty Images / John Moore
Libyan doctors treat an injured anti-Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi rebel, who was wounded during the fighting against pro-Gadhafi fighters, at a hospital in the town of Ras Lanouf, eastern Libya, Tuesday, March 8, 2011. AP / Hussein Malla
A rebel militiaman weeps after his brother was critically wounded on March 8, 2011 near Ras Lanuf, Libya. Getty Images / John Moore
A rebel fighter uses binoculars to monitor the skies over the flashpoint town of Ras Lanuf on March 8, 2011, as Libya's air force carries out raids, on this rebel-held oil town. AFP/ Getty Images / Marco Longari
Libyan rebel fighters amass ammunition close to the flashpoint town of Ras Lanuf on March 8, 2011, as Libya's air force carries out raids, on this rebel-held oil town. AFP/ Getty Images / Marco Longari
Rebel fighters pray at the gate to Ras Lanuf, a center for oil production that was hit by several airstrikes from forces loyal to Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, Tuesday, March 8, 2011. MCT / Luis Sinco
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