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Rebels Make Major Gains In Libya

AUDIE CORNISH, Host:

We're joined now by NPR's Jason Beaubien who is traveling in the country. Hi there, Jason..

JASON BEAUBIEN: Hello.

CORNISH: So, Jason, explain how much of the country at this point is considered in rebel hands.

BEAUBIEN: And there are a few other pockets further south out in the desert. But for the most part, the rebels control the entire country now.

CORNISH: And you said you are actually travelling at this point. How is security?

BEAUBIEN: You know, around these small pockets of loyalist resistance, the rebels are keeping people away. But on the road getting here, it feels quite safe.

CORNISH: So talk a little bit more about what's going on in the capital, because I gather that anti-Gadhafi forces have taken over much of the government buildings.

BEAUBIEN: The rebels have been slowly gaining control of these places. They were just wide open. Just, you know, the doors had been bashed in and people had been looting them. The rebels are now securing those buildings and trying to make sure that these records don't disappear.

CORNISH: And, of course, we're seeing reports about files uncovered in the Interior Ministry and the Foreign Ministry.

BEAUBIEN: These documents came out a few days ago. Human Rights Watch has been very, you know, has objected to this practice of rendition. And these documents show that clearly, you know, from what was in these documents, apparently the CIA was using Libya as a place of rendition; to move the suspects in, have them interrogated in Libya.

CORNISH: And, of course, at this point these documents have not been authenticated. But the idea that the - that even the idea that the U.S. might be having suspects moved to this country with the traditional - with a tradition of brutal questioning is something that's raising a lot of eyebrows.

BEAUBIEN: Yeah. And I should add that in these documents it does explicitly say - these communications between the CIA and the Gadhafi regime, it does say that Libya, you must respect the human rights of these people. So I should add that. But it certainly does raise questions about who the U.S. and the British intelligence services were using to interrogate terror suspects in his global war on terror.

CORNISH: NPR's foreign correspondent Jason Beaubien traveling in Libya. Jason, stay safe.

BEAUBIEN: Will do. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

Over two decades of journalism, Audie Cornish has become a recognized and trusted voice on the airwaves as co-host of NPR's flagship news program, All Things Considered.
Jason Beaubien is NPR's Global Health and Development Correspondent on the Science Desk.