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23 August 2011 Last updated at
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Matthew Price says Saif al-Islam seemed confident about the prospects of his father's regime
Continue reading the main story Libya Crisis
One of Col Muammar Gaddafi's sons, Saif al-Islam, has appeared in Tripoli and claimed the government had "broken the backbone" of the rebel offensive there.
He turned up in a government vehicle at a hotel held by loyalists, a day after the rebels said they had detained him.
A BBC correspondent said Saif al-Islam seemed confident and full of adrenalin.
On Monday the rebels met strong resistance from pro-Gaddafi forces as they continued their push. Both sides say they control most of Tripoli.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi turned up at Hotel Rixos in the early hours of Tuesday.
Continue reading the main story At the scene
Matthew Price BBC News, Tripoli
I asked Saif al-Islam Gaddafi where he saw the balance of power in Tripoli: "We gave them a hard time, so we are winning," he told me. He seemed pumped full of adrenalin and brimming with confidence.
Precisely who is winning the battle for Tripoli, though, is still unclear. In parts of the capital, rebel forces are in control. After their astonishing advance over the weekend, they believe victory is within sight.
But Gaddafi forces have been reinforced and some rebel supply lines into the city seem to have come under attack. It is clear loyalists are fighting back in some areas and many casualties are being reported.
The sudden appearance of Saif al-Islam, said only on Sunday to have been captured by the rebels, will merely embolden them further.
He told the BBC's Matthew Price: "We have broken the backbone of the rebels." He added that by moving into Tripoli, the rebels had fallen into "a trap".
"We gave them a hard time, so we're winning," he said.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, 39, had been widely regarded as a likely successor to his father. On Sunday the rebels claimed they had captured him, along with other members of his family.
Saif al-Islam also said he did not care about an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity.
Asked if Col Gaddafi was safe and in Tripoli, he replied: "Of course."
The Libyan leader's whereabouts are still unclear. His sprawling Bab al-Azizia compound is being defended by loyalist troops.
A diplomatic source told AFP news agency that Col Gaddafi could still be there. He has not been seen in public for months, although he has broadcast audio messages from undisclosed locations.
In a broadcast late on Sunday, he urged residents to "save Tripoli" from the rebels.
Continue reading the main story
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14625205
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Matthew Price says Saif al-Islam seemed confident about the prospects of his father's regime
Continue reading the main story Libya Crisis
- Battle for Tripoli Live
- Why crack troops melted away
- Watching the regime crumble
- Where is Col Gaddafi?
One of Col Muammar Gaddafi's sons, Saif al-Islam, has appeared in Tripoli and claimed the government had "broken the backbone" of the rebel offensive there.
He turned up in a government vehicle at a hotel held by loyalists, a day after the rebels said they had detained him.
A BBC correspondent said Saif al-Islam seemed confident and full of adrenalin.
On Monday the rebels met strong resistance from pro-Gaddafi forces as they continued their push. Both sides say they control most of Tripoli.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi turned up at Hotel Rixos in the early hours of Tuesday.
Continue reading the main story At the scene
Matthew Price BBC News, Tripoli I asked Saif al-Islam Gaddafi where he saw the balance of power in Tripoli: "We gave them a hard time, so we are winning," he told me. He seemed pumped full of adrenalin and brimming with confidence.
Precisely who is winning the battle for Tripoli, though, is still unclear. In parts of the capital, rebel forces are in control. After their astonishing advance over the weekend, they believe victory is within sight.
But Gaddafi forces have been reinforced and some rebel supply lines into the city seem to have come under attack. It is clear loyalists are fighting back in some areas and many casualties are being reported.
The sudden appearance of Saif al-Islam, said only on Sunday to have been captured by the rebels, will merely embolden them further.
He told the BBC's Matthew Price: "We have broken the backbone of the rebels." He added that by moving into Tripoli, the rebels had fallen into "a trap".
"We gave them a hard time, so we're winning," he said.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, 39, had been widely regarded as a likely successor to his father. On Sunday the rebels claimed they had captured him, along with other members of his family.
Saif al-Islam also said he did not care about an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity.
Asked if Col Gaddafi was safe and in Tripoli, he replied: "Of course."
The Libyan leader's whereabouts are still unclear. His sprawling Bab al-Azizia compound is being defended by loyalist troops.
A diplomatic source told AFP news agency that Col Gaddafi could still be there. He has not been seen in public for months, although he has broadcast audio messages from undisclosed locations.
In a broadcast late on Sunday, he urged residents to "save Tripoli" from the rebels.
Continue reading the main story
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14625205
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