Tripoli fighting flares up again
Matthew Price says Saif al-Islam seemed confident about the prospects of his father's regime.
Fighting has flared in two key areas of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, for a third day as rebel fighters battle forces loyal to Col Muammar Gaddafi.
Gunfire and explosions have been heard near a hotel held by government troops, as well as the area around the Libyan leader's Bab al-Aziziya compound.
Overnight, Col Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam appeared in public, days after rebels claimed he had been captured.
He insisted the government had "broken the backbone" of the rebel offensive.
Saif al-Islam arrived at the Rixos Hotel, where foreign journalists are based, in a government vehicle in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Saif al-Islam told the BBC: "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.
The BBC's Matthew Price, who spoke to him, said he seemed confident and full of adrenalin.
|
|