The battle for Tripoli may be far from over. While many were expecting news of Muammar Gaddafi's capture last night at any moment, the public appearance of his son Saif al-Islam (whom the rebels claimed to have captured) free and surrounded by supporters suddenly changed the cards on the table. By implying that the clan around the raiss will sell his life dearly and dealing a mortal blow to the credibility of those who, like the National Transitional Council, already considered him captured together with at least one of his brothers. Saif al Islam said that the rebels were let into the city to fall into a trap and that, God willing, his counter-offensive will be launched today.
Meanwhile, on the diplomatic front, an extraordinary meeting of the EU's Political and Security Committee will be held in Brussels today to discuss the situation in Libya, confirmed Michael Mann, spokesman for the EU's High Representative for Foreign Policy Catherine Ashton. Cops is made up of ambassadors from the 27 EU countries. However, Mann ruled out that the option of a higher-level meeting on the issue is currently being considered.
