LIBYA - More on Taking of Gadhafi's Compound

"After Intense Fighting, Rebels Take Over Gadhafi's Tripoli Compound" (Part-1) PBS Newshour 8/23/2011

Excerpt from transcript

RAY SUAREZ (Newshour): And to the fall of Tripoli and the slow demise of the Gadhafi regime.

We begin with a report narrated by Neil Connery, of Independent Television News.

NEIL CONNERY: For those trapped in the battle for Tripoli, these have been dangerous and terrifying hours. These pictures from the Internet reportedly capture the latest clashes in the heart of the Libyan capital.

But in this fast-moving and confusing situation, what exactly do we know about the balance of power this evening? There's been heavy fighting, with rebels claiming to have seized large parts of the city. The main battle was concentrated around Gadhafi's fortified compound. This was his main residence, and was heavily guarded with a sophisticated communications center, bunkers and tunnels. But it now lies in rebel hands.

Gadhafi loyalists say they control much of the airport road. To the south of that, in Abu Salim, they also claim to have half the area. To the north, rebels have seized Green Square, but there is still fighting in the nearby port. They have also moved along the coast.

"Is Gadhafi Plotting a Last Stand in Hometown of Sirte?" (Part-2) PBS Newshour 8/23/2011

Excerpt from transcript

JEFFREY BROWN (Newshour): I talked with Lindsey Hilsum a short time after she filed that report.

Lindsey Hilsum, welcome once again.

Tell us more about the takeover at the compound. It sounds as though there was resistance in some parts of it, but not in others?

LINDSEY HILSUM: I think that that is right.

There was certainly fighting around there pretty much all day, huge explosions, heavy weapons being used, and smoke rising from the compound all through the morning and the first part of the afternoon. One rebel fighter I spoke to who had been in the compound said to me, though, that not all of that was, in fact, fighting. He said some of that was just the rebels firing.

His unit had not met with any resistance, but he said, we're a bit chaotic. He said, we don't really coordinate. So rebels were just firing around as they went in, partly in excitement, partly in case there was resistance. So, some of that noise may just have been the rebels.

But as I speak now, it appears that Colonel Gadhafi's loyalists who were in that compound have fled. We think that they have fled south, and the compound is in the hands of some very, very happy rebels.