AJDABIYA, Libya — Rebels claimed to regain control over Ajdabiya, a strategically important oil town in eastern Libya, on Saturday.

The recapture of Ajdabiya, the first major turnaround for the uprising in Libya, comes a week after the United States and its allies launched airstrikes on Libya to protect civilians from attacks by forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi.

Gaddafi's forces seized the town last week as they advanced eastward across the country, which has been facing a five-weeks-long uprising.

Opposition spokesman Jalal al-Gallal told CNN that rebel fighters took control of the city after coalition forces bombed Gaddafi's tanks that were at the town's gates.

On Saturday, dozens of government tanks, armored vehicles and artillery pieces were found deserted or destroyed at the gates to the town, BBC reports. Bodies of Gaddafi loyalists also were found at the western gate.

At least eight blacked tanks used by Gaddafi's forces were deserted on the road leading into the town, AP reports.

Residents of Ajdabiya celebrated the rebels' victory Saturday. Drivers honked their horns in celebration and others fired guns in the air and danced on the destroyed tanks, it states.

"All of Ajdabiya is free," Saif Sadawi, a 20-year-old rebel fighter, told AP.

Residents celebrating in the streets chanted, "Thank you, Obama," and, "Thank you, Cameron," referring to the U.S. president and British prime minister, BBC reports.

Ajdabiya has been an important battleground because it provides a gateway to the oil-rich east and a key stop for Gaddafi's forces trying to advance on the opposition's base of operations, Benghazi.

Coalition airstrikes aimed at enforcing a U.N.-mandated no-fly zone over Libya began last week. The airstrikes have been led by the United States, but NATO officials agreed Thursday to take complete control over the campaign.

Friday's airstrikes were bolstered by the Qatari Air Force and the United Arab Emirates, the first two Arab countries to contribute to the multilateral intervention.

U.S. President Barack Obama defended his handling of the crisis in Libya Saturday, saying in his weekly address that the airstrikes have been successful and the campaign against Gaddafi's forces has saved civilian lives, Politico reports.

“The United States should not—and cannot—intervene every time there is a crisis somewhere in the world,” Obama said. “But I firmly believe that when innocent people are being brutalized; when someone like Gaddafi threatens a bloodbath that could destabilize an entire region; and when the international community is prepared to come together to save many thousands of lives—then it’s in our national interest to act.”

Obama has come under criticism for failing to provide more information on the extent and goals of the military campaign.

The White House announced he will give a speech to the nation Monday night on the situation, the New York Times reports.

Meanwhile, GlobalPost correspondent James Foley reports that on the outskirts of Ajdabiya, the Transitional Council’s newly appointed minister of economy and oil, Ali Tarhuruni, said the rebel leadership had begun to form the beginnings of an independent economy in nearby Benghazi.

“We have liquidity in the central banks in Benghazi,” said Tarhuruni, who has a doctorate from Michigan University and spent the last 30 years in the United States, dispelling rumors that the rebels were on the verge of financial collapse.

“We made an arrangement with Qatar to send our oil to their market,” he added. “We have no words to describe what Qatar has done for the Libyans.”

Tarhuruni said the agreement with Qatar includes a plan to maintain operations of the Libyan oil refineries that are under rebel control. It will be the first time oil has been shipped out of eastern Libya since the revolution began in mid-February.

-- Hanna Ingber Win