A dramatic twist in favour of forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi occurred on Wednesday, since rebel troops that took control over several coastal cities during the weekend and seemed to be progressing with the support of western coalition air strikes, are now retreating from their strongholds located along the eastern Libyan coast, western media reported.

The rebels lost control over the key eastern oil port of Ras Lanuf and nearby town of Bin Jawad, as well as the cities of Brega and Ukaila, retreating before Gaddafi’s troops, while Misrata, a city in the west, still resists attacks.

Explosions shook an eastern suburb of Tripoli on Thursday, when coalition warplanes bombarded targets in that area, an unnamed witness told AFP.

Explosions could be heard shortly after the planes flew over the southeastern suburb of Salaheddine, a witness said over the phone.

According to some reports, rebel forces started to retreat towards Ajdabiya, and witnesses said that civilians fled to the main rebel stronghold of Benghazi.

General Major Suleiman Mahmoud, the second-in-command for the rebels, said that his troops need time, patience and help to organize themselves.

Our problem is that we need help: communication, radios and weapons, he stated, adding that the rebels have strategy, but that their fighters do not always follow orders.

The British Foreign Office meanwhile reported that Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa deserted Gaddafi and came to London, which Libya denied, claiming that Koussa is in a diplomatic mission.

Koussa arrived at Farnborough airport in southern England on a flight from Tunisia on March 30. He travelled here under his own free will and told us he is resigning his post. We are discussing this with him and we will release further detail in due course, a Foreign Office spokesman said.

Koussa is one of the top officials in Gaddafi's government and his role was to represent the regime in the world, which he is no longer willing to do. We encourage all people around Gaddafi to abandon him, the spokesperson stated.

Several thousands of people have been killed, and many others wounded since the rebellion against Gaddafi’s regime began on February 15.