25 August,2011 07:15 AM IST | | Agencies
A group of journalists are under siege at a five-star hotel in Tripoli where they are being held hostage by soldiers loyal to Libyan leader Moammer Gaddafi.
Mortar, rocket-propelled grenade attacks and gunfire have been reported in the grounds of the ufffd500-a-night (Rs 38,000) Rixos hotel, where the 35 foreigners have been held for five days.
The hostages are unable to leave the hotel compound and armed guards are patrolling the corridors with AK47s.
There are believed to be a dozen British journalists being held and several Americans, including former US congressman Walter Fauntroy (78).
An Indian parliamentarian is also among the hostages.
Crisis talks were taking place at the Foreign Office yesterday morning and the National Security Council was meeting in London.
Military sources claimed that Gaddafi could be hiding under the hotel in tunnels after fleeing from his presidential compound.
