Government building on fire in Libyan capital

21 February 2011 - 13:21 By Reuter
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A central government building in the Libyan capital is on fire, a Reuters reporter said on Monday.

“I can see the People’s Hall is on fire, there are firefighters there trying to put it out,” the reporter said.

Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi will fight a popular revolt to “the last man standing”, one of his sons said on Monday after protests broke out in the capital for the first time following days of unrest in the city of Benghazi.

Anti-government protesters rallied in Tripoli’s streets, tribal leaders spoke out against Gaddafi, and army units defected to the opposition as oil exporter Libya endured one of the bloodiest revolts to convulse the Arab world.

Gaddafi’s son Saif al-Islam Gaddafi appeared on national television in an attempt both to threaten and calm people, saying the army would enforce security at any price.

“Our spirits are high and the leader Muammar Gaddafi is leading the battle in Tripoli, and we are behind him as is the Libyan army,” he said. “We will keep fighting until the last man standing, even to the last woman standing ... We will not leave Libya to the Italians or the Turks.”

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