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Ben Hubbard

In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, a UN observer, left, speaks with Syrian citizens during their visit to the pro-Syrian regime neighborhoods, in Homs province, central Syria, on Monday April 23, 2012. United Nations observers monitoring Syria's shaky cease-fire visited a string of rebellious Damascus suburbs Monday, while the European Union looked set to levy new sanctions to increase the pressure on President Bashar Assad's regime. (AP Photo/SANA)

Syrian rebels target security officials

Last updated Tuesday, April 24, 2012 - 9:27am

BEIRUT -- Rebels seeking to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime launched three separate attacks on his security forces around Damascus on Tuesday, killing two ranking officers and rocking the capital with a booby-trapped car, activists and state media said.

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Villagers carry the body of Ghassan Ali, 40, who was killed during clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the government forces during his funeral in Sarmin, north of Syria, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012. According to residents of the city at least fourteen people were killed yesterday during clashes between the Free Syrian Army and President Assad's forces. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

13 rebels die getting wounded journalist out of Syria

Ben Hubbard The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, February 29, 2012 - 11:56am

BEIRUT -- A wounded British photographer who had been trapped in the besieged Syrian city of Homs was spirited safely into Lebanon on Tuesday in a risky journey that killed 13 rebels who helped him escape the relentless shelling and gunfire.

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In this photo released by Saudi Press Agency Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh signs an agreement to step down Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AP Photo / HO, Saudi Press Agency)

Yemen president of 33 years quits amid uprising

Abdullah Al-Shihri, Ben Hubbard The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, November 23, 2011 - 4:19pm

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Yemen's authoritarian President Ali Abdullah Saleh agreed Wednesday to step down amid a fierce uprising to oust him after 33 years in power. The U.S. and its powerful Gulf allies pressed for the deal, concerned that a security collapse in the impoverished Arab nation was allowing an active al-Qaida franchise to gain a firmer foothold.

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Egyptian soldiers walk at the base the pyramid of Khufu, largest of the Giza Pyramids in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Nov. 11, 2011. Egypt's antiquities authority closed the largest of the Giza pyramids Friday following rumors that groups would try to hold spiritual ceremonies on the site at 11:11 on Nov. 11, 2011. The closure follows a string of unconfirmed reports in local media that unidentified groups would try to hold "Jewish" or "Masonic" rites on the site to take advantage of mysterious powers coming from the pyramid on the rare date. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Pyramid closed after reports of bizarre 11-11-11 ritual

Ben Hubbard The Associated Press

Last updated Friday, November 11, 2011 - 11:37am

CAIRO -- Egypt's antiquities authority closed the largest of the Giza pyramids Friday following rumors that groups would try to hold spiritual ceremonies on the site at 11:11 A.M. on Nov. 11, 2011.

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Libya volunteers set up the red carpet for the arrival of Libyan Transitional National Council chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil at Metiga airport in Tripoli, Libya, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

Chief of Libya's ex-rebels arrives in capital

Ben Hubbard, Hadeel Al-Shalchi The Associated Press

Last updated Saturday, September 10, 2011 - 6:16pm

TRIPOLI, Libya — The chief of Libya’s former rebels arrived in Tripoli on Saturday, greeted by a boisterous red carpet ceremony meant to show he’s taking charge of the interim government replacing the ousted regime of Moammar Gadhafi.

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Rebel fighters take control of a military vehicle, centre, positioned to defend what used to be Gadhafi's 32nd infantry regiment's base at Mardun, some 10 kilometers from the outskirts of Ban Walid, Libya, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. (AP Photo/Gaia Anderson)

Libyan fighters say Gadhafi surrounded

Ben Hubbard The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, September 7, 2011 - 9:36am

TRIPOLI, Libya — Libyan fighters have surrounded ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, and it is only a matter of time until he is captured or killed, a spokesman for Tripoli's new military council said Wednesday.

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Libyan intelligence documents show ties to CIA

Ben Hubbard The Associated Press

Last updated Saturday, September 3, 2011 - 1:22pm

TRIPOLI, Libya -- The CIA worked closely with Moammar Gadhafi's intelligence services in the rendition of terror suspects to Libya for interrogation, according to documents seen Saturday by the AP, cooperation that could spark tensions between Washington and Libya's new rulers.

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A Libyan rebel checks files of wanted suspects, at a checkpoint in Tripoli, Libya, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011. Rebels hunting the top officials in Moammar's Gadhafi's ousted regime have captured his foreign minister and are closing in on Gadhafi himself, rebel officials said. The announcement, made on the 42nd anniversary of the coup that brought Gadhafi to power, also came as rebels forces pressed toward three major bastions of the crumbling regime, including Gadhafi's hometown. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

Libyan rebels catch Gadhafi foreign minister

Ben Hubbard, Maggie Michael The Associated Press

Last updated Thursday, September 1, 2011 - 10:26am

TRIPOLI, Libya -- Rebels hunting the top officials in Moammar Gadhafi's ousted regime have captured his foreign minister and are closing in on Gadhafi himself, rebel officials said Thursday.

The announcement, made on the 42nd anniversary of the coup that brought Gadhafi to power, also came as rebels forces pressed toward three major bastions of the crumbling regime, including Gadhafi's hometown.

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FILE - In this Feb. 5, 2005 file photo, al-Saadi Gadhafi, the son of the Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi, arrives in Sydney, Australia. The rebel commander in Tripoli says Moammar Gadhafi's son al-Saadi has called him to negotiate the terms of his own surrender. (AP Photo/Dan Peled, File)

Rebels: Gadhafi son offers to surrender

Ben Hubbard The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, August 31, 2011 - 9:42am

TRIPOLI, Libya -- Moammar Gadhafi's son al-Saadi is trying to negotiate the terms of his own surrender, the rebel commander in Tripoli told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The commander, Abdel Hakim Belhaj, said al-Saadi first called him Tuesday and asked whether his safety could be guaranteed. "We told him 'Don't fear for your life. We will guarantee your rights as a human being, and will deal with you humanely,' said Belhaj, who added that al-Saadi would be turned over to legal authorities.

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FILE - In this Monday, Sept. 1, 2003 file photo, showing Safiya Gadhafi, the wife of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, waves at Libyan soldiers during a military parade at Tripoli's main square. Ousted Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's wife and other relatives fled to Algeria Monday, the Algerian foreign ministry said, declaring that Gadhafi's wife, daughter, two of his sons and their children entered the neighboring country on Monday. It did not say whether Moammar Gadhafi himself was with the family group. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)

Gadhafi's wife, 3 children flee to Algeria

Ben Hubbard The Associated Press

Last updated Monday, August 29, 2011 - 4:28pm

TRIPOLI, Libya -- Moammar Gadhafi's wife and three of his children fled Libya to neighboring Algeria on Monday, firm evidence that the longtime leader has lost his grip on the country.

Gadhafi's whereabouts were still unknown and rebels are worried that if he remains in Libya, it will stoke more violence. In Washington, the Obama administration said it has no indication Gadhafi has left the country.

Rebels also said one of Gadhafi's other sons, elite military commander Khamis, was probably killed in battle.

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The head of the rebel's transitional government, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, speaks during NATO talks in Doha, Monday Aug. 29, 2011. Top Libyan rebel officials Monday urged NATO to maintain pressure on the remnants of Moammar Gadhafi's regime and protect crews trying to restore critical water and power services. (AP Photo/Osama Faisal)

Libyan rebels ask NATO to keep up pressure

Ben Hubbard The Associated Press

Last updated Monday, August 29, 2011 - 9:31am

TRIPOLI, Libya -- Libyan rebel leaders asked NATO on Monday to keep up pressure on elements of Moammar Gadhafi's regime and to protect those struggling to restore electricity and water to the battle-scarred capital of Tripoli.

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In this image made from television, two rebel fighters look inside a warehouse at the site near a military camp held by Gadhafi supporters until rebels took Tripoli, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. A man has told The Associated Press he survived a massacre by Moammar Gadhafi loyalists who opened fire on about 130 civilian detainees. Mabrouk Abdullah, who was at the site Sunday, says he and other prisoners were told by a guard they would be released. Instead, guards threw hand grenades and opened fire at detainees huddling in a hangar. (AP Photo/APTN)

Gadhafi forces killed detainees, survivors say

Ben Hubbard, Karin Laub The Associated Press

Last updated Monday, August 29, 2011 - 10:01am

TRIPOLI, Libya -- Retreating loyalists of Moammar Gadhafi killed scores of detainees and arbitrarily shot civilians over the past week, as rebel forces extended their control over the Libyan capital, survivors and a human rights group said Sunday.

In one case, Gadhafi fighters opened fire and hurled grenades at more than 120 civilians huddling in a hangar used as a makeshift lockup near a military base, said Mabrouk Abdullah, 45, who escaped with a bullet wound in his side. Some 50 charred corpses were still scattered across the hangar on Sunday.

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A Libyan rebel fires at soldiers loyal to Moammar Gadhafi in Tripoli, Libya, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2011. Intense battles raged Thursday between about 1,000 rebels surrounding 10 buildings filled with Moammar Gadhafi loyalists in the neighborhood next to the Libyan leader's captured compound. Gadhafi, in a new audio message, called on Libyans to destroy the rebels. (AP Photo)

Libya rebels battle loyalists in Tripoli's streets

Ben Hubbard, Karin Laub The Associated Press

Last updated Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 11:49am

CAIRO — A spokesman for Moammar Gadhafi tells The Associated Press that Gadhafi is in Libya and leading the fight against the rebels.

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(Sergey Ponomarev/The Associated Press) Rebel fighters celebrate as they stand on top of the monument inside the main Moammar Gadhafi compound in Bab Al-Aziziya in Tripoli, LIbya. The rebels say they have now taken control of nearly all of Tripoli, but sporadic gunfire could still be heard Wednesday, and Gadhafi loyalists fired shells and assault rifles at fighters who had captured the Libyan leader's personal compound one day earlier.

From hiding, Gadhafi tells Libyans to free Tripoli

Ben Hubbard, Karin Laub The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, August 24, 2011 - 10:23am

TRIPOLI, Libya — A defiant Moammar Gadhafi vowed Wednesday to fight on "until victory or martyrdom," as rebel fighters tried to end scattered attacks by regime loyalists in the nervous capital.

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Rebel fighters gesture as they stamp on a part of a statue of Moammar Gadhafi inside the main compound in Bab Al-Aziziya in Tripoli, Libya, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011. Libyan rebels stormed Moammar Gadhafi's main military compound in Tripoli Tuesday after fierce fighting with forces loyal to his regime that rocked the capital as the longtime leader refused to surrender despite the stunning advances by opposition forces. (AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev)

Libyan rebels storm Gahdafi's Tripoli compound

Ben Hubbard, Karin Laub The Associated Press

Last updated Tuesday, August 23, 2011 - 2:19pm

TRIPOLI, Libya — Hundreds of Libyan rebels blasted through the green gates of Moammar Gadhafi’s sprawling compound in Tripoli Tuesday, charging wildly through the symbolic heart of the crumbing regime as they looted armories and scoured the grounds in vain for the missing dictator.

The storming of Bab al-Aziziya, long the nexus of Gadhafi’s power, marked a major success for the rebels. But with Gadhafi and his powerful sons still unaccounted for — and gunbattles flaring across the nervous city — the fighters know they cannot declare victory.

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