Stunned Libyan revolutionary forces regrouped today outside the Gadhafi stronghold Bani Walid after fierce fighters loyal to the deposed dictator successfully countered an offensive to take the hold-out city.
The Transitional National Council's army was stymied in part by what its claims is an effort to limit innocent civilians casualties as revolutionary forces move on Bani Walid, as well as Moammar Gadhafi's hometown Sirte.
But the Gadhafi forces are entrenched and well-armed in Bani Walid, about 80 miles southeast of Tripoli. It is one of the cities where Gadhafi may be hiding.
"The Gadhafi loyalists have so many weapons," revolutionary fighter Mabb Fatel, 28, told the Associated Press. “This battle is really crazy.”
In the coastal Mediterranean city of Sirte, even after bombing runs by NATO warplanes, TNC forces face tanks, artillery and clusters of snipers that have prevented revolutionary fighters from entering the city.
In a mostly symbolic victory, revolutionary forces captured the Al-Gurdabia airbase south of Sirte, Bloomberg reported.
Canada, meanwhile, whose commitment to the campaign was to expire this month, has agreed to extend its role by three months.
Showing posts with label rebel offensive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rebel offensive. Show all posts
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Rebels Say Attack Imminent on Gadhafi Stronghold of Bani Walid
Rebel leaders decided overnight to attack the loyalist stronghold Bani Walid as early as today, accusing Gadhafi loyalists of using a loosely held ceasefire this week to bolster their ranks and positions in that city where some believe Moammar Gadhafi is hiding.
"Negotiations are over, and we are waiting for orders," said Mohammed al-Fassi, a rebel commander whose troops are preparing to invade Bani Walid.
"We wanted to do this without bloodshed, but they took advantage of our timeline to protect themselves," al-Fassi told the Associated Press.
Gadhafi loyalists from the south are believed to have moved into Bani Waled this week, after the rebels gave them a deadline to surrender that had been extended until next weekend. The grace period appears to have vanished in the desert sands.
Rebel brigades are now concentrating in the area of Bani Walid from all directions.
"We are now on the border of Bani Walid, between Tarhouna and Bani Walid," Moftah Mohammed told the BBC. "We are coordinating with the rebels from Misrata. God willing, we are hoping to enter the town today or tomorrow."
The Gadhafi loyalists still control Sirte, Bani Walid and Sabha. The rebel Transitional National Council is delaying its move from Benghazi to Tripoli at least until the fighting is resolved in those cities, preferably upon the capture or killing of Gadhafi.
"Negotiations are over, and we are waiting for orders," said Mohammed al-Fassi, a rebel commander whose troops are preparing to invade Bani Walid.
"We wanted to do this without bloodshed, but they took advantage of our timeline to protect themselves," al-Fassi told the Associated Press.
Gadhafi loyalists from the south are believed to have moved into Bani Waled this week, after the rebels gave them a deadline to surrender that had been extended until next weekend. The grace period appears to have vanished in the desert sands.
Rebel brigades are now concentrating in the area of Bani Walid from all directions.
"We are now on the border of Bani Walid, between Tarhouna and Bani Walid," Moftah Mohammed told the BBC. "We are coordinating with the rebels from Misrata. God willing, we are hoping to enter the town today or tomorrow."
The Gadhafi loyalists still control Sirte, Bani Walid and Sabha. The rebel Transitional National Council is delaying its move from Benghazi to Tripoli at least until the fighting is resolved in those cities, preferably upon the capture or killing of Gadhafi.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Gadhafi on the Run Left His Photos of Condi Behind
Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi continues to elude capture, but the rebel government hoping to pick up his scent now that there is $1.4 million price on his head.
The bounty on Gadhafi sure does appear to be a carrot to Gadhafi insiders.
The likelihood of Average Joe Libyan seeing the fleeing despot on the streets is slim, so the Transitional National Council's may be thinking that a bag full of money may just what some inner circle Gadhafi confidante needs to add to his legal defense fund.
The rebels, with the help of NATO and Arab allies Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Jordan, may be on the trail of Gadhafi, according to a report in the French press.
Trackers reportedly discovered a safe house in Tripoli where Gadhafi holed up for at least one night, the magazine Paris Match reported on its website today.
The search for Gadhafi is centered in Tripoli, but the fighting is moving toward Sirte, the defrocked dictator's hometown and tribal capital. The city is said to be brimming with Gadhafi hardliners, so the battle is expected to be fierce.
The Obama administration, meanwhile, is preoccupied with the hunt for Gadhafi's mustard gas weapons and precursor chemical materials. NATO's eye in thee sky is keeping watch over any evidence that Gadhafi forces are attempting to use te chemicals weapons.
The nationwide search for Gadhafi is very different than the hunts for Saddam Hussein or Osama bin Laden, in which the U.S. was pretty much on its own to track down those scoundrels. In contrast, the vast majority of Libyans appear to want to capture Gadhafi.
Gadhafi and Hussein, however, did apparently share a penchant for quirky lifestyle choices.
When American forces went through Hussein's personal items they found that he fashioned himself to be a closet dime-store novelist. Rebels who captured Gadhafi's compound this week discovered a photo album of former Secretary of State Condoleeze Rice, for whom the dictator has hinted that he had much admiration for. Maybe too much.
The bounty on Gadhafi sure does appear to be a carrot to Gadhafi insiders.
The likelihood of Average Joe Libyan seeing the fleeing despot on the streets is slim, so the Transitional National Council's may be thinking that a bag full of money may just what some inner circle Gadhafi confidante needs to add to his legal defense fund.
The rebels, with the help of NATO and Arab allies Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Jordan, may be on the trail of Gadhafi, according to a report in the French press.
Trackers reportedly discovered a safe house in Tripoli where Gadhafi holed up for at least one night, the magazine Paris Match reported on its website today.
The search for Gadhafi is centered in Tripoli, but the fighting is moving toward Sirte, the defrocked dictator's hometown and tribal capital. The city is said to be brimming with Gadhafi hardliners, so the battle is expected to be fierce.
The Obama administration, meanwhile, is preoccupied with the hunt for Gadhafi's mustard gas weapons and precursor chemical materials. NATO's eye in thee sky is keeping watch over any evidence that Gadhafi forces are attempting to use te chemicals weapons.
The nationwide search for Gadhafi is very different than the hunts for Saddam Hussein or Osama bin Laden, in which the U.S. was pretty much on its own to track down those scoundrels. In contrast, the vast majority of Libyans appear to want to capture Gadhafi.
Gadhafi and Hussein, however, did apparently share a penchant for quirky lifestyle choices.
When American forces went through Hussein's personal items they found that he fashioned himself to be a closet dime-store novelist. Rebels who captured Gadhafi's compound this week discovered a photo album of former Secretary of State Condoleeze Rice, for whom the dictator has hinted that he had much admiration for. Maybe too much.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Fierce Urban Warfare Erupts in Tripoli
Updated 3:45 p.m. edt
Libyan rebels breached Moammar Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound today, rifling through his personal property and moving room-to-room, but did not immediately find the despot-in-hiding.
One rebel was seen wearing one of Gadhafi's beany caps as Arab-owned tv was among the first to enter the formerly fortified compound.
A military source said an "elite" group of rebel fighters trained by Western and Qatari special forces the past few months were expected to lead the way into Gadhafi's underground bunker and catacomb-like tunnel system.
"They were trained for this type of operation," the source said.
---[
There are brutal gun battles all over Tripoli today as rebels try to sweep up pockets of fighters loyal to Moammar Gadhafi who refuse to give up.
Smoke has been seen billowing from Moammar Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound and a ferocious firefight is underway at Tripoli's main airport, according to multiple media reports. NATO warplanes also have been heard in the skies over the city.
It remains unknown where Gadhafi is holed up.
There are now checkpoints around the city where rebels are aggressively searching cars of people leaving the city. It is part of an attempt to crackdown on former Gadhafi forces who have stripped off their uniforms in favor of civilian clothing, CNN reported.
Libyan rebels breached Moammar Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound today, rifling through his personal property and moving room-to-room, but did not immediately find the despot-in-hiding.
One rebel was seen wearing one of Gadhafi's beany caps as Arab-owned tv was among the first to enter the formerly fortified compound.
A military source said an "elite" group of rebel fighters trained by Western and Qatari special forces the past few months were expected to lead the way into Gadhafi's underground bunker and catacomb-like tunnel system.
"They were trained for this type of operation," the source said.
---[
There are brutal gun battles all over Tripoli today as rebels try to sweep up pockets of fighters loyal to Moammar Gadhafi who refuse to give up.
Smoke has been seen billowing from Moammar Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound and a ferocious firefight is underway at Tripoli's main airport, according to multiple media reports. NATO warplanes also have been heard in the skies over the city.
It remains unknown where Gadhafi is holed up.
There are now checkpoints around the city where rebels are aggressively searching cars of people leaving the city. It is part of an attempt to crackdown on former Gadhafi forces who have stripped off their uniforms in favor of civilian clothing, CNN reported.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Rebels Take Central Tripoli Amid Scant Defenses From Gadhafi Forces
Updated 10:30 p.m. edt with statement from President Obama
The Libyan rebels liberated a square in downtown Tripoli today with little resistance from Moammar Gadhafi's forces who finally may be abandoning the bloody back and forth revolution of the Arab Spring after six months of fighting.
At least two of Gadhafi's son's, including the loose-tongued Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, have been taken into custody by representatives of the rebel Transitional National Council. They may be turned over to international authorities at The Hague for prosecution.
After half a year of fierce fighting it is almost shocking how Gadhafi forces have disappeared, or are simply refusing to take up arms, just a day after the Tyrant of Tripoli promised rebel invaders street-to-street fighting to the death.
The citizens of Tripoli rising up to join the rebellion overnight should not be underestimated as a key to the speedy fall of the city.
NATO called for a peaceful and immediate transition of power in Libya.
President Obama issued a statement on Martha's Vineyard after he consulted by teleconference with his war council, made up of his top military, civilian and intelligence advisors.
"Tonight, the momentum against the Qadhafi regime has reached a tipping point. Tripoli is slipping from the grasp of a tyrant. The Qadhafi regime is showing signs of collapsing. The people of Libya are showing that the universal pursuit of dignity and freedom is far stronger than the iron fist of a dictator," Obama said.
"Meanwhile, the United States has recognized the Transitional National Council as the legitimate governing authority in Libya. At this pivotal and historic time, the TNC should continue to demonstrate the leadership that is necessary to steer the country through a transition by respecting the rights of the people of Libya, avoiding civilian casualties, protecting the institutions of the Libyan state, and pursuing a transition to democracy that is just and inclusive for all of the people of Libya," Obama added.
The regime claimed to have a 65,000-member force waiting for the rebels, but so far it has not been seen. NATO's eye-in-the sky: mainly U.S. spy satellites and drones, are believed to be keeping a watch for signs of that force.
Gunfire could be heard from small pockets around the city and there was no indication that the rebels had not captured Gadhafi's Bab el-Azizia compound by 9 p.m. Washington time.
It is night in Libya, so NATO and the rebels are waiting to see if daylight brings out the Gadhafi forces. The biggest fear now is of snipers under the cover of darkness.
The rebels moved slowly at first today, capturing key military installations and then finding scant resistance as they pressed on to central Tripoli and occupied what was formerly known as Green Square, renaming it Martyr's Square. It had been a favorite rallying spot for the Gadhafi regime.
There are very strong indications that elite forces from Western nations have lead, plotted and coordinated the rebel attacks. For months sources have said at the very least ex-American, British and French special forces have been among the trainers on the ground.
French-armed forces out of the Nafusa mountains led the invasion of Tripoli, backed by a daring dawn sea assault from fighters out of Misurata dubbed "Operation Mermaid Dawn." Overnight, NATO paved the way with strategic air strikes on military installations and command and communications facilities.
The rebels raised a French flag to apparently say thank you for the arms from Paris.
The Nafusa army includes at least two forces known as the Tripoli Brigades made up of men who fled the city to train and fight Gadhafi forces on a western front that virtually popped up overnight at the end of the spring.
The Nafusa fighters slowly, but steadily rolled towards Tripoli, while Gadhafi forces were focusing on the main rebel army out of the Transitional National Council capital Benghazi, and another force in Misurata,
Along the way the rebels captured tanks and other armor and coordinated with NATO warplanes, holding down friendly fire casualties to a relatively few, given the size and scope of the battlefield.
NATO's strategic strikes overnight, the Nafusa brigade's march on Tripoli and a daring dawn sea landing by Misurata fighters was a potent combination.
Freedom-seeking Libyans began their pro-democracy Arab Spring uprising on Feb. 17, hoping the Gadhafi regime would implode and the army would back their cause, as the armed forces did in the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt.
When Gadhafi ordered his forces to crack down on the peaceful Arab Spring protesters, they decided to fight back. The rebels took up arms, made some quick gains, but on March 19 an armored tank column under orders from Gadhafi was poised outside Benghazi, promising to exterminate the rebels in their stronghold once and for all.
And then that same day, French fighter jets and more than 110 U.S. and British cruise missiles lit it up against Gadhafi, virtually giving the Libyan rebels the most powerful air and sea force on the planet.
The mission, sanctioned by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, was initially under the command of Army Gen. Carter Ham, commander of the U.S. Africa Command
The U.S. Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps did the lion's share of the work, until March 27 when NATO took on the whole military operation in Libya under the command of Lt. Gen. Charlie Bouchard of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Turkey, the lone Muslim member of NATO, ultimately joined the mission.
The U.S. provided ships, drones, AWACS and other support after NATO took over, but American air strikes were still called in when necessary. Britain and France showed its commitment to the campaign when they upped the ante in late May and committed Apache and Gazelle attack helicopters to the campaign.
The Western and Arab coalition did not lose a single man or woman in combat, strongly suggesting the U.S. Africa Command, NATO and Arab coalition members pulled off the mission with random precision. France and Qatar also scored some points by breaking UN rules and arming the rebels.
The Libyan rebels liberated a square in downtown Tripoli today with little resistance from Moammar Gadhafi's forces who finally may be abandoning the bloody back and forth revolution of the Arab Spring after six months of fighting.
At least two of Gadhafi's son's, including the loose-tongued Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, have been taken into custody by representatives of the rebel Transitional National Council. They may be turned over to international authorities at The Hague for prosecution.
After half a year of fierce fighting it is almost shocking how Gadhafi forces have disappeared, or are simply refusing to take up arms, just a day after the Tyrant of Tripoli promised rebel invaders street-to-street fighting to the death.
The citizens of Tripoli rising up to join the rebellion overnight should not be underestimated as a key to the speedy fall of the city.
NATO called for a peaceful and immediate transition of power in Libya.
President Obama issued a statement on Martha's Vineyard after he consulted by teleconference with his war council, made up of his top military, civilian and intelligence advisors.
"Tonight, the momentum against the Qadhafi regime has reached a tipping point. Tripoli is slipping from the grasp of a tyrant. The Qadhafi regime is showing signs of collapsing. The people of Libya are showing that the universal pursuit of dignity and freedom is far stronger than the iron fist of a dictator," Obama said.
"Meanwhile, the United States has recognized the Transitional National Council as the legitimate governing authority in Libya. At this pivotal and historic time, the TNC should continue to demonstrate the leadership that is necessary to steer the country through a transition by respecting the rights of the people of Libya, avoiding civilian casualties, protecting the institutions of the Libyan state, and pursuing a transition to democracy that is just and inclusive for all of the people of Libya," Obama added.
The regime claimed to have a 65,000-member force waiting for the rebels, but so far it has not been seen. NATO's eye-in-the sky: mainly U.S. spy satellites and drones, are believed to be keeping a watch for signs of that force.
Gunfire could be heard from small pockets around the city and there was no indication that the rebels had not captured Gadhafi's Bab el-Azizia compound by 9 p.m. Washington time.
It is night in Libya, so NATO and the rebels are waiting to see if daylight brings out the Gadhafi forces. The biggest fear now is of snipers under the cover of darkness.
The rebels moved slowly at first today, capturing key military installations and then finding scant resistance as they pressed on to central Tripoli and occupied what was formerly known as Green Square, renaming it Martyr's Square. It had been a favorite rallying spot for the Gadhafi regime.
There are very strong indications that elite forces from Western nations have lead, plotted and coordinated the rebel attacks. For months sources have said at the very least ex-American, British and French special forces have been among the trainers on the ground.
French-armed forces out of the Nafusa mountains led the invasion of Tripoli, backed by a daring dawn sea assault from fighters out of Misurata dubbed "Operation Mermaid Dawn." Overnight, NATO paved the way with strategic air strikes on military installations and command and communications facilities.
The rebels raised a French flag to apparently say thank you for the arms from Paris.
The Nafusa army includes at least two forces known as the Tripoli Brigades made up of men who fled the city to train and fight Gadhafi forces on a western front that virtually popped up overnight at the end of the spring.
The Nafusa fighters slowly, but steadily rolled towards Tripoli, while Gadhafi forces were focusing on the main rebel army out of the Transitional National Council capital Benghazi, and another force in Misurata,
Along the way the rebels captured tanks and other armor and coordinated with NATO warplanes, holding down friendly fire casualties to a relatively few, given the size and scope of the battlefield.
NATO's strategic strikes overnight, the Nafusa brigade's march on Tripoli and a daring dawn sea landing by Misurata fighters was a potent combination.
Freedom-seeking Libyans began their pro-democracy Arab Spring uprising on Feb. 17, hoping the Gadhafi regime would implode and the army would back their cause, as the armed forces did in the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt.
When Gadhafi ordered his forces to crack down on the peaceful Arab Spring protesters, they decided to fight back. The rebels took up arms, made some quick gains, but on March 19 an armored tank column under orders from Gadhafi was poised outside Benghazi, promising to exterminate the rebels in their stronghold once and for all.
And then that same day, French fighter jets and more than 110 U.S. and British cruise missiles lit it up against Gadhafi, virtually giving the Libyan rebels the most powerful air and sea force on the planet.
The mission, sanctioned by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, was initially under the command of Army Gen. Carter Ham, commander of the U.S. Africa Command
The U.S. Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps did the lion's share of the work, until March 27 when NATO took on the whole military operation in Libya under the command of Lt. Gen. Charlie Bouchard of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Turkey, the lone Muslim member of NATO, ultimately joined the mission.
The U.S. provided ships, drones, AWACS and other support after NATO took over, but American air strikes were still called in when necessary. Britain and France showed its commitment to the campaign when they upped the ante in late May and committed Apache and Gazelle attack helicopters to the campaign.
The Western and Arab coalition did not lose a single man or woman in combat, strongly suggesting the U.S. Africa Command, NATO and Arab coalition members pulled off the mission with random precision. France and Qatar also scored some points by breaking UN rules and arming the rebels.
With NATO's Help, Rebels Take Key Base on Day 2 of Siege of Tripoli
Libyan rebels captured a strategic military base today outside Tripoli after NATO warplanes cleared the way with massive air strikes in what the insurgents said was a coordinated attack on Moammar Gadhafi's forces.
The base was a headquarters for the one-vaunted Khamis Brigade, located 18 miles to the west of downtown Tripoli. according to multiple media reports. The well-armed Khamis Brigade is named for Gadhafi's son, a general who may have been killed in earlier fighting, though the government disputes that claim by rebels.
A rebel celebration, witnessed by Western journalists, erupted after the installation was captured.
"This is the wealth of the Libyan people that he was using against us," Ahmed al-Ajdal, 27, a fighter from Tripoli, told the Associated Press as he loaded up a truck with ammunition. "Now we will use it against him and any other dictator who goes against the Libyan people."
The rebel breakthrough came this week when it captured the key crossroad city of Zawiyah, about 30 miles from downtown Tripoli.
The private military intelligence service STRATFOR made an interesting observation in an intelligence report it distributed this morning, suggesting the advancing rebels are being led by Western elite forces.
"It is unlikely that the rebel forces advancing from Zawiyah are fighting on their own. It will be important to watch for any signs of special operations forces from participating NATO countries quietly leading the offensive and preparing operations to locate and seize Gadhafi," the STRATFOR analysis said.
In a separate unconfirmed mission, the rebels claimed they pulled off a daring sea assault, landing fighters from Misurata near Tripoli to bolster the opposition forces preparing to enter Tripoli.
There were more reports of protests and small arms fire by Tripoli residents rising up against the 42-year rein of the Gadhafi regime. In addition to some high-profile Gadhafi advisers abandoning the regime this week, some of his forces are now indicating they are ready to quit the fight, as well.
Loyalist snipers, however, were believed to be targeting protesters in parts of Tripoli, signaling that many Gadhafi loyalists will fight on in what NATO fears could be bloody street-to-street fighting if the regime does not capitulate.
On his working vacation, President Obama was being kept abreast of the developments by his deputy national security adviser John Brennan.
"This morning, the President was briefed on the situation in Libya by John Brennan, including inputs from our team in Benghazi. The national security team will continue to provide updates to the President on this situation, as necessary," said White House deputy spokesman Josh Earnest.
"The United States continues to communicate closely with our allies, partners, and the TNC. We believe that Gadhafi's days are numbered, and that the Libyan people deserve a just, democratic and peaceful future," added Earnest, who like Brennan, is with Obama on Martha's Vineyard, off the Massachusetts coast.
The base was a headquarters for the one-vaunted Khamis Brigade, located 18 miles to the west of downtown Tripoli. according to multiple media reports. The well-armed Khamis Brigade is named for Gadhafi's son, a general who may have been killed in earlier fighting, though the government disputes that claim by rebels.
A rebel celebration, witnessed by Western journalists, erupted after the installation was captured.
"This is the wealth of the Libyan people that he was using against us," Ahmed al-Ajdal, 27, a fighter from Tripoli, told the Associated Press as he loaded up a truck with ammunition. "Now we will use it against him and any other dictator who goes against the Libyan people."
The rebel breakthrough came this week when it captured the key crossroad city of Zawiyah, about 30 miles from downtown Tripoli.
The private military intelligence service STRATFOR made an interesting observation in an intelligence report it distributed this morning, suggesting the advancing rebels are being led by Western elite forces.
"It is unlikely that the rebel forces advancing from Zawiyah are fighting on their own. It will be important to watch for any signs of special operations forces from participating NATO countries quietly leading the offensive and preparing operations to locate and seize Gadhafi," the STRATFOR analysis said.
In a separate unconfirmed mission, the rebels claimed they pulled off a daring sea assault, landing fighters from Misurata near Tripoli to bolster the opposition forces preparing to enter Tripoli.
There were more reports of protests and small arms fire by Tripoli residents rising up against the 42-year rein of the Gadhafi regime. In addition to some high-profile Gadhafi advisers abandoning the regime this week, some of his forces are now indicating they are ready to quit the fight, as well.
Loyalist snipers, however, were believed to be targeting protesters in parts of Tripoli, signaling that many Gadhafi loyalists will fight on in what NATO fears could be bloody street-to-street fighting if the regime does not capitulate.
On his working vacation, President Obama was being kept abreast of the developments by his deputy national security adviser John Brennan.
"This morning, the President was briefed on the situation in Libya by John Brennan, including inputs from our team in Benghazi. The national security team will continue to provide updates to the President on this situation, as necessary," said White House deputy spokesman Josh Earnest.
"The United States continues to communicate closely with our allies, partners, and the TNC. We believe that Gadhafi's days are numbered, and that the Libyan people deserve a just, democratic and peaceful future," added Earnest, who like Brennan, is with Obama on Martha's Vineyard, off the Massachusetts coast.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
The Battle for Tripoli Begins as Rebels Lay Siege on Gadhafi Stronghold
It's on!
Rebel forces are battling their way into Tripoli today to the cheers and support of Libyans welcoming the freedom fighters determined to capture the capital city and topple Moammar Gadhafi and his regime once and for all.
After six months of fighting that often has favored Gadhafi, rebel brigades closed in on the outskirts of Tripoli, sending notice to residents that the regime is the enemy, not the civilians. Gunfire is reportedly being heard all around the city, most of which is without power this evening.
There were reports that young people in the city are rising up to join the revolution born out of the Arab Spring pro-democracy freedom movement, according to rebel dispatches. Shots have been heard outside Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound.
President Obama is being kept abreast of the developments in the definitive battle to wrest control of Libya from Gadhafi. It is a crucial moment for the President, who inherited the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, but owned the Libyan revolution when he joined France and Britain in launching a daunting air assault against Gadhafi. Not a single American has been killed in the Libyan war.
Rebel victories this week in Zawiya to the west of Tripoli, Zlintan to the east and Gharyan to the south along with NATO warships to the north in the Mediterranean Sea have allowed the powerful alliance to surround Tripoli.
The regime claimed all-is-well in Tripoli in an absurd announcement on government tv that harkened back to the "everything is fine" whoppers told by Saddam Hussein's spokesman, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, better known as Baghdad Bob, as U.S. tanks and humvees rolled into the Iraqi capital May 1, 2003.
"All of Tripoli is safe and stable," Gadhafi spokesman Moussa Ibrahim told state tv.
Libyan rebel political leader, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, told a very different story, however.
"All evidence shows that the end is very near, with God's grace," the chairman of the Transitional National Council told reporters.
Rebel forces are battling their way into Tripoli today to the cheers and support of Libyans welcoming the freedom fighters determined to capture the capital city and topple Moammar Gadhafi and his regime once and for all.
After six months of fighting that often has favored Gadhafi, rebel brigades closed in on the outskirts of Tripoli, sending notice to residents that the regime is the enemy, not the civilians. Gunfire is reportedly being heard all around the city, most of which is without power this evening.
There were reports that young people in the city are rising up to join the revolution born out of the Arab Spring pro-democracy freedom movement, according to rebel dispatches. Shots have been heard outside Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound.
President Obama is being kept abreast of the developments in the definitive battle to wrest control of Libya from Gadhafi. It is a crucial moment for the President, who inherited the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, but owned the Libyan revolution when he joined France and Britain in launching a daunting air assault against Gadhafi. Not a single American has been killed in the Libyan war.
Rebel victories this week in Zawiya to the west of Tripoli, Zlintan to the east and Gharyan to the south along with NATO warships to the north in the Mediterranean Sea have allowed the powerful alliance to surround Tripoli.
The regime claimed all-is-well in Tripoli in an absurd announcement on government tv that harkened back to the "everything is fine" whoppers told by Saddam Hussein's spokesman, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, better known as Baghdad Bob, as U.S. tanks and humvees rolled into the Iraqi capital May 1, 2003.
"All of Tripoli is safe and stable," Gadhafi spokesman Moussa Ibrahim told state tv.
Libyan rebel political leader, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, told a very different story, however.
"All evidence shows that the end is very near, with God's grace," the chairman of the Transitional National Council told reporters.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Surrounded, Gadhafi Looking for Refuge Outside of Libya
Moammar Gadhafi is looking for an Arab country willing to give him safe haven after rebel armies cut off his supply lines and captured his last oil refinery as NATO warplanes kept his tanks from countering the opposition's ferocious week-long offensive, according to published and broadcast reports.
Civilians have begun fleeing Tripoli, fearing street-to-street fighting or one last act of deadly defiance by Gadhafi against his people.
NATO bombed Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziyah compound overnight. At least seven loud blasts were heard and felt by Western journalists in Tripoli, the Associated Press reported.
NBC reports Gadhafi could leave Libya, possibly for Tunisia, in a matter of days. NBC cited intelligence reports out of Washington. The loyalist government claimed it was engaged in talks with the rebels, asking for a cease-fire.
Gadhafi sent inquiries to Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria, indicating he and his family are looking for a safe haven that would bring an end to his defiant stand against the revolutionaries of the Arab Spring, a representative of the rebel Transitional National Council in Cairo told the Pan-Arab newspaper Asharq al-Awsat.
"Gadhafi is looking for a safe haven for his family in the case that Tripoli falls into the hands of the revolutionaries,"said Abdel Monem al-Houni, who was Gadhafi's top delegate to the Arab League before defecting to the rebel side.
The rebels say they have taken most of Zawiya, within 30 miles west of downtown Tripoli, capturing the last remaining oil refinery that had been proving fuel to the regime. Two other rebel armies have captured Zlintan to the east and Gharyan to the south with the help of Western air power, and the NATO Navy has cut off shipping to Tripoli.
Gadhafi and what remains of his forces are surrounded by what was once an uncoordinated rag-tag rebel force and a NATO alliance that has refused to put troops on the ground.
The key to the campaign was the emergence of a French-armed rebel division that came out of the Nafusa mountains in the West. With Gadhafi's forces tied up with the main rebel army in the east near Brega and separate opposition brigades out of Misurata, the Nafusa insurgents were able to march on Zawiya. NATO warplanes made it nearly impossible for Gadhafi's armor to move to re-enforce a loyalist garrison in that city.
France secretly parachuted small arms weapons, including tank-killers, in the Nafusa region earlier this summer, and more recently Qatar flew truckloads of ammunition into the captured air field outside of Misurata. NATO warships recently also helped the rebels capture a tanker loaded with fuel bound for Tripoli. The ship sailed into the de facto opposition capital Benghazi with rebels aboard.
"The Gadhafi regime has few days before it breathes its last," al-Houni said.
Civilians have begun fleeing Tripoli, fearing street-to-street fighting or one last act of deadly defiance by Gadhafi against his people.
NATO bombed Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziyah compound overnight. At least seven loud blasts were heard and felt by Western journalists in Tripoli, the Associated Press reported.
NBC reports Gadhafi could leave Libya, possibly for Tunisia, in a matter of days. NBC cited intelligence reports out of Washington. The loyalist government claimed it was engaged in talks with the rebels, asking for a cease-fire.
Gadhafi sent inquiries to Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria, indicating he and his family are looking for a safe haven that would bring an end to his defiant stand against the revolutionaries of the Arab Spring, a representative of the rebel Transitional National Council in Cairo told the Pan-Arab newspaper Asharq al-Awsat.
"Gadhafi is looking for a safe haven for his family in the case that Tripoli falls into the hands of the revolutionaries,"said Abdel Monem al-Houni, who was Gadhafi's top delegate to the Arab League before defecting to the rebel side.
The rebels say they have taken most of Zawiya, within 30 miles west of downtown Tripoli, capturing the last remaining oil refinery that had been proving fuel to the regime. Two other rebel armies have captured Zlintan to the east and Gharyan to the south with the help of Western air power, and the NATO Navy has cut off shipping to Tripoli.
Gadhafi and what remains of his forces are surrounded by what was once an uncoordinated rag-tag rebel force and a NATO alliance that has refused to put troops on the ground.
The key to the campaign was the emergence of a French-armed rebel division that came out of the Nafusa mountains in the West. With Gadhafi's forces tied up with the main rebel army in the east near Brega and separate opposition brigades out of Misurata, the Nafusa insurgents were able to march on Zawiya. NATO warplanes made it nearly impossible for Gadhafi's armor to move to re-enforce a loyalist garrison in that city.
France secretly parachuted small arms weapons, including tank-killers, in the Nafusa region earlier this summer, and more recently Qatar flew truckloads of ammunition into the captured air field outside of Misurata. NATO warships recently also helped the rebels capture a tanker loaded with fuel bound for Tripoli. The ship sailed into the de facto opposition capital Benghazi with rebels aboard.
"The Gadhafi regime has few days before it breathes its last," al-Houni said.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Battle for Brega Lingers amid Push for Diplomacy in Libya
Libyan rebels supported by NATO warplanes in the east are wrapping up the latest Brega campaign, but a few loyalists to Moammar Gadhafi are still fighting on in what may be shaping up as a definitive final battle for the oil port city.
"NATO and the rebels have tried to attack Brega for the last five days," Gadhafi spokesman Moussa Ibrahim boasted in Tripoli. "The only way for them to control Brega is to attack it with nuclear bombs."
Gadhafi's main force has retreated to Ras Lanuf, but left behind a Brega strewn with land mines, according to rebel reports. The rebels outside of Brega also came under artillery fire from Gadhafi's guns.
"It is going to take the revolutionaries at least 10 days to claim full control of Brega," rebel spokesman Abdel Salam told Reuters in Misurata.
In the west, the rebels Nafusa Mountains division is hung up and regrouping outside Gadhafi-held Gharyan, about 60 miles from Tripoli.
The latest offensive by the main rebel force in Brega came after a high-ranking U.S. delegation met with representatives of the regime over the weekend, telling them Gadhafi must go.
Russia criticized the U.S. and 30 other nations who recognized the rebel Transitional National Council as the legitimate government of Libya.
"Those who declare recognition stand fully on the side of one political force in a civil war," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in Moscow.
Britain, at Friday's meeting in Istanbul of the Libya Contact Group, also announced it would send four more Tornado jets to join the air campaign.
In oil-related news, Halliburton, which made billions from U.S. taxpayers through as series of somewhat sweetheart deals in the Iraq and Afghan wars, claims it lost $46 billion because of the revolution in Libya, but still reported net profits.
"NATO and the rebels have tried to attack Brega for the last five days," Gadhafi spokesman Moussa Ibrahim boasted in Tripoli. "The only way for them to control Brega is to attack it with nuclear bombs."
Gadhafi's main force has retreated to Ras Lanuf, but left behind a Brega strewn with land mines, according to rebel reports. The rebels outside of Brega also came under artillery fire from Gadhafi's guns.
"It is going to take the revolutionaries at least 10 days to claim full control of Brega," rebel spokesman Abdel Salam told Reuters in Misurata.
In the west, the rebels Nafusa Mountains division is hung up and regrouping outside Gadhafi-held Gharyan, about 60 miles from Tripoli.
The latest offensive by the main rebel force in Brega came after a high-ranking U.S. delegation met with representatives of the regime over the weekend, telling them Gadhafi must go.
Russia criticized the U.S. and 30 other nations who recognized the rebel Transitional National Council as the legitimate government of Libya.
"Those who declare recognition stand fully on the side of one political force in a civil war," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in Moscow.
Britain, at Friday's meeting in Istanbul of the Libya Contact Group, also announced it would send four more Tornado jets to join the air campaign.
In oil-related news, Halliburton, which made billions from U.S. taxpayers through as series of somewhat sweetheart deals in the Iraq and Afghan wars, claims it lost $46 billion because of the revolution in Libya, but still reported net profits.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
France: The End is Near for the Gadhafi Regime
Moammar Gadhafi may be on the brink of stepping down with his regime short of cash, fuel, food and munitions and facing rebels who are only being held back by NATO commanders opposed to a bloody street battle in Tripoli, according to French officials and rebel fighters.
"A political solution ... is beginning to take shape," French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said.
The broader Western and Arab alliance and the Libyan rebels have applied a concerted chokehold on the Gadhafi regime aimed at expediting the desperate dictator's demise and departure.
NATO warplanes have targeted fuel depots in eastern Libya in recent days, while the rebel army in the western Nafusa mountains has cut off one of the last remaining oil pipelines that had been controlled by Gadhafi forces.
Western powers and key Arab states have seized Gadhafi's money and NATO has degraded his weapons and munitions. Only a handful of African states remain allied to Gadhafi, but none are in a position to re-arm the Libyan dictator. South Africa may be willing to take Gadhafi, but there is the matter of his arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
"The Libyan regime sent its messengers all over, to Turkey, to New York, to Paris." said French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe. "We received emissaries who are saying, 'Gadhafi is prepared to leave. Let's discuss it.'"
The United States remained cautious, noting this is not the first time that Gadhafi has been believed to be ready to capitulate.
"We have a lot of folks claiming to be representatives of Gaddafi one way or the other reaching out to lots of other folks in the West," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said. "But the messages are contradictory."
Libyan rebel brigades out of Misurata to the east of Tripoli, as well as the French-armed opposition force in the Nafusa mountains, have complained that NATO refuses to let them march toward Tripoli.
The rebels claim NATO has told them the alliance is against urban warfare in Tripoli because innocent civilians will be hurt -- and that runs contrary to the reason why the U.S., France and Britain led the initial air campaign: To protect innocent Libyans.
In a new development that supports NATO's concerns, Human Rights Watch today is accusing some Libyan rebel forces of looting, arson and the abuse of civilians.
"In four towns captured by rebels in the Nafusa Mountains over the past month, rebel fighters and supporters have damaged property, burned some homes, looted from hospitals, homes, and shops, and beaten some individuals alleged to have supported government forces," Human Rights Watch said.
"A political solution ... is beginning to take shape," French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said.
The broader Western and Arab alliance and the Libyan rebels have applied a concerted chokehold on the Gadhafi regime aimed at expediting the desperate dictator's demise and departure.
NATO warplanes have targeted fuel depots in eastern Libya in recent days, while the rebel army in the western Nafusa mountains has cut off one of the last remaining oil pipelines that had been controlled by Gadhafi forces.
Western powers and key Arab states have seized Gadhafi's money and NATO has degraded his weapons and munitions. Only a handful of African states remain allied to Gadhafi, but none are in a position to re-arm the Libyan dictator. South Africa may be willing to take Gadhafi, but there is the matter of his arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
"The Libyan regime sent its messengers all over, to Turkey, to New York, to Paris." said French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe. "We received emissaries who are saying, 'Gadhafi is prepared to leave. Let's discuss it.'"
The United States remained cautious, noting this is not the first time that Gadhafi has been believed to be ready to capitulate.
"We have a lot of folks claiming to be representatives of Gaddafi one way or the other reaching out to lots of other folks in the West," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said. "But the messages are contradictory."
Libyan rebel brigades out of Misurata to the east of Tripoli, as well as the French-armed opposition force in the Nafusa mountains, have complained that NATO refuses to let them march toward Tripoli.
The rebels claim NATO has told them the alliance is against urban warfare in Tripoli because innocent civilians will be hurt -- and that runs contrary to the reason why the U.S., France and Britain led the initial air campaign: To protect innocent Libyans.
In a new development that supports NATO's concerns, Human Rights Watch today is accusing some Libyan rebel forces of looting, arson and the abuse of civilians.
"In four towns captured by rebels in the Nafusa Mountains over the past month, rebel fighters and supporters have damaged property, burned some homes, looted from hospitals, homes, and shops, and beaten some individuals alleged to have supported government forces," Human Rights Watch said.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
France Armed Western Army in Libya
The mystery of the rebel army that emerged in western Libya and successfully has made a push to within about 50 miles southwest of Tripoli appears to have been solved: France secretly armed the rebel force with airdrops in the Nafusa Mountains.
"Large amounts" of automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenades and anti-tank missiles, along with food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies, were parachuted to the force earlier this month, according to multiple reports that cited the French newspaper Le Figaro.
"There were humanitarian drops because the humanitarian situation was worsening and at one point it seemed the security situation was threatening civilians who could not defend themselves," French armed forces spokesman Thierry Burkhard told Reuters.
"France therefore also sent equipment allowing them to defend themselves, comprising light weapons and munitions," he said, adding that the drop in early June had included medicine and food.
The newly formed rebel army out of western Libya is the only opposition force that is currently on the march. The main rebel army in eastern Libya remains hung up near Ajdabiya, while the rebel brigades that pushed Gadhafi loyalists out of Misurata have not had much success moving east toward Triploli.
Rebel Transitional National Council Chairman Mahmoud Jibril said at a news conference in Vienna today that arming the opposition force would help avoid casualties against the better-equipped forces still loyal to Moammar Gadhafi.
"Giving them weapons we will be able decide the battle more quickly, so that we can shed as little blood as possible. Because the less blood we shed the faster we can think of the future and the more we can protect the Libyan people," Jibril said.
But a rebel military commander claimed to not know anything of the French arms being airdropped.
"Whoever gave us these arms should come here and tell us where he put them," Col. Mokhtar Milad Fernana, commander of the rebel fighting forces, told The Los Angeles Times.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen indicated today in Vienna that France was acting alone and not as part of the air campaign. The alliance will determine whether France violated any NATO or United Nations rules by arming the rebels.
The French are not apologizing.
"Large amounts" of automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenades and anti-tank missiles, along with food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies, were parachuted to the force earlier this month, according to multiple reports that cited the French newspaper Le Figaro.
"There were humanitarian drops because the humanitarian situation was worsening and at one point it seemed the security situation was threatening civilians who could not defend themselves," French armed forces spokesman Thierry Burkhard told Reuters.
"France therefore also sent equipment allowing them to defend themselves, comprising light weapons and munitions," he said, adding that the drop in early June had included medicine and food.
The newly formed rebel army out of western Libya is the only opposition force that is currently on the march. The main rebel army in eastern Libya remains hung up near Ajdabiya, while the rebel brigades that pushed Gadhafi loyalists out of Misurata have not had much success moving east toward Triploli.
Rebel Transitional National Council Chairman Mahmoud Jibril said at a news conference in Vienna today that arming the opposition force would help avoid casualties against the better-equipped forces still loyal to Moammar Gadhafi.
"Giving them weapons we will be able decide the battle more quickly, so that we can shed as little blood as possible. Because the less blood we shed the faster we can think of the future and the more we can protect the Libyan people," Jibril said.
But a rebel military commander claimed to not know anything of the French arms being airdropped.
"Whoever gave us these arms should come here and tell us where he put them," Col. Mokhtar Milad Fernana, commander of the rebel fighting forces, told The Los Angeles Times.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen indicated today in Vienna that France was acting alone and not as part of the air campaign. The alliance will determine whether France violated any NATO or United Nations rules by arming the rebels.
The French are not apologizing.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Raw Video: Gadhafi's Armor After French Air Force Strikes
Video taken on the ground by RT newsperson who is following the rebel force.
Rebel Offensive Still Moves West; NATO to Run Show
Updated 11:45 p.m. set
The coalition turned their sites on Sirte today as rebel forces moved carefully towards what could become a major engagement with Moammar Gadhafi's forces in the city where he was born.
Coalition jets were seen and about a dozen blasts could be heard by reporters visiting Sirte,located less than 300 miles from Tripoli The Washington Post reported. Coalition strikes and anti-aircraft fire were also heard around Tripoli today.
The rag-tag rebel force and their column of person vehicles and pickup trucks with machine guns and rocket launchers mounted in the back was marching westward down the coastal highway after taking a string of town since they launched the offensive late last week.
Most of the territory had been in the hands of the rebels previously, but Sirte is nerw territory that has remained in Gadhafi's grip. His forces are believed to have substancial numbers in Sirte. The Wall Street Journal cited a person close to the Libyan military command who said loyalist reinforcements had been sent to Sirt from the southern towns of Sebha, Waddan and Al-Jufra.
end update
---[
Updated 5:45 p.m.
Statement today by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Libya:
"NATO Allies have decided to take on the whole military operation in Libya under the United Nations Security Council Resolution. Our goal is to protect civilians and civilian-populated areas under threat of attack from the Gaddafi regime. NATO will implement all aspects of the UN Resolution. Nothing more, nothing less.
"This is a very significant step, which proves NATO's capability to take decisive action.
In the past week, we have put together a complete package of operations in support of the United Nations Resolution by sea and by air. We are already enforcing the arms embargo and the No Fly Zone, and with today's decision we are going beyond. We will be acting in close coordination with our international and regional partners to protect the people of Libya.
We have directed NATO's top operational Commander to begin executing this operation with immediate effect."
end update
---[
Libyan rebels stormed westward again today, re-capturing the oil town Ras Lanuf and nearby Bin Jawad, apparently girding for a showdown in coming days with limping loyalist forces in the birthplace of Moammar Gadhafi: Sirte.
The rebel charge came as NATO agreed to take over the entire mission over Libya, Reuters reports.
U.S., French and British warplanes cleared the road for the fast-moving offensive, taking out Gadhafi's armor and troops, leveling the playing field for the outgunned rebels (Defense Secretary Robert Gates charged that Gadhafi is moving bodies that Libyan forces have killed to bombed out coalition target sites).
The rebels claim they will begin shipping oil as early as this week after re-taking the oil centers they pulled out of more than a week ago.
BBC's Ben Brown in Ras Lanuf reports, "It's been a remarkable day for the rebels. After seizing Ajdabiya, they have advanced westwards alsong the coastal highway at breakneck speed. Town after town as fallen to them - Brega, Ugayla, Ras Lanuf and Bin Jawad. It has been hard at times for us to keep up with them. The rebels are in a state of high excitement, exhilarated."
Brown added, "They can hardly believe the progress they have made... But the truth is that they never would have made this breakthrough if it had not been for the devastating coalition air strikes outside Ajdabiya on Thursday and Friday. They destroyed dozens of Col Gaddafi's tanks, armored vehicles and artillery pieces."
Taking Sirte, to the west, may be different story, however.
"The rebels claim that on Monday they could be in Sirte - Col Gaddafi's birthplace and heartland. Yet, the closer they advance towards Tripoli, the more of a fight the regime is likely to put up. Today may have been the easy part," Brown reported.
The coalition turned their sites on Sirte today as rebel forces moved carefully towards what could become a major engagement with Moammar Gadhafi's forces in the city where he was born.
Coalition jets were seen and about a dozen blasts could be heard by reporters visiting Sirte,located less than 300 miles from Tripoli The Washington Post reported. Coalition strikes and anti-aircraft fire were also heard around Tripoli today.
The rag-tag rebel force and their column of person vehicles and pickup trucks with machine guns and rocket launchers mounted in the back was marching westward down the coastal highway after taking a string of town since they launched the offensive late last week.
Most of the territory had been in the hands of the rebels previously, but Sirte is nerw territory that has remained in Gadhafi's grip. His forces are believed to have substancial numbers in Sirte. The Wall Street Journal cited a person close to the Libyan military command who said loyalist reinforcements had been sent to Sirt from the southern towns of Sebha, Waddan and Al-Jufra.
end update
---[
Updated 5:45 p.m.
Statement today by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Libya:
"NATO Allies have decided to take on the whole military operation in Libya under the United Nations Security Council Resolution. Our goal is to protect civilians and civilian-populated areas under threat of attack from the Gaddafi regime. NATO will implement all aspects of the UN Resolution. Nothing more, nothing less.
"This is a very significant step, which proves NATO's capability to take decisive action.
In the past week, we have put together a complete package of operations in support of the United Nations Resolution by sea and by air. We are already enforcing the arms embargo and the No Fly Zone, and with today's decision we are going beyond. We will be acting in close coordination with our international and regional partners to protect the people of Libya.
We have directed NATO's top operational Commander to begin executing this operation with immediate effect."
end update
---[
Libyan rebels stormed westward again today, re-capturing the oil town Ras Lanuf and nearby Bin Jawad, apparently girding for a showdown in coming days with limping loyalist forces in the birthplace of Moammar Gadhafi: Sirte.
The rebel charge came as NATO agreed to take over the entire mission over Libya, Reuters reports.
U.S., French and British warplanes cleared the road for the fast-moving offensive, taking out Gadhafi's armor and troops, leveling the playing field for the outgunned rebels (Defense Secretary Robert Gates charged that Gadhafi is moving bodies that Libyan forces have killed to bombed out coalition target sites).
The rebels claim they will begin shipping oil as early as this week after re-taking the oil centers they pulled out of more than a week ago.
BBC's Ben Brown in Ras Lanuf reports, "It's been a remarkable day for the rebels. After seizing Ajdabiya, they have advanced westwards alsong the coastal highway at breakneck speed. Town after town as fallen to them - Brega, Ugayla, Ras Lanuf and Bin Jawad. It has been hard at times for us to keep up with them. The rebels are in a state of high excitement, exhilarated."
Brown added, "They can hardly believe the progress they have made... But the truth is that they never would have made this breakthrough if it had not been for the devastating coalition air strikes outside Ajdabiya on Thursday and Friday. They destroyed dozens of Col Gaddafi's tanks, armored vehicles and artillery pieces."
Taking Sirte, to the west, may be different story, however.
"The rebels claim that on Monday they could be in Sirte - Col Gaddafi's birthplace and heartland. Yet, the closer they advance towards Tripoli, the more of a fight the regime is likely to put up. Today may have been the easy part," Brown reported.
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