Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi still retains power in the capital city, Tripoli, but has apparently lost much or all control of several towns to the east and a few to the west. As government opponents step up their demonstrations and are joined by dozens of defecting military and diplomatic officials, Qaddafi seems to be digging in -- issuing defiant speeches, reportedly employing foreign mercenaries to crack down on the opposition, and threatening even more bloodshed, despite international condemnation. The Libyan government has officially banned foreign journalists from the country, so reports and images are difficult to come by. Some, however, are still making their way out. Collected here are images from around Libya during the past week.
A Bloody Week in Libya
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A resident stands on top of a burned guard post at the entrance to a security forces compound in Benghazi, Libya on Monday, February 21, 2011. Libyan protesters celebrated in the streets of Benghazi on Monday, claiming control of the country's second largest city after bloody fighting, and anti-government unrest spread to the capital with clashes in Tripoli's main square for the first time. #
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This photograph, obtained by The Associated Press outside Libya and taken by an individual not employed by AP, shows people gathering during recent days' unrest in Benghazi, Libya. #
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Protesters chant anti-government slogans in the main square of Tobruk February 22, 2011. Libyan soldiers in the eastern city of Tobruk told a Reuters correspondent on Tuesday they no longer backed Muammar Qaddafi and said the eastern region was out of the Libyan leader's control. #
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The burned-out People's Hall, the main building for government gatherings where the country's equivalent of a parliament holds sessions several times a year, is seen in Tripoli, Libya Monday, February 21, 2011. Deep cracks opened in Muammar Qaddafi's regime Monday, with Libyan government officials at home and abroad resigning, air force pilots defecting and a major government building ablaze after clashes in the capital of Tripoli. #
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Protesters chant anti-government slogans on top of the burnt building of the City Council in the main square of Tobruk February 22, 2011. Bursts of celebratory machine gun fire echoed through the streets of Tobruk on Tuesday as anti-government protesters trashed a monument to Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi's most treasured work. #
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This photograph, obtained by The Associated Press outside Libya and taken by an individual not employed by AP, shows dead bodies in coffins during recent days' unrest in Benghazi, Libya. #
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Libyan protesters stand on the rooftop of a burned police station, during a demonstration against their Libyan Leader Muammar Qaddafi, in Tobruk, Libya, Wednesday February 23, 2011. Heavy gunfire broke out in Tripoli as forces loyal to Qaddafi tightened their grip on the Libyan capital while anti-government protesters claimed control of many cities elsewhere and top government officials and diplomats turn against the longtime leader. #
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Protesters hold up a destroyed copy of the Green Book, written by Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi, as they chant anti-government slogans in the main square in Tobruk City February 22, 2011. In the Green Book, first published in 1975, Qaddafi outlines the political philosophy that has underpinned his long years in power. #
REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih) -
Protesters burn a copy of the Green Book written by Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi as they chant anti-government slogans in the main square in Tobruk February 22, 2011. #
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A placard showing photos of some of those who have died is seen on top of a tank, in the early hours of Tuesday, February 22, 2011 in Benghazi, Libya. The bodies of protesters shot to death by forces loyal to Muammar Qaddafi were left on the streets of a restive district in the Libyan capital Tuesday, an opposition activist and a resident said. #
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A Libyan popular defense committee member, holds his AK-47 as he flashes V sign in front an anti-aircraft missile at an abandoned Libyan military base near Tobruk, Libya, on Wednesday, February23, 2011. #
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This image may contain graphic or objectionable content.
Click to view imageA still image taken from video footage shows protesters carrying a man purportedly shot in the head during an anti-government demonstration in Benghazi February 18, 2011. #
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Two Libyan air force jets are guarded by Maltese soldiers in Malta's International airport, Monday, February 21, 2011. Their pilots asked for political asylum amid a bloody crackdown on anti-government protesters in Libya, a military source said. #
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A protester shows spent ammunition casing, which he says are from bullets fired by pro-government soldiers in the past few days, as people celebrate in the streets of Tobruk February 22, 2011. Residents said the city of Tobruk was now in the hands of the people and had been so for about three days. #
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A girl leaning out of a vehicle window celebrates and displays the victory sign in Benghazi, Libya on Monday, February 21, 2011. Libyan protesters celebrated in the streets of Benghazi on Monday, claiming control of the country's second largest city after bloody fighting, and anti-government unrest spread to the capital with clashes in Tripoli's main square for the first time. #
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Libyan protesters hold signs and shout slogans against Libyan Leader Muammar Qaddafi during a demonstration, in Tobruk, Libya, on Wednesday February 23, 2011. The Arabic placard in left reads:"Hey stupid you shelling us," and the right placard reads:" Libya freedom freedom, Qaddafi get out". #
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Libyan army soldiers and other protesters stand atop an army van shouting slogans against Libyan Leader Muammar Qaddafi during a demonstration, in Tobruk, Libya, on Wednesday February 23, 2011. The writing in Arabic reads: "Libya, youth revolution " #
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An Egyptian man who fled from Libya through the Salloum land port gate waits for a taxi near his belongings at the Egyptian-Libyan border, in Salloum, Egypt, Tuesday, February 22, 2011. An estimated 5,000 Egyptians have returned home from Libya by land, and about 10,000 more are waiting to cross the Libya-Egypt border, an Egyptian security official said Tuesday. #
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Egyptians, who have just crossed Salloum land port gate with Libya, at background, arrange their luggage on a mini bus, Wednesday, February23, 2011. Turkey evacuated 3,000 citizens on two ships Wednesday from the chaos of Libya's uprising but thousands of other foreigners were still stranded at Tripoli airport, struggling to get a flight home. #
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A Tunisian man, who refused to give his name, and claims that was heavily beaten by Libyan police, shows to members of the media his bruised back after he fled from Libya at the Tunisia-Libyan border, near the town of Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, Wednesday, February 23, 2011. #
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Egyptians who have fled from Libya through the Salloum land port gate wait by an army tank, with their luggage at the Egyptian-Libyan border on Tuesday, February 22, 2011. #
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A Tunisian woman holds her child as she crosses the border into Tunisia at the border crossing of Ras Jdir after fleeing unrest in Libya February 23, 2011. Thousands of Tunisians are fleeing Libya, many across its western land border, after a bloody crackdown on protests against the rule of Muammar Qaddafi, state media reported on Tuesday. Tunisia has at least 30,000 nationals in Libya and officials fear they could become targets because of Tunisia's role in inspiring uprisings across the Arab world. #
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An Egyptian man who was working in Libya pauses in a temporary tent after he fled the country at the Tunisia-Libyan border, near the town of Ben Guerdane, Tunisia on Wednesday, February 23, 2011. He and other workers claimed that all their money were stolen by Libyan army border guards. #
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Volunteer residents carrying the flag of Libya's monarchy prior to Muammar Qaddafi's reign, and offering to help in providing municipal services such as cleaning, ride on a truck in Benghazi, Libya Wednesday, February 23, 2011. #
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An effigy representing Libyan Leader Muammar Qaddafi, marked with a Star of David on its forehead, hangs from a flagpole in Benghazi, Libya Wednesday, February 23, 2011. Militiamen loyal to Muammar Qaddafi clamped down in Tripoli Wednesday, but cracks in his regime spread elsewhere across the nation, as the protest-fueled rebellion controlling much of eastern Libya claimed new gains closer to the capital. #
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Graffiti showing a caricature of Libyan Leader Muammar Qaddafi with writing in Arabic reading: "The Monkey of Monkeys of Africa", a reference to Qaddafi's self-declared title "The King of Kings of Africa", is seen on a wall in Benghazi, Libya Wednesday, February 23, 2011. #
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In this photo taken Monday, February 21, 2011, residents walk down a road carrying a banner in Arabic reading "No to vandalism, no to theft, for Libya's sake", in Benghazi, Libya. #
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Security forces who have joined the uprising carry the flag of Libya's monarchy prior to Muammar Qaddafi's reign, right, as they drive vehicles scrawled with writing in Arabic reading "February 17th Committee", a reference to the start of the Libyan uprising, through Benghazi, Libya Wednesday, February 23, 2011. #
AP Photo/Alaguri
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