1st Battle of Ras Lanuf

The 1st Battle of Ras Lanuf was the first battle that took place in Ras Lanuf as part of the 1st Libyan Rebel Offense.

Battle
The rebels in Brega started an offense and got to the town and a battle erupted. According to the rebels, the loyalist forces used heavy weapons and helicopters to attack them one kilometre from the airport. One rebel reported seeing four men in front of him killed by an explosion. Rebels reported that there were "massive" defections from the local pro-Gaddafi military base in Ra's Lanuf. Sometime during the night, rebel forces managed to capture the entire town of Ras Lanuf, including the airport and military base. Following the capture of the base, the rebels claimed to have found the bodies of 20 soldiers who were executed after they refused to open fire on rebel forces.

In addition to the 20 mutinous soldiers who were reportedly executed, according to the rebels, various numbers of dead had been reported. One Libyan Air Force jet bomber was reported to have been shot down outside Ra's Lanuf on March 5, by rebels. As of March 5, the rebels took the town.

Aftermath
After the battle, the city was held by the rebels for 7 days. The rebels stayed in the city after the capture of Bin Jawad to prepare of the "Battle of Sirte". Though they didn't manage to do that after the loyalists started a counter-offense. The Gaddafi forces then reached to Ras Lanuf and another battle erupted in the city. They then retook the city on March 12.

However, the UN-no fly zone took place and the rebels starting to take back lost cities and the loyalists in Ras Lanuf retreated and the rebels retook it again without a big battle.