Monday, August 22, 2011

Fighting rages near Gaddafi's compound



Gaddafi's location still unknown as rebel forces battle to control Tripoli.

Al-Jazeera

"Heavy fighting and gun battles have broken out in areas of Tripoli after rebels gained control overnight of much of the Libyan capital.

Clashes erupted on Monday after tanks left Bab Azaziya, Gaddafi's compound in Tripoli, to confront the rebel assault.

Many of the streets in the centre of the city were abandoned as pockets of pro-Gaddafi resistance and the presence of snipers and artillery fire have made the area dangerous.

There has been no word on the location of Gaddafi himself. Gaddafi has delivered a series of angry and defiant audio messages in recent days, vowing not to surrender.

In the most recent address, he acknowledged that opposition forces were moving into Tripoli and warned the city would be turned into another Baghdad.

"How come you allow Tripoli, the capital, to be under occupation once again?" he said. "The traitors are paving the way for the occupation forces to be deployed in Tripoli."

The rebels' surprising and speedy leap forward, after six months of largely deadlocked civil war, was packed into just a few dramatic hours. By nightfall on Sunday, they had advanced more than 32km to Tripoli....."

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