'Unfazed' Gaaddafi plays chess on TV as Libyan fight intensifies

Published June 13th, 2011 - 02:13 GMT
Check-mate for Gaddafi?
Check-mate for Gaddafi?

An 'unfazed' Muammar Gaddafi has appeared on state television playing chess with president of the international chess federation Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, amid growing political unrest across his country over his refusal to give up power.

Gaddafi appeared least bothered about what was happening in the world while concentrating on the game during his meeting with Ilyumzhinov.

The former Russian provincial Governor said Gaddafi told him that he would not leave his country, the Daily Mail reports.

Meanwhile, anti-government rebels launched an attack yesterday to retake the oil town of Brega, which killed at least four fighters, rebels and doctors said.

"We attacked them first but they attacked us back. We tried to get to Brega but that was difficult. We had 130 fighters. They had more. It was a heavy fight," a wounded rebel fighter said.

It was reported earlier this month that the Libyan regime had warned of retaliatory attacks if Gaddafi was forced to quit as leader.

His government had also handed out thousands of weapons to ordinary civilians, saying that they would turn Libya into a "living hell" if NATO grounded forces to invade the country.

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