Rebels Storm Gaddafi Compound: The 'Effective Collapse' of Regime?
Tuesday afternoon, after five hours of fighting, rebels have advanced into Gaddafi’s compound in what some experts are calling the “effective collapse” of the Gaddafi regime.
It has been reported that the green gates of Gaddafi’s compound had been opened and rebels began storming the vicinity and celebrating a victory within and around the compound.
The Associated Press quoted one 19-year-old as arguing that most rebels believe that Gaddafi, who has not been seen since the rebels have advanced on Tripoli, is hiding underneath the compound.
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The fighter said, “Wasn’t he the one who called us rats. Now he is the rat underground.”
However, other reports that have been circulating in the past few days have speculated that Gaddafi could be hiding as far away as Venezuela and as close as Tunisia.
Rebels chanted around the compound “Allahu Akbar” or “God is Great” and “Hamdullah, hamdullah” or “Thank God.”
However, the compound still maintains Gaddafi loyalists and shots continued to be fired against the rebels even though the rebels are claiming the compound storm as a victory for their movement to overthrow Gaddafi.
Recent developments in the past few days have been pointing to an imminent Gaddafi fall, however, after one of Gaddafi’s sons, Saif al-Islam, resurfacing after he had reportedly been captured, questions began to emerge as to whether a counter attack by Gaddafi loyalists was looming.
Earlier this week leaders from around the world called on Gaddafi to surrender power and avoid a potential “bloodbath” in Tripoli.
If the rebel advancement is indeed a victory over Gaddafi and his loyalists, experts argue that the challenges that lie ahead will include the pockets of Gaddafi loyalists that will remain defiant against the rebel movement. Commentators are also saying it will be extremely difficult to build a democracy in such a politically divided country.
