brega

The assigned settlement near the refinery and oil terminal is known as Brega. The town was built in pre-fabricated concrete parts and designed by Greek architect and urban planner Konstantinos Apostolos Doxiadis.{{cite web |url=http://archive.doxiadis.org/document.asp?doc_id=9524 |title=Constantinos A. Doxiadis Archives |year=2011 |access-date=March 2, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726003239/http://archive.doxiadis.org/document.asp?doc_id=9524 |archive-date=2011-07-26 |url-status=dead }} The town has about 7,000 inhabitants.

In reality, Brega consists of several urban settlements, several kilometres apart, mainly divided between Old Brega (or "Western Brega") and New Brega (or "Eastern Brega"). Adjacent to and south-west of the port, equally two kilometres north of the airport, lies "Area 1". Some 6 kilometres to the east, on the other side of the hydro-carbon complex, lies "Area 2". The original settlement of Brega, now partially abandoned, lies some kilometres to the south, to the south of the highway linking western and eastern Libya.{{cite web|url=http://wikimapia.org/#lat=30.4315057&lon=19.6593475&z=12&l=53&m=b&v=8|title=Wikimapia - Let's describe the whole world!|website=wikimapia.org}} 10 kilometres to the north-east of "Area 2" lies "New Brega", a purpose-built residential area for oil workers.{{cite web|url=https://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2011/04/libya-friendly-fire-signs-of-stalemate.html | title=Libya: Friendly Fire, Signs of Stalemate | publisher=newyorker.com | author=John Lee Anderson | date=3 April 2011 | access-date=2011-07-17}}

Between "Area 2" and "New Brega" (with much sand between them) lies "Al-Najm University of Technology" ("Bright Star University of Technology"), which was founded in 1981.{{cite web|url=https://www.university-directory.eu/Libya/Bright-Star-University-of-Technology-Brega.html|title=Bright Star University of Technology-Brega (follow up)|website=www.university-directory.eu}}{{cite web|url=http://wikimapia.org/2062806/Bright-Star-University|title=Bright Star University - Brega|website=wikimapia.org}}

Brega lies surrounded by the Sabkhat Ghuzayyil a large, dry region below sea level.

Brega was the location of a brief but important battle in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. On 31 March 1941, during the opening phase of Rommel's first offensive, the German Afrika Korps expelled the British from their partially prepared positions at Marsa Brega. This opened the way for Rommel's drive to the Egyptian border and encirclement of Tobruk.{{cite web |url=http://www.achtungpanzer.com/erwin-rommel.htm |title=Erwin Rommel |author=Jarg Muth |work=Achtung Panzer! |access-date=March 14, 2011 |display-authors=etal |archive-date=February 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223061513/http://www.achtungpanzer.com/erwin-rommel.htm |url-status=dead }}

{{Main| First Battle of Brega|Second Battle of Brega|Late March 2011 Libyan rebel offensive|Third Battle of Brega|Battle of Brega-Ajdabiya road|Fourth Battle of Brega|Second Gulf of Sidra offensive}}

During the Libyan Civil War, Brega found itself in the middle of numerous clashes between rebel and loyalist forces, as the front line shifted rapidly in each direction. By the middle of April, the town had changed hands six times in less than two months.

Early on in the uprising, anti-government forces gained control of the town and oil production facilities. Government forces attempted to regain control of the area on 2 March, but were repulsed by the rebels.{{cite news |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12626496 |title= Rebels fight off Gaddafi attack|work=BBC News|date= March 2, 2011 |access-date=March 2, 2011}} On 15 March, government forces retook Brega during their initial counter-offensive, as the disorganised rebel forces were crushed by the Loyalist's heavy weapons and air power.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12726032 |title=Libya: Gaddafi troops 'force rebels out of Brega' |date=March 13, 2011| work=BBC News}} On 26 March, after the UN imposed a no-fly zone which removed the threat of Loyalist air attacks, rebels advanced rapidly, taking Brega back from Gaddafi's forces but were quickly forced to retreat after a Loyalist counter-offensive. By 31 March, the frontline had stabilised between Brega and Ajdabiya, with rebel forces launching numerous attacks on the town, which all resulted in hasty retreats.{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418 | work=BBC News | title=Live: Battle over US budget | date=March 31, 2011}} Eventually after pushing the Loyalists back from Ajdabiya, the rebels once again launched an assault on the strategic oil town.

On 16 July 2011, it was reported that the rebels appeared to have taken Brega.{{cite web |url=http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/9695160-brega-is-liberated |title=Brega Near Liberation from Gaddafi |access-date=2011-07-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719071304/http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/9695160-brega-is-liberated |archive-date=2011-07-19 |url-status=dead }} However, Reuters later reported ten rebels were killed and 172 wounded, and confirmed that the battle was still ongoing.{{cite news| url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-libya-idUKTRE76C1H420110716 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305080543/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-libya-idUKTRE76C1H420110716 | url-status=dead | archive-date=March 5, 2016 | work=Reuters | title=Heavy casualties reported in Libya fighting | date=16 July 2011}} Rebel radio reports said that after three days of heavy fighting, aided by substantial NATO bombing, rebel units had bypassed the town – cutting off the garrison from its supply lines.{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/16/libyan-rebels-libya-contact-group-brega | location=London | work=The Guardian | first1=Chris | last1=Stephen | first2=David | last2=Smith | title=Libyan rebels win official recognition as their forces close in on Brega | date=16 July 2011}} Libya's opposition National Transitional Council (NTC) said on 16 July that they were preparing to enter the oil refinery town of Brega "within days", even as they suffered heavy casualties in the offensive.{{cite web |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-07/17/c_13990357.htm |title=Libya rebels vow to take Brega "within days" |website=news.xinhuanet.com |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720032346/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-07/17/c_13990357.htm |archive-date=20 July 2011 |url-status=dead}} There was heavy NATO bombardment on the morning of 17 July, during which warplanes destroyed a large military vehicle storage area in Tajura, 30 kilometres east of Tripoli, that consisted of several substantial warehouses containing various military vehicles including battle tanks, armoured personnel carriers and ammunition. This was followed by intense street fighting in the town's northeastern area, with the rebels using heavy machine guns.{{cite web |url=http://tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=1&i=6417 |title=Battle in Brega City Switches to 'Street-Street' Fighting |access-date=2011-07-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719024549/http://tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=1&i=6417 |archive-date=2011-07-19 |url-status=dead }} On the morning of 18 July, it was reported that Gaddafi's forces were in full retreat and that the rebels were clearing land mines before securing the entire town.{{cite news| url=https://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE76H0MR20110718 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120922133027/http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE76H0MR20110718 | url-status=dead | archive-date=22 September 2012 | work=Reuters | title=UPDATE 1-Libya rebels say Gaddafi forces retreat in east | date=18 July 2011}} Before midday, the rebels claimed victory in the battle.{{cite news| url=https://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE76H0KM20110718 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120922133105/http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE76H0KM20110718 | url-status=dead | archive-date=22 September 2012 | work=Reuters | title=WRAPUP 3-Libya denies rebel victory claim in Brega oil town | date=18 July 2011}} On 23 July, the rebels were still clearing mines while facing "negligible" resistance from a small remaining force of Gaddafi loyalists.{{cite web |url=http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=294015 |title=Libyan rebels say resistance "negligible" at Brega |website=www.nowlebanon.com |access-date=26 January 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130130043544/http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=294015 |archive-date=30 January 2013 |url-status=dead}}

According to the local council, the eastern part of the town of Brega was controlled by the AGF by 11 August, and by 17 August all three zones of Brega (residential, oil refinery, administrative) were under the control of the AGF. The UN Inter-Agency mission to Brega on 8 September accessed the residential (Old Brega) zone and visited the heavily damaged Al-Najm University of Technology. Population slowly started to return, although most of the inhabitants remained for a while living outside of Brega (i.e. in Ajdabiya) and commuting daily to check on their property and houses.

On 13 January 2000, a Short 360 aircraft leased by the Sirte Oil Company crashed {{convert|21|km}} off the coast, resulting in 22 fatalities. The crash is thought to have occurred after the plane's engines were flooded with melting ice, after failure to engage the aircraft's ice protection system.{{cite web |url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20000113-0 |work=ASN Aircraft accident Shorts |title= HB-AAM Marsa el-Brega|date= October 2, 2004 |publisher= Aviation Safety Network |access-date=2011-03-02 }}

The town is the site of an important oil refinery and serves as a major export hub for Libyan oil, being one of five oil terminals in the eastern half of Libya.{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-libya-oil-factbox-idUSTRE71L32J20110222 | title=Factbox: Libyan oil production, exports, customers | work=Reuters | date=22 February 2011 | access-date=2011-07-17 | archive-date=2011-09-06 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110906033204/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/22/us-libya-oil-factbox-idUSTRE71L32J20110222 | url-status=live }} The oil refinery belongs to and is run by Sirte Oil Company, a subsidiary of the state-owned National Oil Corporation (NOC). Sirte Oil Company is based in Brega. During the 1960s and 1970s, it was run in partnership with the international oil company Esso. By the early 80’s, Esso had left, passing full control over to the Sirte Oil Company.

During the Libyan civil war, oil export and activities at the oil refinery have been brought to a standstill. By the end of February, throughput at the oil terminal had diminished from 90,000 barrels of crude oil daily to a mere 11,000. Many employees at the terminal had left, following rumours that the regime of Muammar Gaddafi was going to bomb the plant.{{cite web | url=http://www.1310news.com/news/world/article/189604--at-libya-s-brega-oil-facility-employees-are-few-and-production-has-been-slashed | title=At Libya's Brega oil facility, employees are few and production has been slashed | publisher=1310news.com | author=Paul Schemm, Associated Press | date=26 February 2011 | access-date=2011-07-17 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315102112/http://www.1310news.com/news/world/article/189604--at-libya-s-brega-oil-facility-employees-are-few-and-production-has-been-slashed | archive-date=15 March 2012 | url-status=dead }}

Brega is the starting point of the {{convert|670|km|mi|abbr=on}} Brega-Khoms Intisar gas pipeline.{{cite web|url=http://www.theodora.com/pipelines/north_africa_oil_gas_products_pipelines_map.html |title=North Africa Pipelines map - Crude Oil (petroleum) pipelines - Natural Gas pipelines - Products pipelines |publisher=Theodora.com/pipelines|access-date=2011-04-05}}

During Libyan Civil War 2011, Marsa Brega Airport was damaged and inoperable. Marsa Brega Airport resumed operation in December 2013.

• [http://www.worldportsource.com/ports/LBY_Port_Marsa_El_Brega_665.php Description of Port Facilities]
• [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9051086/Marsa-al-Burayqah Marsā al-Burayqah] at Encyclopædia Britannica online

{{Al Wahat}}

{{Libyan Oil-ports}}

Category:Port cities and towns in Libya

Category:Populated places in Al Wahat District

Category:Ports and harbours of the Arab League

Category:Transport in the Arab League

Category:Cyrenaica

Category:Baladiyat of Libya

Category:Ports and harbors of Libya