"The revolution from inside Tripoli has officially started (Saturday) evening in many parts ... of Tripoli, and is expected to spread to all of Tripoli," said Jumma Ibrahim, a rebel spokesman from the western mountain region around Zintan.
Hours after the comments were made, and intensified fighting was reported in the Libyan capital, a message from Gadhafi was broadcast on state-run TV.
In the live audio address, the Libyan leader blasted the rebel "traitors" and the NATO forces backing them as unethical and intent on destroying the county and ruining lives. And as he had done in a speech six days earlier, he tried to rally citizens to his side.
"A great thing, anyway, that despite the Christian air raids, you continue to be up in Tripoli," he said, an apparent reference to those who listened to his speech from Green Square. "March forward, march forward, march forward."
Heavy clashes broke out Saturday night in at least one neighborhood in Tripoli, marked by intense gunfire, explosions and people screaming as they ran through the street, a resident told CNN.
Gunfire and explosions have become normal occurrences in the capital, but CNN personnel on the ground for weeks report that the fighting appeared to be among the most intense yet.
"Most of the neighhoods in Tripoli are rising up," Jumma Ibrahim said.
If this is the final chapter in Qaddafi's 42-year reign (and it looks like it is, Qaddafi has no fuel for his vehicles or tanks now) then I'm hoping that behind the scenes some sort of effort is being made for a peaceful transition to rebel control.
I've been a pretty heavy critic of the effort in Libya, but it's looking like that there may be a happy ending to this tale. Maybe. We'll see.
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