Metransparent Exclusive
In a dramatic and unexpected development, security forces in Libya’s major cities east of Tripoli seem to have collapsed, or ran away, leaving the protestors in control of a vital region for Libya’s economy.
Sources close to the regime admitted the sudden loss of control of Benghazi, al-Bayda, Tobruk and other major cities. The regime’s no. 2, Abudullah Sanussi, is in Benghazi but “the protest movement is too large to be contained by anyone”, sources said.
The loss of control of the region lying to the east of Tripoli is “critical’ for the regime, source said. For years, there has been secessionist calls in the region which enjoys (along with the southern regions of Libya) two major resources: oil and water. Libya cannot survive economically if deprived of its eastern and southern regions.
In such circumstances, sources pointed out that the protest movement could, already, claim to have “won” against the regime. It controls a region where secessionists would like to build a separate state.
All shall depend, now, on developments in the densely populated western part of Libya, where demonstrations have been limited to small cities in the ‘Arab’ south west. If the protest movement were to spread to Tripoli and nearby localities, then the regime is lost!
What about the military forces Qaddafi could use against the protestors?
Amazingly, sources seemed to doubt the willingness of the military “to shoot against their own people”. Rather, some of the military might join the insurgents, sources said.