
Reuters
Mwanaye wa kwanza wa Dikteta Muammar Gaddafi, dogo Saif al-Islam
Reports: 61 Killed In Overnight Clashes In Libya
2/21/2011 8:10 AM ET
(RTTNews) - Reports say that 61 people have been killed in overnight clashes in Libya after a state address by leader Muammar Gaddafi's son.
Capital Tripoli was relatively peaceful until Sunday, with only pro-Gaddafi demonstrations being reported. But the situation there changed drastically on Sunday with tens and thousands of anti-government protesters taking to the streets demanding the ouster of the Gaddafi regime.
Libya's official news agency JANA reported that people from different tribes took to the streets in the early hours of Monday declaring support for Gaddafi and clashed with thousands of anti-government protesters who gathered in Tripoli's Green Square.
Security forces and pro-government militia fired live ammunition and tear gas shells at the protesters in an effort to break up violent demonstrations.
A number of European oil companies, including Norway's Statoil, Austria's OMV and Royal Dutch Shell, have moved some staff in Libya following the violence, while dependents of British Embassy staff in the country have been asked to fly home, Britain's Foreign Office said.
It has also been reported that more than 2,300 Tunisians living in Libya have left the country in the wake of the unrest.
The United States, Britain, and France have decried the use of lethal force against peaceful demonstrators in Libya. Hundreds of people have reportedly been killed and injured in several days of unrest - and the full extent of the death toll is unknown due to lack of access to international media and human rights organizations.
However, Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam insisted on Sunday that only 14 people had died so far.
He warned of a civil war and claimed that the Army stood behind as a "leader of the battle in Tripoli" and would enforce security at any cost.
Meanwhile, pressure on the Gaddafi regime to step down has mounted with Libya's envoy to the Arab League Abdel Moneim al-Honi announcing that he was "joining the revolution."
BBC reported that Libyan ambassador to India, Ali al-Essawi said he was resigning in protest against his government's violent crackdown on demonstrators.
Mohamed Bayou, who until recently has been chief spokesman for Tripoli, said the leadership was wrong to threaten violence against its opponents.
by RTT Staff Writer
UJUMBE HUMU:
Mtoto wa Gaddafi, bila ya kuwa na wadhifa wowote kikatiba serikalini, achochea mauaji ya kutisha mjini Tripoli kwa usiku mmoja tu tangu atoe kauli iliojaa tambo na ufedhuli wa ujana.