A brief summary of how it happened
A quick message from the ground in Benghazi, the protests started small on Feb15 in Benghazi the traditional birthplace of any uprisings. They started by chanting wake up wake up Benghazi, this chant seemed to have gained numbers as they passed the homes heading towards the security building in Al Howari district of Benghazi.
Although our day of anger was Thursday Feb 17th we were rather suprised it had started earlier, the abu sleem prison massacre was a catalyst as their lawyer was arrested.
The next day life pretty much turned back to normal, but this was the last time we were to see normality. My father had picked me up from uni, there were a few people chanting through out the day outside may uni maybe 30 to 40 people claiming that Gaddafi had taken their lands without consent etc.
Rumours circled through the city that after the late afternoon prayer the Protests were going to be larger in number, I was in my room opening the laptop to start my evening study and catch up, I then heard the protesters walk past our house once again, I saw my brother and father run out of the house to join them I was very afraid for their safety, as i heard the protesters chant against gaddafi, it sounded serious, it was very clear there was no way back for them because if things calmed down they would be taken anyway.
on Feb 17 Gaddafi had sent in mercenaries they seemed to be from subsaharan Africa, they were thrown in like wild animals running street to street shooting at will anyone they see. There were also Libyans said to be from the town of sirte, the birthplace of Gaddafi and his tribesmen. At this point we were all afraid, as a girl I stayed in doors initially but the youth and older men of the city took to the streets and we saw them running in the direction of live fire, we could not believe what we were seeing, they held rocks and ran towards mercenaries and the soldiers protecting the Fadheel abu omar camp also known as the birka barracks, this is where the majority of the fighting took place.
The mothers of Benghazi prepared sandwiches for their sons but once they had eaten they ordered them back out to the streets to defend the city and its people. One youth took his shirt off and marched toward live fire and yelled at them to shoot him if they could. Not a single bullet hit him, what the youth of Libya did was truly incredible and have lifted our heads amongst the Arabs and the World. After a long bloody battle which saw many martyrs the city was finally liberated, I have never seen the city like it is now, people spread food and drink as well as sweets around to anyone and everyone.
The present situation in the city is mixed, the people are relieved and jublient but we also worry for Tripoli our capital. We pray god is with them. Protests are on going outside the court house along the coastal road, there are people who stay there overnight and are replaced so it is occupied 24 hours, we are protesting against gaddafi and for the liberation of our capital city.
Not only did our youth protect the city and were willing to sacrifice themselves, but now they are cleaning the streets, helping with traffic flow as well as many other jobs taking care of the people, you would think we have a long standing government with laws but we have just been liberated.
I have written this in brief to give u an understanding of how things happened for us, I have been told about all the support from outside and we appreciate this and we all look forward to a complete free Libya. Talk of division is unheard of here because we are mixed, we have brothers and family across Libya.
A citizen of Benghazi
Buy on AliExpress.com
