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'''Brega''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|r|eɪ|ɡ|ə}}, also known as ''Mersa Brega'' or ''Marsa al-Brega'' ({{lang-ar|مرسى البريقة}} {{transl|ar|''Marsā al Burayqah''}}, i.e. "Brega Seaport"), is a complex of several smaller towns, industry installations and education establishments situated in [[Libya]] on the [[Gulf of Sidra]], the most southerly point of the [[Mediterranean Sea]]. It is located in the former [[Ajdabiya District]], which in 2007 was merged into the [[Al Wahat District]]. The town is the center of Libya's second-largest hydro-carbon complex.<ref name="1310news"/>
During the [[2011 Libyan Civil War|Libyan Civil War]], the town quickly fell under control of the [[Libyan opposition]].<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/25/n-africa-mideast-unrest-17-dead-in-western-libyan-city-doctors-say/?hpt=T1 |title=Hundreds flee Libya as Obama orders sanctions |work= This Just In|publisher= Cable News Network|date= February 25, 2011 |quote=Protesters took control of the eastern Libyan city of Brega and its oil terminal Friday, according to an official who works at the communications department for the Port of Brega. |
== Geography ==
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]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archive.doxiadis.org/document.asp?doc_id=9524 |title=Constantinos A. Doxiadis Archives |year=2011 |
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.<ref>{{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}}</ref> 10 kilometres to the north-east of "Area 2" lies "New Brega", a purpose-built residential area for oil workers.<ref>{{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 |
In 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.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://wikimapia.org/2062806/Bright-Star-University|title=Bright Star University - Brega|website=wikimapia.org}}</ref>
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===Battle of Brega (1941)===
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 [[Western Desert Campaign#Rommel's first offensive|Rommel's first offensive]], the German [[Afrika Korps]] expelled the British from their partially prepared positions at Marsa Brega. This opened the way for [[Erwin Rommel|Rommel]]'s drive to the [[Egypt–Libya border|Egyptian border]] and [[Siege of Tobruk|encirclement of Tobruk]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.achtungpanzer.com/erwin-rommel.htm |title=Erwin Rommel
|author=Jarg Muth
===Battles of Brega (2011)===
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During the [[2011 Libyan Civil War|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 [[First Battle of Brega|repulsed by the rebels]].<ref name=BBC>{{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 |
On 16 July 2011, it was reported that the rebels appeared to have taken Brega.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/9695160-brega-is-liberated |title=Archived copy |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 }}</ref> However, Reuters later reported ten rebels were killed and 172 wounded, and confirmed that the battle was still ongoing.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/07/16/uk-libya-idUKTRE76C1H420110716 | work=Reuters | title=Heavy casualties reported in Libya fighting | date=16 July 2011}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{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}}</ref> 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.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110720032346/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-07/17/c_13990357.htm ]</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=1&i=6417 |title=Archived copy |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 }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE76H0MR20110718 | work=Reuters | title=UPDATE 1-Libya rebels say Gaddafi forces retreat in east | date=18 July 2011}}</ref> Before midday, the rebels claimed victory in the battle.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE76H0KM20110718 | work=Reuters | title=WRAPUP 3-Libya denies rebel victory claim in Brega oil town | date=18 July 2011}}</ref> On 23 July, the rebels were still clearing mines while facing "negligible" resistance from a small remaining force of Gaddafi loyalists.<ref>http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=294015{{Dead link|date=October 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
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===Other events===
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]].<ref>{{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 |
==Industry==
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.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/22/us-libya-oil-factbox-idUSTRE71L32J20110222 | title=Factbox: Libyan oil production, exports, customers | work=Reuters | date=22 February 2011 |
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.<ref name=1310news>{{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 |
Brega is the starting point of the {{convert|670|km|mi|abbr=on}} Brega-Khoms Intisar gas pipeline.<ref>{{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|
==Transportation==
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