BREGA, Libya (AP) -- Rebels strengthened their hold on the strategic oil installation at Brega on Thursday after repelling an attempt by loyalists of Moammar Gadhafi to retake it. International pressure on the Libyan leader increased as an international court began investigating whether to charge him and his inner circle with crimes against humanity.
As the fighting continued, Libyan border crossings were overwhelmed by tens of thousands of hungry, fearful people fleeing its burgeoning civil war. Egypt and a handful of European nations launched emergency airlifts and sent ships to handle the chaotic exodus. (31 images)
As the fighting continued, Libyan border crossings were overwhelmed by tens of thousands of hungry, fearful people fleeing its burgeoning civil war. Egypt and a handful of European nations launched emergency airlifts and sent ships to handle the chaotic exodus. (31 images)
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Libyan gunmen from the forces against Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi fire in the air during a mass funeral for rebel gunmen killed in fighting Wednesday, in Ajdabiya, eastern Libya, Thursday, March 3, 2011. AP / Kevin Frayer
Libyan relatives of rebel fighters killed in fighting with troops loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi on Wednesday, react during a mass funeral in Ajdabiya, eastern Libya, Thursday, March 3, 2011. AP / Kevin Frayer
Libyan relatives of a rebel fighter killed in fighting with troops loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi on Wednesday, weep outside a mosque during a mass funeral in Ajdabiya, eastern Libya, Thursday, March 3, 2011. AP / Kevin Frayer
Libyans carry the coffin of a rebel killed in fighting with troops loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi on Wednesday, during a mass funeral in Ajdabiya, eastern Libya, Thursday, March 3, 2011. AP / Kevin Frayer
Libyan anti-government protesters carry the coffin of one of five Libyans killed in heavy fighting the previous day during a funeral procession on March 3, 2011 on the road to the cemetery of Ajdabiya, 160 kms west of Benghazi, as fresh air strikes hit the rebel-held Libyan town of Brega according to residents, amid fears of a new bid by troops loyal to Moamer Kadhafi's regime to recapture the key oil port. AFP/ Getty Images / Gianluigi Guercia
Rebel fighters celebrate after advancing on the front line against Libyan government forces on March 2, 2011 in al-Brega, Libya. The rebels drove out troops loyal to President Muammar Gaddafi from the coastal town after the government forces had taken it overnight. Getty Images / John Moore
Rebel fighters advance on the front line against Libyan government forces on March 2, 2011 in Al Braga, Libya. The rebels drove out troops loyal to President Moammar Gaddafi from the coastal town after the government forces had taken it overnight. Getty Images / John Moore
Rebel fighters raise their flag after advancing on the front line against Libyan government forces on March 2, 2011 in al-Brega, Libya. Getty Images / John Moore
Rebel fighters advance towards the front line against Libyan government forces on March 2, 2011 in Ajdabiya, Libya. Getty Images / John Moore
Libyan rebel stand on their tank driving forward to battle against pro-Moaamar Gadhafi fighters, in the town of Brega, east of Libya, on Wednesday March 2, 2011. Regime opponents battled forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi who tried Wednesday to retake a key oil installation in a counteroffensive Wednesday against the rebel-held eastern half of the country. At one point in the flip-flopping battle, anti-Gadhafi fighters cornered the attackers in a nearby seaside university campus in fierce fighting that killed at least five. AP / Hussein Malla
Libyan revolutionaries celebrate their victory over forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi in Port Brega, Libya, Wednesday, March 2, 2011. MCT / Luis Sinco
Revolutionaries prepare to fire an anti-aircraft gun against forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi in Port Brega, Libya, Wednesday, March 2, 2011. MCT / Luis Sinco
Rebel fighters celebrate after advancing on the front line against Libyan government forces on March 2, 2011 in al-Brega, Libya. Getty Images / John Moore
A wounded rebel fighter is carried into a hospital after being hit with shrapnel on the front line with Libyan government forces on March 2, 2011 in al-Brega, Libya. The rebels drove out troops loyal to President Muammar Gaddafi from the coastal town after the government forces had taken it overnight. Getty Images / John Moore
Rebel fighters celebrate after advancing on the front line against Libyan government forces on March 2, 2011 in al-Brega, Libya. Getty Images / John Moore
Rebel fighters pray before advancing to the front line against Libyan government forces on March 2, 2011 in Ajdabiya, Libya. Getty Images / John Moore
A Libyan rebel celebrates on the roof of the former court house in the eastern city of Benghazi on March 2, 2011, as some 500 people gather in front of the former court house to commemorate the first "martyrs" of the Libyan revolt singing "we'll stay here until the pain is gone." AFP/ Getty Images / Phil Moore
Around 500 people gather in front of Benghazi former court house on March 2, 2011 to commemorate the first "martyrs" of the Libyan revolt singing "we'll stay here until pain is gone." AFP/ Getty Images / Phil Moore
Libyan protesters wave a national flag during a demonstration against Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, with The Green Book Centre building in background, in Benghazi, eastern Libya, Wednesday, March 2, 2011. Sign left reads "Glory for the martyrs". AP / Kevin Frayer
Libyan protesters shout slogans as copies of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's "Green Book" are burned during a demonstration against him in Benghazi, eastern Libya, Wednesday, March 2 , 2011. AP / Kevin Frayer
A Libyan protester kicks a poster of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi as it burns during a demonstration against him in Benghazi, eastern Libya, Wednesday, Mar. 2 , 2011. AP / Kevin Frayer
A man throws a copy of Libyan strongman Moamer Kadhafi's "green book" among other burning copies in the eastern city of Benghazi on March 2, 2011. AFP/ Getty Images / Roberto Schmidt
Refugees wait to cross the border in the Libyan side, near Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Wednesday, March 2, 2011. U.N. refugee agency spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said Tuesday "the situation is reaching crisis point" at the Libya-Tunisia border where authorities say up to 75,000 people have fled Libya since Feb. 20. AP / Benjamin Girette
Egyptians try to board a bus as a Tunisian Army soldier tries to stop one of them, at the Tunisia-Libya border, in Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Thursday, March. 3, 2011. AP / Emilio Morenatti
Egyptians who worked in Libya and are now fleeing the unrest in the country are seen inside a bus outside the Tunisia-Libyan border, in Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Thursday, March 3, 2011. Tunisian officials are seen reflected in the bus window. AP / Emilio Morenatti
Refugees hold suitcases as they crowd the Libya-Tunisia border in Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Wednesday, March 2, 2011. AP / Paolo Santalucia
An Egyptian child looks through the window of a bus as he leaves with his family, who worked in Libya and is now fleeing the unrest in the country, outside the Tunisia-Libyan border, in Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, Thursday, March 3, 2011. AP / Emilio Morenatti
Pakistani and Bangladeshi who fled Libya, wait to receive their meals during a food distribution in a camp at the Tunisia-Libya border post of Ras Jedir on March 3, 2011. A major international operation was under way today to airlift out of Tunisia thousands of people, most of them Egptians, stranded at the border after fleeing the bloodshed in Libya. AFP/ Getty Images / Fred Dufour
Pakistanis and Bangladeshis who fled Libya, wait for a food distribution in a camp at the Tunisia-Libya border post of Ras Jedir on March 3, 2011. AFP/ Getty Images / Fred Dufour
Refugees who fled the unrest in Libya wait at a UNHCR refugee camp set up near Ras Ajdir, Tunisia, near the Tunisia-Libya border, Wednesday, March 2, 2011. More than 140,000 refugees have already fled across the Libyan border into Tunisia and Egypt and thousands more were arriving by the day. As border crossings were overwhelmed with mostly young men, U.N. experts warned that fast action was needed to protect and feed them before the exodus turned into a humanitarian crisis. AP / Benjamin Girette
Libyan Leader Moammar Gadhafi smells flowers given to him by a supporter as he drives away in an electric golf cart after speaking in Tripoli, Libya, Wednesday, March 2, 2011. Gadhafi spoke to supporters and the media at an event to celebrate the 34th anniversary of the declaration of transferring the "Power to the masses," and announcing the establishment of the "Republic of the Masses". AP / Ben Curtis
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