The rebels appear to control much of Tripoli today, but heavy fighting is still occurring in parts of the city. The BBC reports gunfire and explosions have been heard near a hotel held by government troops, as well as the area around the Libyan leader’s Bab al-Azizia compound. While the rebels have not seized all of Tripoli, nations across the globe have begun recognizing the rebel-led National Transitional Council as the official Libyan government. Mahmud Nacua is the Libyan charge d’affaires in London.

Mahmud Nacua, Libyan charge d’affaires in London: “It is a great day in Libya. They achieved their victory, our fighters. We now folded the last page in the era of dictatorship, Gaddafi, and we start a new era in Libya. We are going to build a democratic country, where there is freedom and liberty. We are proud for what our fighters have done.”