NATO says its mission in Libya is not over, as new fighting erupted near leader Moammar Gadhafi's compound in the Libyan capital, Tripoli.
A NATO spokeswoman, Oana Lungescu, told reporters in Brussels Tuesday that fighting is still under way in the capital. She said NATO will continue its operations until all attacks and threats of attacks against civilians have stopped.
NATO military spokesman Colonel Roland Lavoie said NATO forces are not specifically targeting Mr. Gadhafi, but that the alliance will strike “wherever is necessary” in Libya to protect civilians.
Heavy fighting was centered Tuesday near Mr. Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound. Gunfire and explosions have shaken several parts of the city, which the rebels claim to have mostly under their control.
Mr. Gadhafi's whereabouts are unknown. But his son and one-time heir apparent, Seif al-Islam, defiantly appeared in the city saying his father is still in Tripoli and that his government is still in control.
The rebels earlier claimed to have arrested Seif al-Islam, but he spoke to foreign journalists at the Gadhafi-controlled Rixos Hotel, then led a convoy of vehicles through loyalist areas, where television footage showed him pumping his fists in the air as supporters cheered him on.
The International Criminal Court on Tuesday disputed reports that it earlier confirmed Seif al-Islam's detention, saying the court never received official word from the opposition Transitional National Council.
Senior rebel sources also said another of Mr. Gadhafi's sons – Mohammed – escaped house arrest Monday. A third son apparently is still in detention.
The head of the opposition council, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, said Mr. Gadhafi will receive a fair trial if captured, and that the “real moment of victory” will be when he is taken into custody.
Jalil acknowledged that the rebels have yet to establish full control in Tripoli, where forces loyal to Mr. Gadhafi have battled rebels in scattered pockets. Opposition fighters say pro-government forces still hold 10 to 15 percent of the capital, including the Bab al-Aziziya compound.
The International Organization for Migration said Tuesday the fighting in Tripoli has forced it to delay docking a ship to begin evacuating stranded migrants. The group said the ship, which can carry 300 people, will remain off shore until the security situation improves.
In addition to parts of Tripoli, pro-government forces also control at least two major cities affiliated with his tribe – Sabha, to the south, and Sirte, some 450 kilometers east of the capital along the coast. NATO says government forces fired three Scud missiles toward the city of Misrata, but no injuries were reported.
The rebels broke through Tripoli's outer defenses Sunday and reached the city's central Green Square, where thousands celebrated the opposition's arrival and tore down posters of Mr. Gadhafi. Until recently, the government had used the area for mass demonstrations in support of Mr. Gadhafi.
The rebel troops moved into central Tripoli with little resistance after capturing a key military base run by the government's elite Khamis Brigade and commanded by another of Mr. Gadhafi's sons.
