Senior Vice President of Middle East & Asia, Atn
Search every verified John Ray interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. John Ray, Senior Vice President of Middle East & Asia at Atn, reported from Tripoli in late November 2011, describing the situation in the city after arriving in the early hours of the morning. He stated that he and others headed to Green Square, where they encountered celebratory crowds and rebel soldiers who had driven in from Zawiyah. Ray noted that the mood of celebration was overshadowed by "extreme tension and uncertainty," and said that rebels warned him they expected government soldiers to return. Ray said he believed the battle for Tripoli was not over and that "the biggest part of that battle might be about to begin." He reported hearing of gun battles in the area and multiple fronts opening up around the city. Ray stated that it was clear the life of Muammar Qadhafi's regime was drawing to a close, but questioned whether it would end peacefully or with more violence.
“We arrived here in Tripoli in the early hours of the morning and headed straight to Green Square and there were some celebratory crowds there, rebel soldiers who'd driven in as we had from Zawiyah.”
“The mood of celebration was overshadowed, I think, by the extreme tension and uncertainty in the time.”
“We were warned by the rebels there — they expected government soldiers to come back.”
“Basically I think the battle for Tripoli isn't over; indeed the biggest part of that battle might be about to begin.”
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