After hours of fierce fighting with troops loyal to the Libyan leader Muammar Al
Qadaffy...Custodian of Wheelus AFB for 42 long years...
, the Libyan rebels battling to force the dictator from power after close to 42 years of rule, Tuesday evening they broke through the gates of his fortified compound at Bab al-Azzizyah in Tripoli, and entered the regime's stronghold, raising the three-coloured Independence flag on the roof of the complex.
Until late in the evening, the rebels had taken at least 90 per cent of the 6km sq compound into their hands. They managed it despite the stiff resistance by the loyalist regime forces. Once inside they set the 'famous' Al Qadaffy tent on fire, and smashed some of the facilities, while a number of civilians who joined the fray looted some of the armoury.
The rebels had been awaiting this moment for hours after setting themselves the task to take over this remaining stronghold two days after entering triumphantly into the capital where they were joined by Tripoli residents who were able to vent their anger at the treatment they have been subjected to for four decades.
As fighting also continued across the capital with the sound of gunfire and occasional kabooms ringing out, many recalled the remarks of a member of the NATO
...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It's headquartered in Belgium. That sez it all....
alliance, that "it is the "final chapter" for the Al Qadaffy regime and that the "end is near".
It took the rebel fighters hours before they could break into the compound, but once the outer wall was penetrated, and despite at least two more layers of fortified walls dividing them from inside the compound, they kept on going, eventually to get access to the compound, known as the real powerhouse for the regime, that had had frequently been targeted by the alliance's warplanes since March, but was not penetrated. Yet the rebels achieved it.
As columns of grey smoke were seen billowing over the compound's area with sounds of gunfire and occasional kabooms ringing out early in the day, for the second day running, the revolutionaries also kept up their battles across the city, but their sights and ears were directed at the Bab al-Azziziyah compound in the west of the city.
For most of the day the al-Mansoura district was the focus of fierce festivities between government forces and opposition fighters, after the rebels marched into the heart of the city on Sunday. The regime's remaining forces were concentrated and holed up in a series of pockets where they still appeared to have some strength, the main one being Al Qadaffy's compound.
Inside the building, the first target for the revolutionaries was a bronze head of the Libyan leader, which they decapitated and kicked around.
Once inside the compound the rebels searched without vain for the leader. His whereabouts were still unknown, though some rebels had previously claimed he could be inside one of the underground bunkers. Others were not so sure, and failure to find Al Qadaffy gave rise to more speculations that he must have left Libya weeks ago. So the Libyan leader's whereabouts are still unknown.
There were reports of NATO planes flying very low on top of the compound. Though NATO admitted that their planes were deployed they would not confirm they had conducted any bombings
The regime's forces had reportedly defended themselves by the use of heavy artillery, including mortars and shells fired in the direction of Green Square,
At the same time that all this was taking place, the 30 foreign journalists at the Rixos Hotel, less than two kilometres away, where they have been based throughout the six-month conflict, remained holed up in the hotel. They were not allowed to venture out by their minders. At the same time Al Qadaffy supporters remained in control of the Rixos where foreign correspondents. Some described their stay as a "prison".
The story is still being unfolded, and though many of the rebel fighters, made up of normal people, one would encounter in the street, students, professional people - like engineers, medical people, a University professor and at least one lawyer - they were convinced that tonight is the night when it will be wrapped up. But it could still be a very long night.
More rebel fighters in eastern Libya advanced towards the oil terminal of Ras Lanuf after taking the coastal town of Ageila from Al Qadaffy loyalist forces.
Yet the government spokesperson, Moussa Ibrahim, keeps claiming that the regime's forces had control of at least 75 per cent of Tripoli, and repeating Seif Al Qadaffy's remarks that the people were with Al Qadaffy.