| Al Qathafi Seeking Refuge in Arab Countries? 19/08/2011 12:58:00 | ||
| If he is still in Libya and has not already decided on self-exile, according to the representative of the Transitional National Council (TNC) in Cairo, the Libyan leader Muammar Al Qathafi, is seeking refuge in Arab countries and that he has sent a message to governments of Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria to receive his family.Libyan dissident Abdel Monem al-Houni who is living in Egypt, told the pan-Arab newspaper Asharq al-Awsat: “Al Qathafi is looking for a safe haven for his family in the case that Tripoli falls into the hands of the revolutionaries.”Al-Houni has served as Muammar Al Qathafi’s chief delegate to the Arab League before defecting and siding with the rebels who are in the sixth month of their uprising as they seek to overthrow of Al Qathafi and end his “dictatorial” rule ht he has enjoyed for close on 42 years.Al-Houni confirmed that the rebels have tightened their grip on the strategic town of Zawiyah, 40km west of the Libyan capital, and said that the rebels could arrive on the outskirts of Tripoli within hours. He added that the Al Qathafi regime only “has a few days before it breathes its last.”The rebel fighters have been making rapid military progress in the past few weeks and have practically two-thirds of the country under their control. By the way things are going, their campaign to oust Al Qathafi is nearing completion.Mustafa Abdul Jalil, the head of the TNC, said on Thursday that a final victory over Al Qathafi was “on the horizon.”In an act of utter desperation, proving that the Libyan government’s days are numbered and its leaders are with their backs to the wall, soon after the rebels captured the strategic oil refinery in Zawiyah on Thursday, the Libyan government, through its ‘prime minister’ Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi, called for an immediate cease fire and talks.However, while analysts keep questioning the reasons why the remaining members of the Libyan government are still ‘loyal’ to the man and have not yet defected like others before them, they even continue to reject calls for Al Qathafi to leave power.One reason said analysts give for their stay is fear. They are afraid for their families, as although in not so many words, sources close to the regime have been saying that families of would-be defectors are threatened practically every time one of them decides to get out of line and leave the Libyan leader to sink alone.Meanwhile, the US broadcaster NBC reported late on Thursday that Al Qathafi was preparing to leave Libya. NBC cited unnamed US intelligence officials as saying that Al Qathafi and his family could be leaving for Tunisia within days.In another development, while further west, rebel commander, Colonel Ahmed Omar Bani, said that rebels were pushing toward the Tunisian border – an apparent bid to further strangle what limited supply lines remain for the regime, Britain’s defence ministry said Thursday that Royal Air Force warplanes sank a vessel being used by the Libyan regime’s forces near Zawiyah.East of Tripoli, the rebels moved toward a town that links the capital and Al Qathafi’s hometown, Sirte, which is a stronghold for his military. The rebels said they had advanced some 80km south of Misurata on the road to Sirte.Insurgent fighters have also claimed to have captured Murzuq, a key communications hub in the desert region of Sabha province, 500km south of the capital. |
Al Qathafi Seeking Refuge in Arab Countries?
**Amin Ahmed** is a Libyan journalist and contributor at TripoliPost, reporting on current affairs, business, and regional developments. With a keen eye for detail and a dedication to fair, balanced journalism, he delivers stories that keep readers informed about Libya and the world beyond its borders. He can be reached at amin.ahmed@tripolipost.com
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