Tripoli’s sense of victory on hold

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14621132

Nato jets are still flying over Tripoli’s skyline and gunshots can still be heard, along with the distant rumble of some kind of explosions. Battles are still being fought in a few areas a short distance from the city centre.

After a night of loud celebrations that reverberated across the city, Monday morning has had a sobering effect on many.

People are asking questions like: “What now?” “Where is HE? [Col Muammar Gaddafi].”

Although there is undoubtedly a lingering nervousness over what the regime is still capable of doing, the fear that has gripped the population of this city has dissolved.

People are liberally speaking of recent events on the phone now – a luxury that was unthinkable since the uprising began six months ago.

Alongside armed opposition fighters, local people are taking it in turns to man the checkpoints which have sprung up every 150-200 metres.

As the rebels advanced, many local residents blocked off their roads to prevent pro-Gaddafi loyalists from moving in.

There was some heavy gunfire but in the end, the security forces seemed to melt away.

However, near where I am staying in the east of the city, five men accused of being mercenaries from Chad were captured.

Many residents have chosen to remain behind closed doors – at least until some definite conclusion to the uprising comes to light.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14619935

When one Libyan opposition activist reflected on the rebel advances into the city of Zawiya last week, he mused that “Eid could be a massive celebration indeed”. He was wrong – the jubilation came much earlier.

As Tripoli was surrounded from three sides – east, south and west – government forces precipitously collapsed.

What at first might have been mistaken for a tactical withdrawal into urban areas, emerged more clearly as the disintegration of the government’s most feared fighting units.

The vaunted Khamis Brigade – commanded by a son of Col Gaddafi – saw its barracks raided with impunity. Rebel convoys punched deep into Tripoli, meeting virtually no resistance.

Why did battle-hardened Libyan soldiers, fed on a diet of anti-rebel propaganda and willing to fight in the face of overwhelming Nato air power, melt away so suddenly?

The answer can only be speculative at this stage, but there are a few possibilities.

First, there was an element of retreat rather than a rout. Tripoli is unevenly pacified and the euphoria of Green Square obscures the continuing fighting in several suburbs.

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well didnt we get fed a cacophany of lies..no idea what to believe..the NTC has shown itself to be corrupt already..its false claims of capturing gaddafis sons reeked of western influence..all the footage i have seen of celebratring has been from benghazi..now im not saying the al qaeda rebels havent taken tripoli..they have..but its nowhere near as cut and dry as they say it is..and they aint found the big kahuna yet..

401

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~ by seeker401 on August 24, 2011.