Reply #3: Civilians flee pro-Gaddafi town ahead of assault

[pinboy3niner]

Wed Sep 14, 2011 2:13am GMT


• Residents of Bani Walid given two days to go

• NTC hands out fuel outside besieged town

• Three Gaddafi officials rounded up


By Maria Golovnina


NORTH GATE OF BANI WALID, Libya, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Libyan fighters handed out free petrol to help hundreds of civilians flee a desert town held by Muammar Gaddafi's forces ahead of an onslaught aimed at capturing one of the ousted ruler's last bastions.

Complaining of hardship and intimidation, residents of Bani Walid headed to nearby towns or started the 180 km (112-mile) journey north towards Tripoli on Tuesday in cars packed with children and possessions.

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NTC field commanders said people in Bani Walid had been told via broadcast radio messages they had two days to leave town before it came under full-blown attack.

"I think only 10 percent of the people are Gaddafi supporters. They are fanatics. And the rest are waiting to be liberated. We have given them two more days to leave the city," NTC fighter Abumuslim Abdu told Reuters.

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http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFL5E7KD41820110914?sp=true

The three officials in NTC custody are:

• Abdel Hafid Zlitni, a former Central Bank governor and finance minister

• Mohammed Zwei, parliament speaker and former ambassador to Britain

• Mustapha Kharroubi, senior military officer