Journalists from a number of outlets, including CNN, Fox News and the BBC have been trapped inside the Rixos hotel in Tripoli, Libya over the last few days. While most of Tripoli has fallen from Colonel Gadhaffi’s grasp, the Rixos has remained under loyalist control. The result was that around 40 foreign journalists were trapped inside the hotel, with guards threatening to shoot them if they attempted to flee.

Thankfully, around 10:45 AM ET, CNN’s Matthew Chance reported via Twitter that the journalists had been freed.

Earlier, Chance explained the tense situation to Anderson Cooper:

Update: Video of Chance’s report following the release from the hotel is after the jump.
Update 2: Video from the BBC featuring their correspondent Matthew Price, is also after the jump.
Update 3: Video from Fox News Channel’s Tadek Markowski is also after the jump.