Even as Libya seems to be heading into a civil war, Gaddafi addressed his supporters in a rally and claimed that he "is surprised by the protests". Meanwhile, India is still scrambling to get its nationals out of the strife-torn country. A third of Indians stuck in Libya will reach home tomorrow; more is expected as private carriers give Air India a hand in the evacuation process.
New Delhi/Tripoli: Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has vowed to fight to the "last man and last woman" to defend his country.
Gaddafi was addressing supporters and foreign media on Wednesday in a conference hall in the capital Tripoli as his forces were launching a counteroffensive against parts of the rebel-held eastern half of the country.
"We will fight until the last man and woman. We will defend Libya from the north to the south," he said.
Forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi battled government opponents for control of a key oil installation and an airstrip on Wednesday on the Mediterranean coast in a counter-offensive against the rebel-held eastern half of the country.
The fighting at the Brega oil port appeared to be the first significant attempt by Gaddafi's regime to push back against the large swath of territory -- almost the entire eastern half of the country -- seized by the opposition. For the past week, pro-Gaddafi forces have been focusing on securing his stronghold in the capital Tripoli and trying with mixed success to take back nearby rebel-held cities in the west.
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