Operation Oil Theft: Month 7, Week 5, Day 1.

Last Friday (14/10/11) residents of Tripoli attempted to raise the Libyan flag over the city in protest against the rebel's Transitional National Council's (TNC) occupation of the city. They were quickly attacked by rebel fighters leading to a two day gun battle. Libyan government and rebel fighters continue to clash in and around the village of Tarhouna just south of Tripoli.

On Sunday (16/10/11 rebel fighters attacked the town of Bani Walid in a pincer movement from the north and south. Although the rebels sustained what their commanders would only describe as "heavy" casualties by Monday (17/10/11) they claimed to be in control of 90% of the town. However they were also claiming that Saif al-Islam was still enable to enjoy freedom of movement across large areas.

At around 08:00 local time today (20/10/11) rebel fighters backed by NATO air support launched a large scale offensive against the last areas still held by Libyan government forces. By around midday the rebel flag had been raised over the Dollar holiday resort and victory was claimed. The rebels have also since claimed to have captured and then killed Muammer Qaddafi.

Coming just two days before the psychologically important start of the eighth month of the conflict and in a week where the rebels have also claimed to have killed Khamis Qaddafi for the ninth time many people are still skeptical about these claims. The rebels are not amongst them instead proudly chanting "The Fuzzy head is dead!" This childlike chant sounds almost cute until you realise that Libyan Jews are frequently categorised by their frizzy hair and at least one town in Israel has offered sanctuary to the Qaddafi family.


Edited at about 17:30 to add: The Rebel Transitional National Council (TNC) have officially confirmed Muammer Qaddafi's death.

Mimicking the killing of Osama bin Laden they claimed that rebel fighters raided a building containing Qaddafi and during a fire fight he was shot in the head. He then miraculously survived a 250km (155mile) ambulance ride to Misrata where he died. This will especially please the people of Misrata who feel they are being left out of the TNC but considering the way they behaved in Tarwargha that's only reasonable.

Unfortunately long before the TNC made their statement footage had already emerged of rebel fighters explaining how they'd found Qaddafi hiding in a storm drain. He handed them his golden pistol and asked them not to shoot while surrendering. Footage also emerged of rebel fighters essentially playing with Qaddafi's corpse on a pick up truck. Al Jazeera are also showing grainy footage of Qaddafi being manhandled by what appears to be a muscled white man. It is claimed this footage was filmed moments before Qaddafi was shot in the head.

So what appears to have happened is that Qaddafi was captured by rebel fighters before the SAS turned up and executed him. After all this is the best way of making sure that none of the wild claims used to start this war will ever be tested at the International Criminal Court (ICC). It's also probably why British Prime Minister David Cameron looks like he'll be the last world leader to confirm that Muammer Qaddafi is dead while he tries to run the "I only heard about it on CNN" defence.


Edited again at around 20:15: US President Barack Obama has given his reaction to the death of Muammer Qaddafi. Being the brilliant orator he is he perfectly summed up Americas involvement in Libya by making a huge, clanging mistake. He said that the mission had been achieved without a single American boot on the ground. Unfortunately on March 21st two US airmen bailed out their F-15 Strike Eagle and were recovered by a Marine recovery team. While I don't dispute America's right to recover downed airmen I'm guessing they weren't wearing flip flops.