Gadhafi Forces Open Fire as Tens of Thousands Take to Streets of Tripoli

Gadhafi Attends 'Pro-Regime' Rally in Green Square

by Jason Ditz, February 25, 2011

The Gadhafi regime held a public rally in Green Square in the center of Tripoli today, which appears to be the absolute last holding they have in the entire country. Meanwhile, while feigning confidence in the square, the regime’s militias clashed with protesters on the streets of the city, opening fire on the growing anti-government protests.

Tens of thousands of the pro-democracy protesters finally arrived in the streets of Tripoli today, and reports of yet more soldiers defecting from the regime’s control suggests that today’s push may unseat Moammar Gadhafi from what little control he has left in the nation.

Yesterday, the protesters took the city of Zawiya, just outside of Tripoli, and reports from the ground suggest that the regime has made no efforts to this point to reclaim it. Rather all their efforts are focused on keeping control over the parts of Tripoli they still hold.

Speaking in an interview Col. Tareq Hussein, one of the defected military leaders, insisted they have plans to “bring down Tripoli” and that the protesters and rebel forces “will not stop until we liberate the whole country.“

Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz