1st Battle of Brega

The 1st Battle of Brega was the first battle that took place in Brega.

Battle
In the early hours of March 2, well-armed government pro-Gaddafi forces arrived at Brega in over 100 vehicles. They succeeded in wresting control of the oil refinery, port, terminal and industry airport, as well as the town university. Coming within 2-3 kilometers (1-2 mi) from the town center, pro-Gaddafi forces managed to pin down rebel forces. According to a number of news sources, rebels were rushed to mobilization and hid in the sand for camouflage. Most were volunteer fighters from the rebel-controlled cities of Ajdabiya and Benghazi. As the attack was underway, Libyan Air Force pilots bombed a munitions depot at Ajdabiya. However, after a few hours, rebel reinforcements from Ajdabiya arrived in Brega and pushed back pro-Gaddafi fighters to the university campus where they came under siege. Moving along the coast, rebel fighters charged over the sand dunes on the beach up the hill to the university building, while under constant mortar fire. At one moment, a warplane attacked the dunes in an attempt to disperse the rebels, but it caused no casualties, and the siege continued. According to the rebels, the pro-Gaddafi forces at the university used civilians as human shields. Government troops eventually withdrew from the university and out of the city some went to the west. A senior rebel officer stated pro-Gaddafi troops might have run out of ammunition and as such were forced to withdraw.

It is reported that women and children were dragged out of their cars on the Tripoli-Benghazi road by the pro-Gaddafi forces and used as human shields. The government force was retreating to Ra's Lanuf, about 120 km west of Brega, after the battle.