Rebel Soldiers Parade In Benghazi

These keen new recruits in Benghazi are the latest addition to Libyan rebels battling the forces of Muammar Gadaffi.              

Crowds cheer on as they parade through the city's promenade in this rebel stronghold.

Hundreds of uniformed rebel soldiers march or run in formation as their fellow soldiers fire in the air in celebration.              

Most of them were just ordinary civilians - until recently.

[Anwar El Abdi, Member of Public]:

"That is what the people want. This is the majority of the people and they are all civilians. These are just members of the public. And most of them are civilians. And we hope they will be able to volunteer for the military and be trained in these volunteer military camps in order to protect the country from the mercenaries."              

Rebel leaders say the new soldiers will benefit from new and more organized training techniques.

Hope is high that some of the new trainees will become the leaders of the future.

[Jumaa Younis Bouruweis, Rebel Fighter]:

"We want them to become excellent leaders, to be good war leaders, and we want people who have good military experience to lead as well, to go into battle with. And then in four or five days they would pull Muammar (Gadaffi) out by his hair."

The effort to dislodge Gadaffi has stalled recently with the rebels complaining that they are outgunned by Gadaffi's heavily armed forces. But so far neither the army nor rebels backed by NATO air strikes have achieved a decisive victory in the weeks of often-brutal fighting.