Wednesday - Libya - Battles in Tripoli & the Airport continue. The suffering of Matthew Chance ends after 3 days without caviar

Updates on Libya - Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Today, we will discontinue our coverage of the 8 media sources and their reporting on the Libyan war. Those reports are provided below the video for anyone who wants to catch up on events that took place on Monday and Tuesday. Instead, we now begin to cover any major developments here at the top of this page, based upon reports from a variety of sources. Each update will be indicated by a change in title for this page.

Wednesday 11:38 p.m. -

CNN is reporting that intense battles continue in parts of Tripoli and at the Tripoli International airport. CNN is spinning the battle of the airport saying that the reason for the battle at the airport is due to the Libyan military's attempt to clear the airport in order to clear a way for Col. Qaddafi and family to leave Libya.

The suffering of Matthew Chance ends after 3 days without caviar

Meanwhile, CNN is starring their reporter, Matthew Chance. Matthew was shivering with fear while the Libyan military was protecting him in Hotel Rixos for 3 days (CNN says 5 days). The Libyan military heroically provided a safe passage for the journalists from Hotel Rixos late today amidst a fierce gun battle with the mercenaries which continues at this hour. They had to have control of the hotel and surrounding area of course to achieve this rescue.

But now that the same Libyan miltary has provided his safe passage from the hotel, pink-cheeked Matthew isn't shivering any more; rather, in full miltary attire he is claiming to have been "a hostage at gunpoint," spewing hatred toward his former protectors. Just another corporate media coward doing his job. God bless poor Matthew who had to go 3 days without his caviar which now makes him a hero of western journalism, a soldier for the government controlled media.

Please take a few minutes to watch Blakk Rasta, featured now on Axis of Logic. They have something to say to Barack Obama about his role in the 6 month bombing of Libya.

Wednesday, 6:06 p.m.

Fierce fighting at airport. Saif Qadaffi offers a cease fire to stop the bloodshed.

CNN is reporting that Col. Qaddafi's son, Saif has contacted CNN to offer the US/NATO-led mercenaries a cease fire to stop the bloodshed. CNN reports that Saiif told their reporter that he "does not want this to turn into another Somalia." Saif also confirmed that he has the authority to broker a cease fire and to stop the Libian army from continuing their defense of the country.

CNN suggests that the mercenaries are considering it but CNN states emphatically that it's too late for a cease fire, obviously unconcerned about the people on both sides of the conflict who are being wounded and killed by the hour. The news anchor uses an interview with an American-Lybian to suggest that Saif has no interest in stopping the bloodshed but rather only wants to save himself and his family. CNN also reports that the battle for the Tripoli International Airport is "fierce."

Wednesday, 2:30 p.m. TeleSur has just announced that the Venezuelan Embassy in Tripoli has been sacked and looted. President Chavez and the Venezuelan Government has supported Col. Qaddafi and the Libyan Government for years and have been among the strongest critics of the US/NATO invasion from the time it was planned. Venezuela also refuses to recognize the new regime being set up by the US and NATO in Tripoli. Yesterday, President Chavez condemned the NATO bombing, receiving resounding applause by his cabinet. There can be no doubt that this attack on the Venezuelan Embassy was carried out by the NATO Mafia and their mercenaries.

Venezuelan embassy in Tripoli attacked

Caracas, Venezuela (NTN24 Wires) - Venezuelan embassy in Tripoli attacked, looted, says Chavez.

Previously, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez declared he will continue to recognize only Muammer Gadhafi as the legitimate leader of Libya, despite signs the regime is likely in its last throes.

Chavez said, there is "only one government, the one led by Muammer Gadhafi”, restating earlier criticism of the NATO bombardment that contributed to the collapse of the Libyan strongman's regime.

"We affirm our solidarity with the attacked and bombarded Libyan people," he said, in a statement made during a cabinet meeting broadcast by television and radio.

In yesterday's televised cabinet meeting, Chavez accused Western powers of violating international law by aiding the rebels and of invading Libya to rob the country of it's oil reserves:

"This is kicking, spitting... on the most basic elements of international law. Where are the international rights? This is like the caveman era. "Now Obama said he will collaborate economically with the new government, which of course we do not recognize. It's harsh but true ... They [the U.S.] arranged this war. They provided the arms [to] the mercenaries."

The Embassy was sacked and burned in 1992 by an opposition mob inside Lybia. That attack was condemned by the UN Security Council and described as an "act of terrorism." It will be interesting to see what if anything the UNSC has to say about today's attack.

Wednesday, 12:30 p.m. - You Tube has removed and blocked the RT interview of Thierry Meyssan who was reporting from inside the Rixos Hotel two days ago. We republishe the video on Axis of Logic but it's no longer accessible. Meyssan was reporting on the CIA and MI6 spies who were posing as journalists in the hotel.

Today, they also removed and blocked Meyssan's website, Voltaire.net, an website critical of the NATO invasion with reports from Tripoli. Voltaire has been an important source for reliable information.

The censored video was removed and reformatted by Live Leak before YouTube blocked. We republish it below from Live Leak..

Locations inside Tripoli, the Tripoli International Airport, the road leading to the airport and cities in southern Libya remain under government control. We will report more on this and other developments on an hourly basis throughout the day. - Les Blough, Axis of Logic

Wednesday, 10:45 a.m. - Reports this morning center around the international journalists in the Rixos Hotel in Tripoli. These 35 journalists (including some CIA and MI6 spies posing as journalists) had not been permitted to leave the hotel for 3 days, since Sunday night, August 21. These journalists have just now been released from the hotel by the Libyan military (10:22 a.m. Wednesday). Until now, CNN television has been presenting them as being held hostage by Libyan government soldiers saying the journalists "were held at gunpoint" by the Libyan soldiers. The Libyan soldiers have been telling them they cannot leave because of the danger of leaving in the midst of gunfire. Despite the Libyan soldiers' assistance in getting the journalists safely out of the hotel via Red Cross vehicles, CNN is portraying their help in every negative way conceivable. Now that CNN's Matthew Chance is safely out of the hotel, he just now called the Libyan soldiers who helped them, "crazy gunmen" who "kept us hostage against our will."

The area around the hotel is one of the places being defended against the advance of the NATO mercenaries. Matthew Chance, a CNN reporter complained that the Libyan soldiers had been hostile toward them, saying that they blame the international media for the NATO invasion and support for the mercenaries. Fighting continues around the area of the hotel. The reporters are on their way out of the country in Red Cross vehicles. - LMB

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi appears on live television in Tripoli at 1:30 Tuesday morning and gives interviews to journalists. Standing openly in Green Square in Tripoli he shows no fear of attack. Up until his appearance, the corporate media has been reporting that he was arrested and is being held by the US/NATO -backed mercenaries, that one of his brothers was killed and other brothers have been captured by the mercenaries. He said, "The people of Libya are standing strong. Today we will go to all the trouble spots to reassure the people that all is well." He added, "To hell with the ICC!" (international criminal court.)

Saif then rode off into the night in a large white SUV, easy to spot from the air, demonstrating his confidence in the security of Tripoli. Before leaving, he offered CNN Reporters to take them to other parts of the city where the Libyan military is in control. The CNN reporters refused. CNN and other imperial mouth pieces are obviously relying on the lies of the mercenaries and doing absolutely nothing to get at the truth. It now appears that it may very well be that the Libyan military has allowed the mercenaries to come into Tripoli as a trap. Now, journalists have reported that the Libyan government has restored air conditioning, food and water supplies which demonstrates their control of the center of Tripoli

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Al Jazeera -

5:00 p.m. AJ reported that the mercenaries "have overrun the fortified compound of Muammar Gaddafi in Bab al-Azizya ... following intense fighting with forces loyal to the Libyan leader." Axis comment: This report is rather strange. CNN and other corporate media all reported that the mercenaries "captured" the compound. However, after watching them fire heavy weapons into the compound throughout the morning, they found nobody inside defending it according to CNN's video taped coverage. They then set about to burn buildings, vandalize and loot the Qaddafi home. AJ concluded: "The tenuous nature of the rebels' grip on Tripoli has dampened rebel hopes of a swift victory and raised concerns that the city of two million people could be the stage for a protracted armed struggle."

12:30 p.m. Heavy fighting in areas of Tripoli. Smoke rising from the Qaddafi family compound. Qaddafi forces fighting back using heavy weapons. "The battle is certainly not over. The city is on a knife edge." "Rebels set up checkpoints throughout the neighborhoods in an attempt to maintain law and order." Qaddafi's forces have withdrawn from most areas of Tripoli but sleeper cells haven't. Snipers scattered across the city and a rebel convoy was ambushed by government troops. Government troops claimed they controlled 75 percent of the city but the mercenaries said they controlled only 20 percent.

9:50 a.m. Zeina Khodr reporting for Al Jazeera attempts to explain the lies promulgated by the US/NATO mercenaries (NTC) by laughably blaming the lies on Qaddafi forces who may have infiltrated the NTC: "There is confusion among the ranks of opposition fighters on the ground. Some people are asking whether the National Transitional Council has been infiltrated." But even if she's correct, what does infilitration by the Libyan government say about US/NATO's NTC?

Al Jazeera is based in Qatar, a tiny country not friendly with Libya and the news agency was taken by surprise by the dramatic appearance of Saif al-Islam Qaddafi (video above) when they had been reporting that he had been captured and was in the hands of the US/NATO mercenaries waiting for transfer to the ICC. AJ explained, "the re-appearance of Saif, an influential figure who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, has raised fresh questions about the NTC leadership's grip on a fast-changing situation."

Turns out that when asked about their warrant for Saif's arrest the ICC spokesperson said they knew nothing about it and had filed no such warrant. AJ's Jacky Rowland in Benghazi said of the US/NATO mercenaries:

"Now we are seeing accusations, doubts, and confusion. It is going to be interesting to see how the NTC (mercenaries pseudo government) explains this debacle and how it seeks to reinforce and strengthen these alliances and enable the rebels to get to Tripoli itself."

The NTC were forced to then hold a joint press conference in Benghazi with Ahmet Davutoglu, the Turkish foreign minister on Tuesday. The most intelligent (sic) think NTC had to say was, "We stand by NTC leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil ... He established the path for Libya for the future." Hmmm, some future with their rabble lying about the capture of Saif and that they controlled 90% of Tripoli last night.

Fox News - Reporter Tardek Markowski ties his Fox News anchor in knots with his report on the chaotic NTC in Tripoli. The Fox anchor practically begs him to show strength in the NTC but Markowski roundly disappoints him.

CNN Television (Live) - The CNN reporters have been embedded with the mercenaries from the very beginning, throughout the war. They refused to go with Saif last night when he invited to show them places in Tripoli. Sarah Leidner actually rode in the convoy of the mercenaries when it drove into Tripoli from the south yesterday.

8:00 p.m. - CNN's reporter Matthew Chance is one of the jouralists inside the Hotel Roxex in Tripoli. He just told the CNN anchor that the hotel continues to be under the control of the Libyan army. He said that tonight one of the Libyan soldiers told visited him and said, "I supposed you journalists are happy now." Chance said that the soldier was speaking of the gains made by the mercenaries.

5:45 p.m. - CNN speculates that Col. Qaddafi might be at a farm near the Tripoli International Airport where heavy fighting continues. They report that the mercenaries are dug in near the airport but government forces are in control of the airport and the road that leads to the airport.

5:00 p.m. - CNN interviewed Mahmoud shammam NTC Information Minister when he begged for for international support in the form of military assistance and money. He continued by saying however, that the NTC does "not want interference from foreigners. we want independence from foreigners." He said that the mercenaries promised that after the NTC takes over government they will lay down their the massive amount of arms given to them by France and other NATO countries and those they've stolen in Tripoli. He said he believes them. About Col. Qaddafi, he added, "He has no place to go. We will follow him and find him."

CNN's Arwa Damon reports the road to the Tripoli int'l airport is under Libyan gov't control and a fight is still ahead of them. There is still a lot of fighting but "the end is incredibly near."

CNN shows Frederik Pleitgen saying the NTC plans to move their headquarters to Tripoli from Benghazi after Tripoli has been secured. Pleitgen denied the facts saying, "There were no civil institutions in Libya under Qaddafi." CNN's Becky Anderson says it's important to get the rebel forces to Tripoli or else the NTC will be seen as a colonial government.

CNN interviewed the NTC's Chairman of the Executive Board, Mahmoud Gibrile Chairman who spoke from Doha, Qatar. Gibile said, "justice will be the first order for the new government." He added the following set of priorities for the NTC:

rebuilding of new security with new leaders.
have to build security camps to keep the captives (prisons) and the prison guards will have to deal well with the captives treat them well. (Axis: thes are men who disemboweled, dismembered and cannibalized their captives during the past 6 months)
set examples where every libyan works as loving brothers a state based on equality for everyone. (Axis: these are tribes who for decades have had bitter conflicts and scores to settle with one another.
help the mercenaries defeat the Libyan government in cities in the south which "are not liberated yet. We want to help the fighters there to liberate these cities."
"We must be transparent to Libyans and the whole world to give credibility to what we are saying."
Qaddafi went out in a strange way just like hollywood - to show that he was not to be captured. He also defended the disinformation put out by the NTC yesterday about the capture of Col. Qaddafi's sons saying that his source in Tripoli didn't return his call to confirm the information. He also said that "several" 30 Libyan soldiers have been captured and 30 officers defected.
Finally he said, "this is the most glorious moment for the NTC since the 10th of February. Other arab countries helped - Qatar helped to persuade the U.S. to return 1.5 billion dollars from the u.s. to the NTC, that the NTC will receive 2.5 billion from Qatar and Turkey and that Germany agreed to loan the money, "but it will be expensive."

CNN's Becky Anderson added, "The Qaddafi Regime collapsed today before the eyes of the world. Fighting continues at the airport/"

2:13 p.m. - The mercenaries tried to force CNN's Sarah Zeidner to go into the compound which they have all but destroyed. CNN refused to go in with their cameras saying that it's too dangerous. It seems obvious that CNN does not want to show the vandalism, theft, burning and destruction wreaked by these hoodlums. They report, "Wild and dangerous celebrations in Tripoli."

CNN reports that NATO has provided "great support" - significant "tactical support" for the mercenaries' advance into Tripoli.

When CNN's Michael Holmes is asked where Col. Qaddafi is he compares him to Saddam Hussein saying it took a number of days to find Saddam.

12:58 p.m. - CNN has been showing the mercenaries firing on the Qaddafi compound for the last 8 hours or so. Now they say that they have "captured" the compound. Well, when they entered noone was inside. So it was all a show. The CNN reporter, dressed like a soldier, inadvertently added that the rabble looted the compound, taking chandeliers, showing sculptures and other things being stolen. But then she quickly added that they mostly took weapons and that their crimes are minimal. She said that they have been burning buildings inside the compound. She also spoke sympathetically of the mercenaries saying that the people have never been allowed in Col. Qaddafi's personal home before and they are delighted to be able to go through his things and swim in the swimming pool. Question: How many people have ever been able to go into the homes of Obama, Cameron or Sarkozy. This kind of fawning over the mercenaries is nothing short of bizarro.

Going to CNN TV, Sarah Seidner reports today on the situation in Tripoli. A CNN anchor asked her who is in control of Tripoli, government or mercenary forces. She answered, "there's no way to know because this is urban warfare." She says that firefights are going on building to building and there's no way to tell who is who. She adds, "There's no sign this will end soon." When asked who if Qadaffi's Bab al-Aziziya compound she said it was being "bombed" but the there's no way to know who if anyone is inside.

In CNN's latest defense of the US/NATO invasion they are interviewing the US ambassador to the UN. She says that if they had not bombed Libya, "Qaddafi would have gone into Bengazi and killed hundreds of thousands of people." The fact that US and NATO created, armed and funded the so-called "rebels." CNN goes on to say that these mercenaries represent Libyans and that they "started the revolution from scratch." She added that they will crush the Libyan government with sanctions which are already in place nationally and are discussing international sanctions at the U.N.

2:15 p.m. - CNN reporting that the mercenaries are in control of Benghazi which of course is the mercenary stronghold where US/NATO gave birth to them.

NATO - 9:50 a.m. Going to a NATO press conference in Naples, their military spokesperson repeated the absurdity,

"We are only a party with a limited role, which is basically to enforce the no-fly zone. We do our missions which is basically to the no-fly zone and the embargo and protection of the civilian population."

- and that NATO does not target individuals. When asked why then were they were targetting Col. Qaddaffi's compound. He replied that it was a potential military target. A reporter asked him how, if it's under the control of the US/Mercenaries, can it be a potential military threat. He alluded to the possibility that it could become a potential military threat in the future. How's that for circular logic?

NATO's spokeswoman in Brussels, Oana Lungescu, claimed that NATO is "is maintaining its independence from Libyan opposition forces." How does that comport with them bombing the way to Tripoli in advance of the NTC? She stated, "NATO is implementing a mandate from the UN Security Council resolution, and we will continue to do that until all attacks and threats of attacks against civilians have stopped, until all of Gaddafi's forces have withdrawn to their base."

Lungescu also said, "there will be no NATO troops on the ground in the future", but sorta left the door open on that one adding that NATO supports "a solution that responds to the legitimate aspirations of the Libya people". Hmmm ... what the hell does that mean?

Perhaps Marwan Bishara, "Al Jazeera's chief political analyst" has an answer. She says, "Clearly NATO is preparing the ground for NATO to stay in Libya well beyond the fighting in Tripoli." Stay in Libya's skies or on the ground? (portions taken from CNN TV broadcasts and Al Jazeera)

The Telegraph (UK) - 9:50 a.m. Damien McElroy, a shill for the UK's Telegraph reported from Tripoli that the Qaddafi home was ransacked and looted. (reminds one of English last week). McElroy wrote that the looters filled their white pickup "with enough treasure to stock a small boutique." He said they stole things like perfume, shaving lotion, a pistol, clothing, a baseball cap and parts of a military uniform. When they left with their loot, one of the mercenaries told McElroy, "Saadi Gaddafi's house. Don't mind us, we are very tired but happy. These are nice things!"

McElroy concluded his report on the looting: "It wasn't long before the unit commander decided that outside eyes should not witness the scene and roughly shoved strangers away" and repeated the lie, "Saadi Gaddafi, who used a villa in the compound as a beach house, was arrested by the rebels on Sunday night in Tripoli."

McElroy and his bosses constructed their report to portray a lavish lifestyle lived by the Qaddafis and laced it with epithets, calling the legitimate Libyan soldiers, "regime gunmen," repeatedly called Col. Qaddafi a "dictator" and a "dictator [who] languished in his bunker or, possibly viewed the spectacle from a far off refuge" who ruled Tripoli "with an iron fist [which] had fractured into a fast-moving free-shooting zone."

TeleSur TV -

5:45 p.m. Telesur TV provides a voice message directly from Col. Qaddafi to a Russian television station in which he thanks all those in the world who have supported Libya throughout this war. The whereabouts of him and his family remain unknown. They have also been showing the mercenaries celebrating in Tripoli throughout the day.

5:00 p.m. Throughout the day, TeleSur has been running a program that shows the month to month history of the US/NATO assault that led up to the last two days of battle.

Telesur reports locations of 3 areas of battle: the capital city of Tripoli, the Tripoli International Airport and cities in the south of Libya

At 12:31 p.m. - TeleSur reports quotes the Pentagon stating that the mercenaries control the majority of the capital city. Their cameras show massive columns of black smoke rising into the skies of the city.

09:30 a.m. - TeleSur journalists in Tripoli are reporting today that US/NATO bombing is killing scores of people and that tactical moves are being carried out by the Libyan army to isolate and attack the NTO gunmen who have entered the city in the last 24 hours.

Mathaba - 5:00 p.m. Mathaba reports on a position taken by the Russian Foreign minister, "Russia will not recognize the National Transitional Council as the sole legitimate representative. The Russian and Libyan peoples have traditions of friendship, years-long interaction, and we shall continue to act in this vein in the future as well." But he said that Russia does recognize the National Transitional Council as a party to the talks.

Five more countries recognize Libyan rebel council

Iraq, Morocco, Bahrain, Oman and Nigeria have recognized the Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) as the sole legitimate international representative of the Libyan people, according to Itar-Tass news agency and Associated Press reports on Tuesday. Now there are more than 30 states that recognize the NTC.

RT News - 5:00 p.m. RT News reports that NATO support for the war comes at "fantastic cost" for Libyans. Lindsey German of Stop the War" coalition said that thousands have been killed where they were protecting civilians. Axis of Logic adds to the toll the destruction of infrastructure, the trillions in reserves, gold and petroleum that's being stolen; the insecurity and ongoing civil war that will no doubt continue in the struggle for power among the tribes, not unlke what continues to go on in Iraq nearly a decade after the invasion there; the loss of a stable government known for it's socialist system that gave Libyans free health care, quality education, housing and peace for so many years. And of course, the loss of Libyan sovereignty and independence to imperial control and subjugation to the west's failing economic system

A great deal of instructure

Reported that Britains M16 provided support on the ground to the mercenaries, kept secret until now.

9:00 a.m. - RT's interview with Lizzie Phelan - Meanwhile, Lizzie Phelan reported to RT News that the Libyan military did indeed lure the NTC into Tripoli and now are attacking them with urban guerilla tactics.

So the beat goes on. Check back later today for more updates.

- Les Blough in Venezuela

August 22, 2011 2:00 a.m. - We just heard Matthew Chance, a journalist calling into CNN saying that Col. Qadaffi's son, Saif Al-Islam, reported earlier to be in NATO/mercenary custody drove by, stopped, exited his armored vehicle, stood openly on the street at 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning. He told journalists that the mercenaries in Tripoli are being trapped for a military strike "to break their back." Matthew Chance said that the rebel's claim that they control 90% of Tripoli is now in doubt. He reported that Qadaffi's son sped off in a convoy of armored vehicles into the night. 30 minutes later, CNN now shows a video of Saif Al-Islam standing in Tripoli's Green Square, surrounded by hundreds of Libyans shaking hands with him and cheering him. Saif Al-Islam who speaks fluent English reported that his father is in Tripoli with the rest of the Qadaffi family. CNN now questions whether in fact any of Col. Qadaffi's sons have been captured saying, "It looks like we are getting some bad information from the rebels." Matthew Chance also reports that the Rixos Hotel where the journalists are staying "is firmly in control" of the Libyan soldiers. Now we hear U.S. Major General Marks about the possible need for US/NATO to send in troops. - LMB

“NATO has lost a lot of assets this afternoon, as there was the government’s counter-offensive. They ousted the rebels from the greater part of the city.”

- Thierry Meyssan in Tripoli

Rebels rename Green Square into Martyrs' Square

A portrait of Libyan leader Mummar Gaddafi and copies of his Green Book are set on fire by demonstrators during a protest outside the Libyan embassy in Ankara (AFP Photo / Adem Altan) Axis of Logic note: new information has come out in the corporate media that places the location of this photograph in question.

Rebels in Tripoli have restored to Green Square the name it had before Gaddafi took power in Libya over four decades ago. The rebels’ movement is gaining wider international support each hour, while Tripoli is plunging deeper into combat.

Intensive fighting has erupted in the center of Tripoli. The Rixos hotel, where most international journalists have been housed, is right in the crossfire. The hotel was reportedly hit with live ammunition.

The building has lost power and there is no food, journalist Thierry Meyssan told RT from the hotel. Meyssan, the founder and chairman of the online newspaper the Voltaire Network, added that the hotel is surrounded by tribes. The journalist expects the fight this night to be as violent as on Sunday night.

“NATO has lost a lot of assets this afternoon, as there was the government’s counter-offensive,” Meyssan said. “They ousted the rebels from the greater part of the city.”

He added that the rebels managed to make the progress they made only through NATO’s air support, through a strategy of moving by night into areas recently devastated by alliance bombs.

Note: The 2 RT videos shown below are being interrupted periodically for reasons unknown. If they don't appear on our page, you can try viewing them at RT News.

Libyan Prime Minister Al Baghdadi Ali al-Mahmoudi has escaped to the Tunisian island of Djerba, the Reuters news agency reported on Monday. The prime minister, who has been Libya’s formal governor, appears to have arrived in Tunisia as early as Sunday night, when opposition forces started their advance on Tripoli.

The head of the country’s television union, Abdallah Mansour, appears to have followed the premier, as he was also seen on Tunisia’s Djerba.

This comes along with news that Libyan embassies in the Czech Republic, Turkey, Algeria, Syria and Belarus have raised the green flags of the Libyan opposition.

Meanwhile, Egypt’s officials stated their recognition of the opposition’s provisional council as the legitimate representative of Libya, Egyptian state television reported on Monday. A similar statement was aired by Jordanian state television on the same day. The rebels’ National Transitional Council is now recognized by Arab countries including Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Opposition forces seize Libyan state TVLibyan state TV went off air mid-Monday, reports Reuters. The rebels say the state broadcaster’s headquarters are now under their control.

Early on Monday morning, tanks rolled out of Muammar Gaddafi’s Tripoli residence and began shelling the rebels who had gathered near the compound as sustained heavy gunfire was heard in the Libyan capital.

The tanks are being supported by pick-up trucks with heavy machineguns mounted on them, used by government forces to suppress rebel fire on Assarin Street and in al-Khalifa area.

More government tanks have been reported in the port of Tripoli.

According to Libyan government representative Musa Ibrahim, there are 65,000 troops protecting the ruling regime. Earlier the rebels claimed that some of the troops had surrendered to them – a remarkable statement, in view of the numerous reports about rebels torturing, beheading and murdering prisoners of war.

Rebels now admit that from 15 to 20 per cent of Tripoli remains under the control of loyalist troops, contradicting earlier claims that the city was practically under their full control, with the exception of government buildings.

NATO officials say combat air patrols will be continued until all government forces surrender.

A convoy of 22 military vehicles full of government soldiers have arrived in the center and are erecting a barricade near a hotel where Dr. Franklin Lamb, the director of Americans for Middle East Peace, is staying right now.

“I have a feeling that the government is luring the rebels in, allowing them to have fun on Green Square and then very well counter-attacking them,” Dr Lamb told RT, adding that it looks like the end is near.

Meanwhile, the rebels have warned of intelligence reports indicating that troops loyal to Muammar Gaddafi are advancing towards the center of the Libyan capital.

The situation in Tripoli is chaotic, with few precise details emerging of developments in the capital. Rumors of Gaddafi’s son Khamis leading a counter-offensive against them make the outcome of Monday’s struggle for the city even more unclear.

Muammar Gaddafi’s whereabouts remain unknown.

It is possible that Libyan leader might still be in his compound in Bab al-Aziziya as he earlier promised not to leave the capital. However, Al Arabiya TV channel reports that Muammar Gaddafi is now in a hospital in the town of Tajura.

On Sunday night, the rebels advanced through the Libyan capital from three directions – east, south and west – without meeting any significant resistance from the loyalist troops until arriving to the city’s Green Square where they rallied, renaming the area Martyrs’ Square.

Source: RT News