Forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi pressed further east with an artillery offensive against rebels on Wednesday.

The current situation is a dramatic about-turn for the rebels who, over the weekend, had seized a string of towns along the coast and seemed to be making good progress, the BBC reported.

Gaddafi’s forces have retaken Es Sider, Ras Lanuf and Bin Jawad and the rebels are retreating from Brega under heavy tank and artillery fire.

The rebels said they were headed to Ajdabiyah were they should regroup and return to Brega, the Reuters reported.