ARAB WORLD | 22.08.2011

Fight for Tripoli enters final stage

 

The whereabouts of Gadhafi himself remain a mystery

Rebel forces in Libya claim to be in control of 95 percent of Tripoli, but forces loyal to leader Moammar Gadhafi are still putting up a fight in some areas. Meanwhile, planning for a transition of power is set to begin

 

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi on Monday appeared to be on the verge of becoming the third Arab leader to be toppled since the uprisings in the region began in Tunisia last December.

Forces loyal to Gadhafi made a last-ditch attempt to hold of a rebel advance in parts of the capital, Tripoli. Fighting was reported in a number of areas of the capital, particularly around Gadhafi's compound.

Earlier though, the head of the opposition National Transitional Council declared that "the Gadhafi era is over."

However, speaking at a news conference in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi in the east of the country, Mustafa Abdel Jalil also admitted that the rebels still didn't have full control of Tripoli and that they didn't know where Gadhafi was. The rebels earlier claimed to have control of 95 percent of the capital.

Dictator's sons in rebel hands 

The rebels also said they had captured two of Gadhafi's sons, including Saif al-Islam, who like his father, has been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on war crimes charges. The country's intelligence chief is facing similar charges.Jalil warned his rebels against revenge attacks

It's still not clear whether the National Transitional Council (NTC) would be willing to extradite the war crimes suspect.

Jalil told the press conference that he hoped Gadhafi would be "captured alive so that he will be given a fair trial," but he didn't specify where that trial would take place. The rebels have previously indicated that they might want to put him and other suspects on trial in Libya, rather than send them to The Hague.

Later in the day, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon indirectly called on the rebels to hand over all war crimes suspects to the ICC.

"The international community has a duty, all the member states of the United Nations… to fully comply with the decisions of the ICC," Ban told reporters at UN headquarters in New York.

The capture of Tripoli set off celebrationsThe secretary-general also called for a swift end to the fighting.

"It's crucial now for the conflict to end with no further loss of life and retribution," he said. "I call on Colonel Gadhafi's forces to cease violence immediately and make way for a smooth transition."

Planning for post-war Libya

Ban also extended an offer of all possible assistance to Libya after the fall of Gadhafi's regime, and said he intended to convene a meeting later this week with the heads of the African Union, the Arab League, the European Union and other regional and international organizations to discuss the way forward in Libya. 

US President Barack Obama pledged that Washington would be a friend and partner for Libya, but he also stressed that there was much work ahead.

He used an audio statement to call on the National Transitional Council "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."

With the conflict all but won, NTC chairman Jalil also expressed concerns about the immediate future in Libya, urging his rebel forces to exercise restraint, and calling on them to "respect the law and to let justice take its course," rather than launch revenge attacks.

Author: Chuck Penfold (Reuters, AFP)
Editor: Rob Turner

 

 

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