Younes Assassinated But Libyan NTC Forces Slowly Encircling Tripoli and Isolating Qadhafi

Libyan general Abdul Fatah Younes, former head of Qadhafi’s military who defected to the rebel cause early on and became their military chief, was assassinated today. Two aides were also killed. Their bodies were taken by the assassins and have not yet been found. Moustafa Abdeljalil, the NTC president, said the assassins were sent by Qadhafi to kill Younes.

The general had been summoned to Benghazi to answer questions concerning military affairs, but rumors were circulating later today to the effect that Younes had been arrested and was to face questioning concerning his supposed continuing relationship with the Qadhafi regime. The NTC denied this.

In announcing Younes’ death, Abdeljalil said that the head of the group that killed Younes had been arrested. Adbeljalil also announced 3 days of official mourning. During the press conference, armed men tried to enter the NTC room but were turned away by NTC soldiers, and journalists were evacuated.  

While these events were the focus in Benghazi, other NTC military were making progress in western Libya near the Tunisian border. D’Al-Ghazaya was taken. It is the town from which Qadhafi forces had been launching rockets at Nalut, the rebel stronghold near the Tunisian border where refugees from the west of Libya could flee from the regime into Tunisia.

After taking d’Al-Ghazaya, the rebel troops advanced to Om-Al-Far and destroyed a Qadhafi munitions dump.

These victories make it easier for the NTC troops to move toward Tripoli, which continues to be bombarded by UN aircraft.

The Libyan freedom fighters are advancing and it seems that their initiatives are having the effect of forming a circle of sorts around Tripoli, where Qadhafi and his loyalists are becoming more and more isolated.