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| Africa North |
| Rebels Still Hope People Inside Bani Walid Would Rise Against Al Qathafi Loyalists |
| 2011-09-06 |
| [Tripoli Post] After negotiations by the rebel forces over the peaceful handover of Bani Walid were reportedly said to have been dead and buried, rebel forces who have managed to oust former Libyan leader Muammar Al Qadaffy ...a proud Arab institution for 42 years... from power after a 42-year rule, they have now surrounded the city, but still hoping that the people inside would rise up against Al Qadaffy loyalists. Al Jizz's on correspondent near Bani Walid, Sue Turton reporting on developments there, said that the rebels have pushed to within 7km of the centre of the town, and that they exchanged fire with members of the Al Qadaffy forces.who later retreated instead of setting up a defensive position there. The reason for that could have been more talks. Another group later came forward from the centre of Bani Walid saying that they were completely separate from the others, and that they wanted to talk, but soon even these talks broke down. Later reports indicated that the rebels once again said they would stop going any further and pulled back from that 7km mark to wait yet again to see if they can reach some kind of agreement that would help them to take the town without firing a bullet and avoid bloodshed. They are very concerned that there could very well be civilians killed, so they are willing to talk to just about anybody that puts their hands up and says they represent anything to do with the pro-Al Qadaffy forces, the Al Jizz reported said. Meanwhile, ...back at the laboratory the fumes had dispersed, to reveal an ominous sight... despite the waiting, rebel reinforcements have been arriving outside the desert town southeast of the capital and Bani Walid is now completely surrounded from all sides. Thousands of rebels surround Bani Walid, a desert town southeast of the capital, where many have been speculating that Al Qadaffy, on the run since losing his capital last month, could be hiding. While rebel commander, Mohammed al-Fassi, is reported saying that the door is still open for negotiations over the town's surrender, a small convoyof fighters arrived Monday at a checkpoint about 70 kilometres from Bani Walid under the command of Ismail al-Gitani. They were part of a larger force al-Gitani commands. He said he was ordered to reinforce the northern approaches to the town. Earlier on Sunday, speaking in the eastern city of Benghazi, Ahmed Bani, the NTC's military front man, said that its fighters were in control of key strategic points around Bani Walid. "There was fighting in Bani Walid, now I can say our revolutionaries have control of some important points around Bani Walid. And they are raising the independence flag over there," he said. |
| Posted by:Fred |