Intense gunfire in Tripoli before dawn--witnesses

[Turborama]

Source: Reuters

Sun Mar 6, 2011 4:00am GMT

TRIPOLI, March 6 (Reuters) - Intense gunfire was heard in the centre of the Libyan capital Tripoli before dawn on Sunday, witnesses said.

It was unclear who was shooting or what caused it. Witnesses also heard a chorus of car horns.

Tripoli is the main stronghold of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi as he faces a two-week-old rebellion posing the biggest challenge ever to his 41-year-old autocratic rule in the oil-exporting North African state.

(Reporting by Michael Georgy, editing by Mark Heinrich)

Read more: http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFLDE72501A20110306

[defendandprotect]

1. KR

[wtmusic]

2. Live stream being jammed by Gaddhafi.

Wonder why? :shrug:

[maddezmom]

3. Gov't says it's celebration...but ambulance sirens are also heard

Heavy machinegun fire rocks Libyan capital Tripoli
Sun Mar 6, 2011 6:37am GMT
Print | Single Page<-> Text <+>
1 of 1Full SizeBy Maria Golovnina
TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Heavy automatic weapons fire erupted in the Libyan capital Tripoli Sunday, the first such outbreak in Muammar Gaddafi's main stronghold in a two-week-old insurrection against his 41-year-old rule.

Government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim denied any fighting was under way in Tripoli, saying the gunfire was staged to fete the army's recapture of several cities from rebel forces.

It was unclear who was doing the shooting, which started just before daybreak, or what had caused it. Machine gun volleys, some of them heavy calibre, reverberated around central Tripoli along with ambulance sirens, pro-Gaddafi chants, and a cacophony of car horns as vehicles sped through the vicinity.

"These are celebrations because government forces have taken control of all areas to Benghazi and are in the process of taking control of Benghazi," Ibrahim said, referring to Libya's rebel-controlled second largest city situated in the far east.

more: http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFLDE71Q0MP20110306

[pinboy3niner]

4. AJE reporter: "That is not the whole story here in Tripoli this morning."

With dawn breaking in Tripoli, AJE's Anita McNaught reported that the firing includes machine guns and heavier caliber weapons (possibly armor-piercing munitions) as well as pistols and semi-automatic rifles.

She said there were celebratory fireworks an hour or so earlier, and it's posible the regime had some strategic victories overnight (though that is disputed by the opposition).

"But that is not the whole story here in Tripoli this morning," McNaught said.

In a later report, she said that there is some celebration, "But there is something else going on, too."

http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/

[maddezmom]

5. doesn't sound good

:(

[Turborama]

6. Sky News reporter in Tripoli said that it was intense machine gunfire that went on for several hours

Solid.

And it started at about 4:30am, before morning prayer. She was saying it was a really odd time for supposed "celebration" gunfire to start, and the intensity and length of it seemed really unusual, too.

This is very worrisome news.

(on edit) Just found that a video of her report is included in this article: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Libya-Rebels-Forced-Back-From-Bin-Jawad-After-Ambush-By-Gaddafi-Troops/Article/201103115946506?lpos=World_News_Carousel_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15946506_Libya:_Rebels_Forced_Back_From_Bin_Jawad_After_Ambush_By_Gaddafi_Troops


Especially as it's not long after reporters in Tripoli were locked up in their hotels and "kept on a tight leash": http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4756862

[bemildred]

7. Libyan loyalists celebrate Muammar Gaddafi's phoney triumphs

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/06/libya-muammar-gaddafi-phoney-triumphs

[Turborama]

8. Sounds like they were phoney celebrations of phoney triumphs to hide the real reason for the gunfire

If you listen to the eyewitness report embedded on this page: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Libya-Rebels-Forced-Back-From-Bin-Jawad-After-Ambush-By-Gaddafi-Troops/Article/201103115946506?lpos=World_News_Carousel_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15946506_Libya:_Rebels_Forced_Back_From_Bin_Jawad_After_Ambush_By_Gaddafi_Troops