TRIPOLI, Libya - The Libyan capital on Friday saw its first major gunbattle since Moammar Gadhafi fled Tripoli more than two months ago, as his supporters traded fire with revolutionary forces after a crowd raised the ousted regime's green flag.
Fearing more attacks, revolutionary forces set up checkpoints manned by young, armed men across the metropolis of 2 million people, snarling traffic. They also rounded up several suspected African mercenaries, pulling them from cars and houses.
The violence in Tripoli and fierce resistance on two other fronts set back the new rulers' stated goals of declaring total victory and establishing democracy as Gadhafi, the ruler for nearly 42 years, remains on the run.
The capital has been relatively calm since rebels swept into the city in late August. But Gadhafi's loyalists have control of parts of his hometown of Sirte and the desert enclave of Bani Walid and have fought off NATO-backed revolutionary forces besieging them for weeks, perhaps encouraged by several audio recordings issued by Gadhafi from hiding.
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The firefight in Tripoli began after Friday prayers. Witnesses said dozens of loyalists carrying the green flag appeared on a square in the Abu Salim neighborhood, which has long been a pro-Gadhafi stronghold.
"I looked out of my window and I saw men and women in a group of 50 to 80 people, carrying the green flag," said Abadi Omar, a resident in one of the buildings in the area. "They put one of these flags at the end of our street. This is when the revolutionary forces came out and these people disappeared."
Revolutionary forces started searching every building in the area and found weapons on some of the rooftops, many hidden under water tanks, Omar said. Then pro-Gadhafi snipers opened fire, and the gunbattle began as anti-Gadhafi fighters chased loyalists around the closely packed buildings.
In amateur video shown to The Associated Press, gunfire could be seen coming from the upper floors of apartment buildings surrounding the square, prompting revolutionary forces to scramble and begin shooting from the street below.
Hundreds of revolutionary fighters converged on the area in pickups mounted with weapons. They set up checkpoints as heavy gunfire echoed through the streets.
Tripoli military officials said 12 suspected Gadhafi supporters were detained but played down the shooting, saying the gunfire was primarily from revolutionary forces themselves.
