US and Egyptian special forces have reportedly been offering covert armed training to rebel fighters in the battle for Libya.
An unnamed rebel source related how he had undergone training in military techniques at a "secret facility" in eastern Libya.
He told our correspondent Laurence Lee, reporting from the rebel-stronghold of Benghazi, that he was sent to fire Katyusha rockets but was given a simple, unguided version of the rocket instead.
"He told us that on Thursday night a new shipment of Katyusha rockets had been sent into eastern Libya from Egypt. He didn't say they were sourced from Egypt, but that was their route through," our correspondent said.
"He said these were state-of-the-art, heat-seeking rockets and that they needed to be trained on how to use them, which was one of the things the American and Egyptian special forces were there to do."
The intriguing development has raised several uncomfortable questions, about Egypt's private involvement and what the arms embargo exactly means, said our correspondent.
"There is also the question of whether or not the outside world should arm the rebels, when in fact they [rebels] are already being armed covertly."
Our correspondent added that since the rebels appear to be receiving covert support in terms of weaponry and training, it is not surprising that they are not inclined to criticise NATO openly.
Accidental strike
On Saturday the chief spokesman for the Libyan rebels said at least 13 people had been killed after coalition air strikes hit a convoy by mistake on Friday as fighters claimed victory in the battle for Brega.
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| NATO strike on Libyan killed 13 rebels in friendly strike |
"Thirteen dead, seven injured by friendly fire. It was a regrettable occurrence," Abdulhafiz Ghoga told a news conference, calling them "unintentional deaths".
"The leadership is working on preventing a re-occurrence," he said, adding that Brega "is fully under the control of the rebels".
Brega has been the scene of intense exchanges over the past few days when pro-Gaddafi forces returned after being driven out by rebel forces.
But it has been unclear since Thursday who actually held the town, with anti-Gaddafi forces regrouping in Ajdabiya, about 80km the east.
Earlier, a civilian rebel official said the dead civilians were an ambulance driver and three medical students from Libya's second city of Benghazi.
They had been part of a rebel convoy of five or six vehicles, said Issa Khamis, liaison officer for the rebels' transitional government in the town of Ajdabiya, east of Brega.
Friday's air strike came as rebels shot tracer fire into the air to celebrate the entry of an advance column into Brega.
"It was a mistake" by the rebels, Khamis said. "The aircraft thought they were coming under attack and fired on the convoy."
NATO concerns
A spokeswoman for NATO, which leads the international coalition enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya and protecting civilians from attack, said the bloc was checking.
"We are looking into these reports. We are always concerned by reports of civilian casualties. NATO's mission is to protect civilians and civilian areas from the threat of attack," said Oana Lungescu, adding that no formal investigation has been launched.
