TRIPOLI — Hundreds of Libyan rebels have stormed Muammar Gaddafi's main military compound in Tripoli.

An Associated Press reporter saw the rebels enter the gates of the Bab al-Aziziya Tuesday after hours of fierce gunbattles.

The reports said the rebels control one of the gates and have been firing into the air in celebration, an indication perhaps of their confidence. They appeared to be meeting little or no resistance there. However, the compound covers a large area. Fighting continued in various areas of the city.

Gaddafi's whereabouts are still unknown, although he is suspected to be in his compound. Russian chess federation chief Kirsan Ilyumzhinov said he spoke to the Libyan leader on Tuesday by phone and he said he was still in Libya, and apparently in the company of his son Mohammad, who reportedly escaped from house arrest by the rebels on Monday. A NATO spokesman said he had no idea where he was.

NATO officials in Brussels said the alliance's warplanes were flying over Tripoli Tuesday, but that there are no "indications" they have dropped any bombs on the city. NATO ambassadors are meeting in Brussels at NATO headquarters to discuss the way forward in Libya and look at "options for a possible NATO role" once the conflict is over. This will not include NATO troops on the ground and any role would have to be requested by the new Libyan government and led by the UN. The NATO mission will continue until all Gaddafi's forces have withdrawn to their bases and there is full humanitarian access. Reuters has reported that the U.S. is monitoring Libya's few chemical weapons sites. Amnesty International warned that the continued fighting was posing a serious danger to civilians. Rebels from Misrata are rushing to Tripoli to help with the fight. 

< Prev		Next >