Scattered gun battles continue around Tripoli

25/08/11 16:34 CET

world news

| |

Several firefights have broken out in areas of the Libyan capital Tripoli, breaking the apparent calm that had descended on the city.

There was a brief gun battle between Gaddafi loyalists and rebel fighters around the Corinthia hotel near the city’s old town. The rebels were trying to flush out snipers on nearby rooftops.

There were also exchanges of gunfire around Gaddafi’s Bab al-Aziziyah compound, and further south in the Abu Salim district.

At one point, the Reuters news agency quoted a rebel fighter saying he thought Gaddafi had been surrounded near his former HQ. But the Libyan leader’s whereabouts remain unconfirmed.

Tripoli residents have taken advantage of lulls in the fighting to venture onto the streets to re-stock basic food supplies.

More about: Civil War, Libya, Muammar Gaddafi, Unrest in the Arab world

| |

Mali: Rebel groups agree to creation of Islamic state

Two Rebel groups have agreed to merge and create an independent Islamic state in Northern Mali. After seizing Azawad – an area larger than France – two months ago, the groups had initially disagreed, with the secular Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA)…