'Gaddafi's son joins Libyan protesters'

'Gaddafi's son joins Libyan protesters'

Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:21PM


The youngest son of the embattled ruler Muammar Gaddafi has joined the pro-democracy protesters in eastern Libya as the outpouring of rage against Gaddafi remains unabated, a reports say.


Reports say Saif al-Arab, Gaddafi's youngest son, who was sent by his father to cooperate with Libyan security forces in the massive crackdown on pro-democracy protesters joined forces with the demonstrators on Thursday, while hinting that his father would commit suicide or flee to Latin America.
According to reports, Saif al-Arab had the backing of combat troops and had military equipment that were dispatched to the eastern parts of turmoil-hit Libya.

As many as 1,000 Libyans have so far been killed by the Gaddafi's forces, reports say.
A total of 130 Libyan soldiers have been executed for refusing to open fire on protesters.

Pro-democracy demonstrations inspired by the popular revolutions that deposed decades-long rulers in neighboring Egypt and Tunisia, have engulfed Libya since Feb 15, with thousands of people taking to the streets of the eastern city of Benghazi and calling for the ouster of the 68-year-old Gaddafi.
Gaddafi, who came to power 41 years ago in a bloodless military coup, delivered a televised address on Tuesday in which he vowed to fight on to his "last drop of blood" and called on his supporters to take to the streets to confront the protesters.



HA/MGH