Gadhafi urges his supporters to fight back
Posted Feb 25, 2011 12:10 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi remained defiant, Friday, as he spoke to supporters in Tripoli, amid reports of a massacre in the streets.
Gadhafi appeared before a crowd of his supporters in green square in Tripoli, and told told them to fight back against protesters and “defend the nation.”
Images on Libyan state television showed Gadhafi wearing a fur cap and sunglasses, standing on the ramparts of a red castle, an historic overlooking the square, where over 1,000 of his supporters gathered, waving pictures of him and green flags.
Some analysts were suspicious of the appearance, suggesting it may not have actually been Friday and was most likely staged.
The speech came amid reports of a massacre in the Libyan capital, but it’s difficult to substantiate the reports since foreign journalists are not allowed in.
Many witnesses who have fled to the Egyptian-Libyan border reported Gadhafi loyalists opened fire on protesters in Tripoli, killing several people.
Tripoli appears to be one of the few cities in Libya that remains under the Gadhafi control.
The United Nations has called for an investigative panel to examine reports of mass killings in Libya, including attacks on civilians with tanks and aircraft.
The New York-based Human Rights Watch has put the death toll in Libya at nearly 300, according to a partial count.
