Meet the Libyan rebels on the front line

The conflict in Libya between Gaddafi's forces and opposition rebels is still continuing after four months, with Nato stepping up air strikes on the capital Tripoli.

Ordinary young men, many without any fighting experience, have been picking up guns and heavy weaponry to try to win precious ground against Gaddafi's forces.

They are unhappy with the leader's regime and want a fresh start for the north African country.

Newsbeat's Andy Brownstone travelled to the east of Libya to meet some of them.

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The two soldiers in our 4x4 had AK-47 rifles and we were close enough to pro-Gaddafi troops to hear them talking on the radio.

The group escorting us calls itself the Libya Free Martyrs and is fighting near the small town of Brega.

Rebel commander Khaled Bashake says he's determined to keep fighting, despite the battle currently being at a stalemate.

"From time to time we try to force them away and try to get them out," he says.

Nato strikes

"But we are sure now that he [Gaddafi] will leave at any second. We hope that he does."

The rebels say they need more weapons like anti-tank guns

Nato is enforcing a UN resolution to protect civilians, following the uprising against Col Gaddafi, and some reports say that recent air attacks are the largest of the campaign so far.

The east of Libya is mostly controlled by rebels, while Gaddafi's forces control most of the west.

British forces have been involved with Nato air strikes designed to protect innocent people from being targeted, but they don't have permission to get involved any further than that.

Instead, the day-to-day battle is being fought by young Libyans, many of whom had normal jobs six months ago.

The young rebels show their knowledge of modern technology and use it to help their cause.

They send spies on horseback to get the enemy's position and then use Google Earth to get the co-ordinates for their weapons systems.

'We need shields'

About 30 to 40 men are based at their desert camp, most equipped with grenade launchers and machine guns.

Their mission is to protect a nearby oil refinery and watch the backs of their comrades on the front line just a few miles away.

"We don't like to be soldiers but we have to. He has forced us to do this," says 26-year-old Wadhid.

Before the war he had a normal job in a supermarket. Now he's dressed in desert camouflage and carrying a rifle.

And it's weapons that these men still need if they're going to defeat Colonel Gaddafi's forces.

They have plenty of guts and determination, but in war that's not enough.

"We need anti-tank guns, we need shields to protect ourselves.

"And we don't want war. We just want to be free," says Wahid.