Fire destroys Libyan rebels armoury

A weapons storage facility used by Libyan rebels was ablaze early today, producing a think plume of smoke and sparking a string of explosions.

A weapons storage facility used by Libyan rebels was ablaze early on Thursday, producing a think plume of smoke and sparking a string of explosions.

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Medical staff on the scene reported no injuries or fatalities, although several fire trucks struggled to contain the blaze hours after it began.

It was not immediately clear what caused the fire, but the complex holds dozens of Soviet-era tanks and is used as a weapons-making facility and store by forces fighting Muammar Gaddafi's regime. Any lost weaponry would be a major blow to the rebels, who have complained that they are up against better armed and better trained forces.

The facility is 30 kilometres east of the rebel stronghold of Benghazi and was the scene of an earlier explosion and wholesale looting from the base's arsenal.