Yuri Kozyrev

俄羅斯，Noor Images for Time

突發新聞　單幅　第一名

3月11日，反叛軍與政府軍在內戰中爭奪利比亞沿岸的石油重鎮Ras Lanuf。源自東部城市班加西的反政府衝突在二月份已演變為對抗格達費政權的起義行動。反格達費的聲浪在利比亞東部最強烈，班加西也被視為叛軍的根據地。叛軍在初次朝首都的黎波里揮軍西進時，就曾在3月4日佔領Ras Lanuf。但政府軍隨即發動猛烈的陸海空攻擊，在3月10日重新掌控該地，並開始逼退叛軍，外界甚至一度認為政府軍即將收復班加西。聯合國在3月17日達成決議後，北大西洋公約組織開始對利比亞的軍事目標發動空襲，政府軍的反擊行動也因此中斷。反叛軍得以再度向西推進，並在3月底時奪回Ras Lanuf。然而在後續的戰事中，這裡的掌控權又再次易主，直到八月底反叛軍才取得最終勝利。

Yuri Kozyrev

Russia, Noor Images for Time

1st Prize Spot News Singles

Rebels battle for Ras Lanuf, an oil-refining town on the Libyan coast, on 11 March. The uprising against the regime of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi had grown out of clashes with authorities in the east-Libyan city of Benghazi, in mid-February. Anti-Gaddafi sentiment was strongest in the east of the country, and Benghazi came to be seen as the rebel stronghold. Ras Lanuf had fallen to anti-government forces on 4 March, during their initial advance west, towards the capital Tripoli. After heavy bombardment by land, sea and air, Gaddafi’s forces retook the city on 10 March, and began pushing the rebels back. For some days it appeared that even Benghazi would be retaken. Gaddafi’s counter-advance was halted after NATO planes began bombing Libyan military targets, following a UN resolution on 17 March. Rebel forces began moving west again and by the end of the month had recaptured Ras Lanuf, though they would not permanently occupy the city until late August.