As Moammar Gadhafi's grip on power loosens, speculation is swirling over who might succeed him as leader of Libya.
Seif al-Islam, Col. Gadhafi's eldest son, had long been viewed as his heir apparent. As an occasional critic of his father's ironclad rule and a supporter of stronger human rights, he was viewed by some as holding the potential to positively shape Libya's future. Today, however, protesters are demanding the ouster of the entire Gadhafi family.
When Seif al-Islam declared in a Sunday night speech that Libya faced civil war and "rivers of blood" if the demonstrators did not disperse, he was widely condemned. That raises the spectre of a power vacuum should Col. Gadhafi fall.
With Seif al-Islam effectively out of the picture, some analysts say there is no obvious successor.
"Gadhafi is the same as the other Arab dictators. He ensured there was no viable person to take over other than his son," said Mona Eltahawy, a Middle East observer.
"It's almost impossible to imagine who would come after him. ... We have to ensure it does not become a Gadhafi after Gadhafi after Gadhafi," she added.
While the military in Tunisia and Egypt played pivotal roles after their long-time rulers ceded power, Libya is different.
"The military is weak. It's not the central guardian of the state that it was in both Tunisia and in Egypt. Gadhafi purposefully kept the military down because he didn't want to be deposed by military coup - which was how he came to power," said Robert Danin, a senior fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.
"Pulling together the country in a post-Gadhafi world is going to be a real challenge," he added.
As anti-government forces gain momentum, some analysts are now floating the names of others who might replace Col. Gadhafi:
Colonel Abu Bakr Younis Jaber
Col. Jaber has been chief-of-staff of the Libyan military for 40 years. The army respects him, bolstering his chances of mounting a possible military coup. However, with scores of soldiers reportedly defecting to the opposition, his support may be dwindling. Libyan army officers' loyalty may revert back to their tribes as the military splinters. Col. Jaber, who rose to power by forging a close alliance to Col. Gadhafi, is now seen as a threat to his regime. Various reports suggest he is currently under house arrest.
Lieutenant Abdel Fatah Younis El Obeidi
Libya's Minister of Public Security has been rumoured to have joined the anti-government protests in Benghazi, leading a battalion in combat against foreign mercenaries contracted by Col. Gadhafi. Some analysts place Lt. El Obeidi as the most likely to succeed Col. Gadhafi because "he is in the best position to use the levers of power," according to one. Last year he travelled to the United Kingdom where he met with members of the Royal family and members of the British government. He might emerge as a favourite of the West in the messy aftermath of the protests.
Al Mahdi Al Arabi
Col. Gadhafi's former deputy chief of staff is widely believed to have led an earlier, failed coup attempt. Like Col. Jaber, he is believed to be under house arrest.
Abdulsalam Jalloud
Mr. Jalloud served as Libya's second in command until he was demoted by Col. Gadhafi in 1993 and ousted from the regime's elite inner circle two years later. Mr. Jalloud was one of the original "free officers" who helped Col. Gadhafi rise to power in the 1969 military coup. He has served as leader of various government ministries. This week, Al Jazeera reported that Mr. Jalloud's Maqarha tribe officially renounced Col. Gadhafi.
Abdulmun'im al-Hawni
Libya's former representative to the Arab League resigned this week, signalling his break with the Gadhafi regime. According to a Stratfor report, Mr. al-Hawni allegedly took part in a failed army coup against Col. Gadhafi in 1975. He subsequently sought asylum in Egypt. Ten years ago, former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak arranged for his return to Libya through mediation with Col. Gadhafi. Mr. al-Hawni was later appointed to his post at the Arab League.