Later in the day the main square of Bengazi, eastern Libya, refilled with protesters. One in the middle is carrying a poster with a martyrs photo.
David Degner / FreelanceAt a military storage depot outside of Ajdabia, Libya a civilian who is one of the few guards peeks through the gate.
David Degner / FreelanceFighting occurred in the oil producing town of Braiga between pro-Ghadafi forces and rebel fighters. Loyal planes bombed formations of rebel fighters in and around Braiga as reinforcements came from the nearby town of Ajdabiya. At least 14 wounded and 4 dead came to the Braiga hospital
David Degner / FreelanceA truck of foreign workers arrives at the docks in Benghazi where a ship is waiting to repatriate foreign refugees.
Foreigners working in Libya often faced the most danger in being evacuated. Some were abandoned by their employers in factories and service industries, others were accused of being merceries working for Gadafi and were often beaten or killed on the spot.
David Degner / FreelanceAt Al Abrak Airport in Eastern Libya the remains of a battle are scattered in the terminal and around the tarmac as a few remaining civilians guard and poke around.
David Degner / FreelanceIn Baida, eastern Libya, anti-Ghadafi people took over the city hall and held a congress with members from surrounding cities. While a defecting minister and leaders spoke inside a lively anti-ghadafi protest was held outside.
David Degner / FreelanceAt a School in Benghazi, Libya civilian volunteers were signing up and drilling to join the opposition forces. The volunteers ranged from engineering students to gym trainers and at least one Egyptian that is living in Libya.
David Degner / FreelanceThe curious walk around the abandoned military fort that was also one of Ghadafi’s homes In Bengazi, eastern Libya. There were complexes of tunnels underground that were being dug out by volunteers.
David Degner / FreelanceThe curious walk around the abandoned military fort that was also one of Ghadafi’s homes In Bengazi, eastern Libya. There were complexes of tunnels underground that were being dug out by volunteers.
David Degner / FreelanceFighting occurred in the oil producing town of Braiga between pro-Ghadafi forces and rebel fighters. Loyal planes bombed formations of rebel fighters in and around Braiga as reinforcements came from the nearby town of Ajdabiya. At least 14 wounded and 4 dead came to the Braiga hospital
David Degner / FreelanceA minibus is stacked with the belongings of refugees as they flee from Lybia to Egypt.
David Degner / FreelanceIn the midst of fighting men still go to the market to buy their daily rations and discuss events with acquaintances.
David Degner / FreelanceAt a military storage depot outside of Ajdabia, Libya weapons have been laid out to guard against an attack.
David Degner / FreelanceFrom on top of a semi-trailer roof men pray along Bengazi’s corniche in the city center followed by a protest. The prayer and protest filled the square and over-ran onto side streets. The majority of people left the protest early when rain and light hail poured down.
David Degner / FreelanceJamal Abeida is a consultant for companies, especially oil companies, wanting to work in Libya.
Photographs by David Degner for the Wall Street Journal
LIBYAIn Baida, eastern Libya, anti-Ghaddafi fighters lay in the hospital recuperating from their injuries. A doctor shows video of those that were killed.
David Degner / FreelanceThe wing of a loyalist plane that was shot down is propped up in the center of Ajdabya, Libya for people to look at.
David Degner / FreelanceMen pray along Bengazi’s corniche in the city center followed by a protest. The prayer and protest filled the square and over-ran onto side streets. The majority of people left the protest early when rain and light hail poured down.
David Degner / FreelanceFighting occurred in the oil producing town of Braiga between pro-Ghadafi forces and rebel fighters. Loyal planes bombed formations of rebel fighters in and around Braiga as reinforcements came from the nearby town of Ajdabiya. At least 14 wounded and 4 dead came to the Braiga hospital
David Degner / FreelanceThe curious walk around the abandoned military fort that was also one of Ghadafi’s homes In Bengazi, eastern Libya. There were complexes of tunnels underground that were being dug out by volunteers.
David Degner / FreelanceIn Baida, eastern Libya, anti-Ghadafi people took over the city hall and held a congress with members from surrounding cities. While a defecting minister and leaders spoke inside a lively anti-ghadafi protest was held outside.
David Degner / FreelanceFighting occurred in the oil producing town of Braiga between pro-Ghadafi forces and rebel fighters. Loyal planes bombed formations of rebel fighters in and around Braiga as reinforcements came from the nearby town of Ajdabiya. At least 14 wounded and 4 dead came to the Braiga hospital
David Degner / FreelanceOne of the four dead in Braiga included Said Jamia who normally works as a truck driver to support his family and 2 year old daughter. He was reportedly killed by a bomb.
Fighting occurred in the oil producing town of Braiga between pro-Ghadafi forces and rebel fighters. Loyal planes bombed formations of rebel fighters in and around Braiga as reinforcements came from the nearby town of Ajdabiya. At least 14 wounded and 4 dead came to the Braiga hospital
David Degner / FreelanceMen pray along Benghazi’s corniche in the city center followed by a protest. The prayer and protest filled the square and over-ran onto side streets. The majority of people left the protest early when rain and light hail poured down.
David Degner / FreelanceA wounded fighter lays in his bed In Baida, East Libya
David Degner / FreelanceThe curious walk around the abandoned military fort that was also one of Ghadafi’s homes In Bengazi, eastern Libya. There were complexes of tunnels underground that were being dug out by volunteers.
David Degner / FreelanceAt a military storage depot outside of Ajdabia, Libya weapons have been laid out to guard against an attack.
David Degner / FreelanceOne of the dead from a day of fighting in Braiga,
Fighting occurred in the oil producing town of Braiga between pro-Ghadafi forces and rebel fighters. Loyal planes bombed formations of rebel fighters in and around Braiga as reinforcements came from the nearby town of Ajdabiya. At least 14 wounded and 4 dead came to the Braiga hospital
David Degner / FreelanceThe curious walk around the abandoned military fort that was also one of Ghadafi’s homes In Bengazi, eastern Libya. There were complexes of tunnels underground that were being dug out by volunteers.
David Degner / FreelanceThe curious walk around the abandoned military fort that was also one of Ghadafi’s homes In Bengazi, eastern Libya. There were complexes of tunnels underground that were being dug out by volunteers.
David Degner / FreelanceFighters wait on the front line of Brega for any attacks coming down the road.
Two days ago there were reports of clashes in the small town of Brega, Libya between Loyalist forces and rebel civilians. While the fighting was relatively limited reportedly 12 people died and bombing by a loyalist plane was involved.
David Degner / FreelanceFighters wait on the front line of Brega for any attacks coming down the road.
Two days ago there were reports of clashes in the small town of Brega, Libya between Loyalist forces and rebel civilians. While the fighting was relatively limited reportedly 12 people died and bombing by a loyalist plane was involved.
David Degner / FreelanceA bomb crater in the Brega College campus dropped by a loyalist pilot only hit an empty stretch of road.
Two days ago there were reports of clashes in the small town of Brega, Libya between Loyalist forces and rebel civilians. While the fighting was relatively limited reportedly 12 people died and bombing by a loyalist plane was involved.
David Degner / FreelanceA doctor waits in the hospital of Brega for the next ambulance to bring in wounded from the front.
Two days ago there were reports of clashes in the small town of Brega, Libya between Loyalist forces and rebel civilians. While the fighting was relatively limited reportedly 12 people died and bombing by a loyalist plane was involved.
David Degner / FreelanceThe autopsy table where the killed are cleaned and prepared for burial.
Two days ago there were reports of clashes in the small town of Brega, Libya between Loyalist forces and rebel civilians. While the fighting was relatively limited reportedly 12 people died and bombing by a loyalist plane was involved.
David Degner / FreelanceFighters take a break to pray before continuing to the front line in Brega.
Two days ago there were reports of clashes in the small town of Brega, Libya between Loyalist forces and rebel civilians. While the fighting was relatively limited reportedly 12 people died and bombing by a loyalist plane was involved.
David Degner / FreelanceFighters wait on the front line of Brega for any attacks coming down the road.
Two days ago there were reports of clashes in the small town of Brega, Libya between Loyalist forces and rebel civilians. While the fighting was relatively limited reportedly 12 people died and bombing by a loyalist plane was involved.
David Degner / FreelanceDoctors and volunteers wheel in injured fighters and give them basic treatment before shipping them to Benghazi where there is a better equipped hospital.
Two days ago there were reports of clashes in the small town of Brega, Libya between Loyalist forces and rebel civilians. While the fighting was relatively limited reportedly 12 people died and bombing by a loyalist plane was involved.
David Degner / Freelance
On a second reporting trip to Libya I photographed away from the frontlines in Eastern Libya
A long ways from any fighting, children in the small sea village of Sosa swim in the quiet port. The village has a large hotel built beside an archeological site, but tourism has dried up with the outbreak of fighting.
David Degner / FreelanceA bull roams freely in the woods near the Shehat Archeological Site Libya, the Green Mountains are a large fertile area in eastern Libya characterized by rolling hills and farms.
David Degner / FreelanceThe small town of Beida is one of the places the first places where fighting broke out in the streets. Today it’s main square is filled each night with soccer games, music, and plays commemorating the revolution.
David Degner / FreelanceWhile just 15 years old, this man fought beside Omar Mukhtar against the Italian colonization of Libya.
David Degner / FreelanceThe wall of a community room in Derna’s main mosque commemorates locals that have been killed by Gaddafi’s forces throughout the city’s long history of rebellion. It includes the photos of political prisoners who died in a prison massacre, soldiers that were shot for refusing orders, rebels from a 1996 uprising, and the latest youth that died on the street in Derna, and at the front.
David Degner / FreelanceA conference for women’s issues in the future constitution is one of the few places to hear dissenting voices about how women are treated by the government. There are many highly educated women in Libya, one group of professors sayed their masters level classes were 90% female. But it is hard for women to get jobs outside of the house or outside of the country.
David Degner / FreelanceThe Friday market in Shehat is divided into sections for livestock, fruits, vegetables, equipment and pigeons. Pigeons are a surprisingly popular hobby with the market, rivaling Cairo’s in size, even though the local area has only a small fraction of Cairo’s population. Many other hobbies such as soccer, music and movies were systematically suppressed by the government out of fear of any cult of personality that could rival Gaddafi. Soccer games were announced using just numbers, songs had to include references to Gaddafi, and artists that became too successful were given posts overseas.
David Degner / FreelanceOn the edge of Sosa children play a game of dodging large waves and swimming in the surf.
David Degner / FreelanceDerna, a city famous for the large number of fighters that traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan now sends many of it’s young men to fight on the front in Libya. Many people describe the lack of freedom, opportunity, and government abuse as pushing the youth toward violent international jihads but now the trend has changed. Young men are either going to fight against Gaddafi or staying in the city in hopes of the future opportunity.
David Degner / FreelanceA boy helps his grandfather water their orchard in the fertile valley surrounding Beida. While the war is the first issue many other issues have been delayed, such as the lowering of the natural aquifers that much of the Green Mountains agriculture relies on. This farmer says that 3 of his 4 wells have gone dry.
David Degner / FreelanceAt a house on the edge of Shehat neighbors the doors often stay open and neighbors constantly visit and help each other. Electricity is cut for a few hours every day, water deliveries have stopped giving credit, and hard currency has stopped circulating. The former government payed monthly sums to unemployed and underemployed.
David Degner / FreelanceIn a small photo studio in Tobruk, Libya a photographer wants to take my photo.
David Degner / FreelanceThe archaeological ruins of Shehat are impressive evidence of the Cyrenaica civilization that predated Islam in Northern Africa. With no tourists around, it has once again returned to the locals as a park for picnickers and school groups.
David Degner / FreelanceOutside Beida a farmer works with his family to water their pear and peach orchard. Libya had a large population of immigrant workers from the middle east and eastern asia, but the revolution forced many of them to return home.
David Degner / Freelance