The rebels have almost taken control of Tripoli, with resistances across by Pro-Gaddafi forces. The hunt for Col Gaddafi is still on and he is at large. Nato felt that the hunt must not be a prolonged affair.
The National Transitional Council (NTC) believes that until he is captured dead or alive the war will never come to an end.
The head of NTC, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, announced the amnesty offer from the eastern city of Benghazi. He added that the NTC supported an offer by a group of businessmen to pay $1.7m for Col Gaddafi, "dead or alive". A rebel spokesman felt that those around Col Gaddafi were heavily implicated with him in crimes against humanity and crimes against the Libyan people. Now this award and prosecution immunity will play as a huge psychological incentive for them. The rebel leadership has also offered Col Gaddafi safe passage out of the country, if he renounces his leadership.
Apart from Tripoli Gaddafi seems to enjoy a strong following in two other cities - Sirte, his hometown 450km (280 miles) to the east of the capital, and Sabha, 650km to the south in the desert. NTC was negotiating with local leaders in both the locations seeking a peaceful end to the conflict. The estimated war victims since Sunday is about 400 killed and thousands injured in the battle for Tripoli.
