EXCLUSIVE-Eastern Libya out of Gaddafi's control - soldiers

Tue Feb 22, 2011 3:15pm GMT

[-] Text [+]

* Eastern regions out of Gaddafi control, soldiers say

* Border controlled by anti-Gaddafi gunmen

* One witness says Benghazi "liberated" Saturday

* Armed vigilantes welcoming, flick V-for-victory sign

By a Reuters Correspondent

TOBRUK, Libya, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Eastern Libya is no longer under the control of Muammar Gaddafi after a revolt spread like wildfire across the country, soldiers who no longer backed the Libyan leader told a Reuters correspondent on Tuesday.

Tobruk residents said the city was in the hands of the people and had been for three days. They said smoke rising above the city was from a munitions store bombed by troops loyal to one of Gaddafi's sons. There was the occasional explosion.

"All the eastern regions are out of Gaddafi's control ... The people and the army are hand-in-hand here," the now former army major Hany Saad Marjaa told the correspondent, one of the first foreign journalists to enter Libya during the uprising. Continued...

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