Pro-Qaddafi forces capture 3 Dutch marines

THE HAGUE, Netherlands - Three Dutch marines are being held by authorities in Libya after they were captured by forces loyal to Muammar Qaddafi while trying to rescue Dutch workers, a Defense Ministry spokesman said Thursday.

The three were surrounded by armed men and captured Sunday after landing near Sirte in a Lynx helicopter that was on board the navy ship HMS Tromp, which is anchored off the Libyan coast to help evacuations from the conflict torn country, spokesman Otte Beeksma told The Associated Press.

Dutch officials are in "intensive negotiations" with Qaddafi's government to secure the marines' release, he said.

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"We have also been in contact with the crewmen involved," Beeksma said. "They are doing well under the circumstances and we hope they will be released as quickly as possible."

Asked if the Dutch government considered the marines hostages, Beeksma said, "they are being held by Libyan authorities."

Prime Minister Mark Rutte said news of the men's capture was kept quiet to assist talks on their release. Dutch daily De Telegraaf first reported their capture in its Thursday edition.

"These are situations that benefit from total secrecy because then you can carry out discussions in peace to ensure these people get home safely," he told national broadcaster NOS.

"It is terrible for the crew of the Lynx helicopter," Rutte said. "Everything is being done to make sure the crew gets home."

Two people the marines were trying to rescue also were captured but have since been released and have left Libya.

The identities of the marines were not released.

News of the marines' detention by Qaddafi came a day after anti-government rebels fought off forces loyal to Qaddafi in a fierce battle for Brega, a strategic oil facility 460 miles east of Qaddafi's stronghold in Tripoli.

Opposition forces remained in control of the town after hours of fighting, CBS News correspondent Mandy Clark reports. Despite the chaos and damage, the center of Brega is "full of jubilant rebels," Clark reports.

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Qaddafi's crackdown has been the harshest in the Arab world to the wave of anti-government protests sweeping across parts of the Middle East and North Africa. His forces are regrouping in an attempt to regain territories now controlled by opponents of his regime.

Later Thursday, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, is scheduled to announce he is opening an investigation into possible crimes against humanity committed in Libya.