Abdullah: A-level results and the toppling of tyrants

One thing’s for sure, Fresher’s Fare this autumn term at Manchester University will be an interesting occasion.

Picture the scene:  Students exchanging adventures from their gap years, checking in patagonia, and bungy jumping in who knows where.

And then there is Abdullah, embarking on a degree course in Management.  I can sense the conversation now:

“So mate – what did you do in your year out?”

“Well actually, I joined the Libyan revolution, and toppled Colonel Gaddafi after 42 years of dictatorship. But only after getting my A-levels out of the way.”

Of course, I’m being really unfair because eighteen year old Abdullah is either far too bashful, or just far too cool, to come on like that.

He’s been here since June, mainly fighting here in Zawiyah, but has seen action, he says, up the road in Tripoli.

Ok, so there’s a bit of bravado with the long knife on his belt, and the bandana but hey, these guys have something to celebrate.

“I couldn’t believe it,” he told me, referring to the trashing of Colonel Gaddafi’s Bab al-Azizia compound, “that meant so much to me, to all Libyans and particularly to people in Tripoli too.”

I suspect he’ll be off soon to get in some celebrations in Tripoli, but he is cautious warning us there will be fighting, he said “for two or three weeks yet across Libya”

Tonight there’s signs that Gaddafi’s forces are moving south and east out of the city towards Colonel Gaddafi’s hometown of Sirte – could that be the place of one last final stand?

@AlexTomo