Jubilant Libyan opposition fighters and Tripoli residents celebrated in grand style in he the capital's main square, named by Libyan leader Muammar Al Qathafi as Green Square after the First of September Revolution in 1969 an now being renamed by Libyans as Martyrs' Square.
Celebrations began immediately the shooting around the area between the rebels and the Al Qathafi forces died down. Sunday night.
Until very recently Libyans were not sure that they they would really live the moment many of them have longed for over more than forty years under the ruthless dictator Muammar Al Qathafi, whose sheer oppression in close to 42 years made it almost impossible that a new dawn would break over Libya, living live out of Al Qatahfi's iron grip.
Euphoric Libyan rebels were joined by Tripoli residents as they moved to the centre of the capital, as soon as Al Qathaf's defenders melted away into the night. Thousands of Tripoli civilians rushed out of their homes to cheer the long convoys of pickup trucks packed with fighters shooting in the air by way of celebration.
The rebels' surprising and speedy leap forward, after six months of largely deadlocked conflict was packed into just a few dramatic hours, as by nightfall on Sunday, they not only advanced more than 32km to Tripoli, but began to take over as the the residents expressed their support and flooded to the Green Square.
As a prelude to the celebrations, hundreds of people were on the streets, most of them armed. A great number of them fighters who came down from the mountains in western areas of Libya. They entered the capital and along with opposition within the capital, had managed to liberate the city from the regime's control.
The Libyan people were in charge of most of Tripoli and a party atmosphere could be felt throughout, not just in Tripoli, but also in various towns and cities that in recent days and throughout the six-month long conflict fought their way to get rid of the Al Qathafi presence. Shouts of "We're free" echoed around the centre of Tripoli while others took delight in firing their rifles in the air or aiming shots at a large poster of Muammar Al Qathafi.
Television footage from Green Square, renamed by rebels as Martyrs Square, that had been the site of night rallies by Al Qathafi supporters throughout the uprising, showed men ripping down posters of the Libyan leader and setting them on fire along with the green flag of his regime. Others applauded, danced in delight flashing V-signs for victory, and waving the rebels' tricolour flag of independent Libya.
The Tripoli battalion commander for the opposition National Transition Council, Abdul Hakim Belhaj, openly thanked God for this victory, then called on the residents to protect the city. "We call on remaining parts of the regime to surrender and join the opposition," he said
Celebrations began immediately the shooting around the area between the rebels and the Al Qathafi forces died down. Sunday night.
Until very recently Libyans were not sure that they they would really live the moment many of them have longed for over more than forty years under the ruthless dictator Muammar Al Qathafi, whose sheer oppression in close to 42 years made it almost impossible that a new dawn would break over Libya, living live out of Al Qatahfi's iron grip.
Euphoric Libyan rebels were joined by Tripoli residents as they moved to the centre of the capital, as soon as Al Qathaf's defenders melted away into the night. Thousands of Tripoli civilians rushed out of their homes to cheer the long convoys of pickup trucks packed with fighters shooting in the air by way of celebration.
The rebels' surprising and speedy leap forward, after six months of largely deadlocked conflict was packed into just a few dramatic hours, as by nightfall on Sunday, they not only advanced more than 32km to Tripoli, but began to take over as the the residents expressed their support and flooded to the Green Square.
As a prelude to the celebrations, hundreds of people were on the streets, most of them armed. A great number of them fighters who came down from the mountains in western areas of Libya. They entered the capital and along with opposition within the capital, had managed to liberate the city from the regime's control.
The Libyan people were in charge of most of Tripoli and a party atmosphere could be felt throughout, not just in Tripoli, but also in various towns and cities that in recent days and throughout the six-month long conflict fought their way to get rid of the Al Qathafi presence. Shouts of "We're free" echoed around the centre of Tripoli while others took delight in firing their rifles in the air or aiming shots at a large poster of Muammar Al Qathafi.
Television footage from Green Square, renamed by rebels as Martyrs Square, that had been the site of night rallies by Al Qathafi supporters throughout the uprising, showed men ripping down posters of the Libyan leader and setting them on fire along with the green flag of his regime. Others applauded, danced in delight flashing V-signs for victory, and waving the rebels' tricolour flag of independent Libya.
The Tripoli battalion commander for the opposition National Transition Council, Abdul Hakim Belhaj, openly thanked God for this victory, then called on the residents to protect the city. "We call on remaining parts of the regime to surrender and join the opposition," he said
