Rebels Give Gaddafi Loyalists Ultimatum

Fighting continued Tuesday throughout Libya, as rebel leaders from the National Transitional Council could not yet travel to the capital due to personal-safety concerns, and some indicated a power vacuum could be created. Rebels have pledged to attack the embattled leader’s hometown of Sirte after Saturday if loyalists do not surrender. The lack of presence in the capital has highlighted the rebels’ growing rivalries as various factions have taken credit for liberating Tripoli from dictator Muammar Gaddafi. While the early fighting in Libya was in the eastern portion of the country—where the rebels set up their power base in Benghazi—the final assault on Tripoli was led by rebel groups in the west and finished by seasoned fighters from Misrata.