Muammar Muhammad al-Gaddafi has taken a brief tour of Tripoli, just to prove he is still alive, and still in Tripoli. He’s made a TV address asking loyal Libyans to “cleanse the city”.
NATO responded with two air strikes. Witnesses say the explosions were huge.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs reports that one of their citizens was taken hostage by rebels.
President Obama is giving Libyan rebels $1.5 million in frozen Libyan funds. At the same time Germany is demanding that the United Nations give the rebels funds that were frozen under the UN sanctions.
Germany is also going to issue rebels a huge $140 million loan, within days.
What this means is the fragile Libyan rebel alliance (aka Transitional National Council) has run out of money to pay for military operations, which include mercenaries. A BBC report said the rebel alliance is so fragile that it could fall apart as soon as the war is over. It’s more likely it’ll fall apart if it runs out of cash.
China’s Foreign Minister says the United Nations, not U.S. led NATO, should lead post-war efforts in Libya. He added that China will help rebuild the country, but only if the UN is in charge.
Rumors of poisoned water in Tripoli, has rebels confused. A BBC reporter said he overheard rebels arguing about whether the water was safe or not. So far, no one has confirmed the story of two people going to hospital after drinking poisoned water.
“Given the volatile security situation, the Canadian Embassy in Tripoli has suspended operations until further notice.”-Canadian government statement
A man from Ottawa, Canada, says Libyan rebels are threatening to kill him. Mahdi Nazemroaya, an independent journalist working for Russian and Arab media, is holded up in the Rixos Hotel.
His mother has been begging Canadian officials to do something to get her son out of Libya, they have refused.
Even Nazemoroaya’s alma mater, University of Ottawa, tried to get the Canadian government to help: “To call the government when a friend is in trouble, and hear ‘too bad so sad’, that is disappointing.”- Mireille Gervais, student appeal center
Reporters still holed up in the Rixos Hotel, in Tripoli, say the hotel is still under attack by Rebels. That’s because the area is still under the control of the Libyan government. It seems the rebels have not taken Tripoli after all.
CNN’s Matthew Chance said this about the situation: “Just had confirmation that a Maltese boat docked in a Libyan port. Would love to get on board and out of here.”
Another report says that SCUD missiles, supposedly being launched from Sirte, are being intercepted by the U.S. Navy. The SCUDs are targeting Misrata.
Libyan government forces launched ‘Grad’ type missiles at Tripoli.
Government spokesman, Moussa Ibrahim, said they have enough weapons to fight rebels for “years”, and that rebels will not “enjoy peace”.
Muammar Muhammad al-Gaddafi says government forces leaving Tripoli is a tactical move, the war is not over. He also says NATO sent no fewer than 64 air strikes against the Bab al Aziziya military compound, in the recent fighting.
Reports coming from Tunis. Tunisia has closed its border crossings, because rebel forces, near the border, are under heavy attack by Libyan government forces, including artillery attack.
Some BBC reporters are saying the water supply for Tripoli is contaminated, possibly poisoned. Two people were taken to hospital after drinking tap water. Some rebel checkpoints are warning people not to drink the water.
There are reports that Libyan government forces, and pro-Gaddafi tribes, are leaving Gaddifi’s hometown of Sirte, to attack rebels in Tripoli.
At the same time, other reports say rebels are trying to stop government forces coming from Sirte. NATO bombed Sirte “heavily”. Rebel officials say they need another 72 hours to fully “liberate” Libya.
Pentagon spokesman Colonel Dave Lapan said Gaddafi’s forces remain dangerous.
U.S. and European military “experts” are trying to create fears of chemical weapons being used by a desperate Gaddafi.
In the live rebel press conference the rebel official responded that “Everything is possible” regarding fears that Gaddafi would use chemical weapons.
The open Libyan desert is not conducive to chemical warfare. See my earlier posting: Chemical Weapons Primer.
Rebel official speculates that Muammar Muhammad al-Gaddafi, might have been kidnapped by government elites.
The official thinks that, because Gaddafi was apparently going to surrender, then a convoy of armored Toyota Land Cruisers showed up and took Gaddafi away.