In 2011 I was on an assignment in Libya for Reuters, part of a group of about 35 international media staying at the Rixos hotel , Tripoli. We would be taken on trips by the Gadaffi government officials to show damage by NATO bombing, and it was the venue for official press conferences and government broadcasting. The rebels got to Tripoli much sooner than expected and took everyone by surprise.The officials staying at the hotel fled, leaving behind a handful of gunmen. Outside the rebels and government forces fought and we were prevented from leaving by the gunmen. After a very tense few days we were eventually released.
