Tripoli: Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi appeared on television, denying the reports of fleeing Venezuela on Tuesday.
In his 22-second statement Qaddafi said, “I want to show that I’m in Tripoli and not in Venezuela. Do not believe the channels belonging to stray dogs,” Qaddafi said, under a large umbrella and leaning out of a van.
Qadhafi’s forces have been fighting an increasingly bloody battle to keep him in power, with fighting spreading to the capital Tripoli and local residents saying warplanes had bombed the city.
“I wanted to say something to the youths at Green Square (in Tripoli) and stay up late with them but it started raining”, Qaddafi added.
Demonstrations spread to Tripoli after several cities in the east — including Benghazi where the protests had first erupted — appeared to fall to the opposition, according to residents.
Cracks were beginning to appear among Qadhafi’s supporters, with a group of army officers calling on soldiers to “join the people”
Capital Tripoli appeared calm in the early hours of Tuesday.
Earlier, residents reported gunfire in parts of Tripoli and one political activist said warplanes had bombed the city.
There are many, many dead,” Adel Mohamed Saleh said in a live broadcast on al Jazeera television. “Anyone who moves, even if they are in their car, they will hit you.”
US-based Human Rights Watch said at least 233 people had been killed in five days of violence. Opposition groups put the figure much higher. No independent verification was available and communications with Libya from outside was difficult.
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