RABAT | Sat Aug 20, 2011 8:00pm EDT RABAT (Reuters) - Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi congratulated his supporters for repelling an attack by rebel "rats" in the capital Tripoli, and accused French President Nicolas Sarkozy of trying to steal the country's oil.
Gaddafi made the remarks in a live audio broadcast over state television early on Sunday, adding the rebels were "bent on the destruction of the Libyan people."
(Reporting by Souhail Karam; writing by Richard Valdmanis; editing by Michael Roddy)
This is the FIRST television/radio announcement in weeks by Gaddafi. To me, it appears to be defensive as the so-called "rebels" are taking Tripoli right now.