Hotel jailed journalists released in Tripoli

Agence France-Presse. Tripoli

Some 30 mostly foreign journalists who Hotel Libyan strongman Muammar al-Gaddafi held faithful against their will in Tripoli by Rixos by guards, were freed on Wednesday.

The journalists, the short food and water grew to limited on the hotel since Sunday, it left at 13: 00 (1500 GMT), they reported.

"The crisis is over." The journalists are, "one of them on Twitter posted."

The circumstances of the release were not immediately known, but an AFP reporter said that she had moved to the Corinthia Bab Africa hotel in a safe part of town.

Since the early Monday was the journalists unable to leave the RIXOS, where the regime, foreign media are required.

The vast majority of Government soldiers, who had continuous protection outside their positions Wednesday, leaving, as rebels claim on wide areas of Tripoli, including Gaddafi close to Bab al-Aziziya-connection.

But a handful remained, dressed in civilian clothes and carrying Kalashnikov assault rifles.

Journalists were kept on the first floor, and spent the entire day, bullet-proof vests and helmets bear.

Electricity temporarily cut was restored, but water remained scarce. Mobile phone signals were poor.

"It's already pretty miserable here and you can only imagine the kind of voltage the foreigners here, here, the journalists are at the moment the feeling" BBC correspondent Matthew price BBC Radio said on Wednesday.

After her release, price said: 'we drove connection in a different city than the one from the hotel, we had seen seven days previously.'

Speaking of which, he said the guards, "it was their faith that when we went outside the hotel, the rebels would collect us, kill us and to rape the women stuck."

The reporters said they were in the dark about, what to expect and whether rebels meet armed resistance would take if they tried the Rixos.

"I to a point some time on Monday, as I thought: you will use this hotel as a barracks for the army for a last stand ' said price."

"If they do, what will us happen?" We found out that we had no viable escape route. In the Middle all this violence, with the battle of flaring up to us, that we hear, couldn't see but it creates this feeling of paranoia.'

As a result, she hung banners outside Windows plastered with the words 'TV', 'Press,' or in Arabic: ' news, not shoot. "

Wednesday morning, again some of the journalists have tried a few yards (metres) of car from the hotel before shots broke, and armed men ordered them within.

In addition to the guards expressed also fears told reporters of snipers.

"Gunmen were roaming around the corridors," price said. "We believe, there is still a sniper on the roof of the hotel and effectively our movements are restricted."

On Tuesday, the hotel by stray bullets, which is raised, was hit when forces to rebel of the Bab al-Aziziya ell. The two sites are separated by a forest.

In the hotel the journalists were deprived largely electricity and water and food was.

After rebels attacking Tripoli days, employees and managers leave the Rixos their contributions, while the regime officials, which the hotel such as an Office also disappeared.

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| Source: newagebd.com