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Latest update: 21/08/2011
- civil war - Italy - Libya - Muammar Gaddafi - unrest
Italy confirms defection of Gaddafi’s former No. 2
Italy’s Defence Minister Ignazio La Russa confirmed Sunday that that Abdel-Salam Jalloud, Gaddafi’s ex-number 2, had arrived in Italy after fleeing Tripoli.
By News Wires (text)
AP - Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s former No. 2 official is in Italy after fleeing Tripoli, the Italian defense minister said Sunday.
Minister Ignazio La Russa’s remarks to reporters in Sicily Sunday were the first official confirmation that Abdel-Salam Jalloud had arrived in Italy.
He didn’t say where Jalloud was staying, but later, in an interview on Sky TG24 TV, indicated the Libyan might soon make public remarks.
“Whether he speaks depends on him," La Russa said. "I don’t rule out that that could happen soon.”
Libyan rebels said Friday that Jalloud had defected, a blow for Gadhafi’s embattled regime. Jalloud helped Gadhafi come to power in a 1969 coup and for decades traveled the world representing Tripoli. He started clashing with Gadhafi in the 1990s.
Italian media have reported that Jalloud first fled to Tunisia, then to Italy on Saturday. Italian officials initially declined to comment on Jalloud’s whereabouts.
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Comments (1)
Zeroing in onto Tripoli
Well, assuming that things move as they have been in the recent days and weeks, one can say that Libya's stong man - Gaddafi's days/hours are all but numbered. With all the over powerful NATO space cover, it not surprising to see the speed at which the Rebels seem to be advancing. The question is, whose war has this become? NATO's? The Libyan Rebels? Gaddafi's? or the Libyan people? Ok, assuming that Gaddafi is toppled today or tomorrow, what next for NATO and their Rebel allies? By all accounts, it would appear that if the Rebels succeed in dislodging Gaddafi from his power-base, they will soon discover that the real war in Libya will have just began because (as evidenced in other war theatres), it will take a very long time to bring Libya back to a strong standing again and probably with more bloodshed leave alone the social and economic infrastructure that has been brought down to its knees. This also goes without mentioned the lurking danger from all the other opportunistic adventurers hibernating in the Maghreb, waiting the right time to strike and share the spoils of war. We must continue to watch the space!
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