Libyan rebels 'abused civilians'

13 July 2011 Last updated at 13:20 GMT Territory north of the Nafusa Mountains is currently an active sector of the front line The campaign group Human Rights Watch has accused rebels in Libya of looting, arson and the abuse of civilians.

Observers from the New York-based group say they have witnessed some incidents themselves, and have interviewed witnesses to others in territory recently seized by rebels.

A rebel spokesman talking to reporters in Brussels has denied the allegations.

Accusations of abuse by both sides have circulated since the rebellion against Col Muammar Gaddafi began in February.

The latest allegations focus on four towns seized by rebels in the west of the country in the last month: al-Awaniya, Rayayinah, Zawiyat al-Bagul and al-Qawalish.

"The rebel conduct was disturbing," said Fred Abrahams, a special adviser to Human Rights Watch (HRW).

"We documented fairly widespread looting of homes and shops, the burning of some homes of suspected Gaddafi supporters and - most disturbingly - the vandalisation of three medical clinics [and] local small hospitals, including the theft of some of the medical equipment."

He said the Libyan government had committed more serious crimes, but that did not excuse the behaviour of the rebels.

"Our aim is to hold all combatants, all militaries - whether they're organised and states and governments or rebels groups - to the same standards, and it's very much also a warning shot across the bow, because of these other areas they are approaching. We're deeply worried about how they might behave and treat civilians in those areas."

A senior rebel leader has refuted the Human Rights Watch claims.

"This is not the case in the liberated areas," rebel spokesman Mahmud Jibril told reporters in Brussels.

In the latest news from this sector of the front line, the BBC's World Affairs Editor, John Simpson, reports that a counter-attack is underway by forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

When pro-Gaddafi forces probed rebel positions at al-Qawalish, the rebels took to their vehicles and fled.

The rebels' early gains came in the East of Libya. Then their struggle against the army became deadlocked, despite a bombing campaign by Nato warplanes against pro-Gaddafi forces.

In recent weeks attention shifted to the west of the country, when opposition fighters based in the Nafusa Mountains (or Jebel Nafusa) seized territory bringing them to within 90km (55 miles) of Tripoli.

It is these gains the latest counter-attack aims to reverse.

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