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Gaddafi survives NATO attack, but son killed - spokesman
Published: 01 May, 2011, 04:12
Edited: 01 May, 2011, 17:28
This image is on a tour organized by the Libyan government, and inspecting the damage to the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi house in the Area of Gargour, after an air raid in Tripoli, Libya, April 30, 2011 (AFP Photo / Mahmad Turkia)
(2.5Mb) embed videoTAGS: Conflict, Military, NATO, Protest, Politics, Sean Thomas, Libya, Gaddafi
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has survived an attempt on his life, but the attack did kill his youngest son and other family members, the Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim announced.
A NATO airstrike hit the Tripoli house of Gaddafi’s son Saif Al-Arab, killing Saif Al-Arab and three of Gaddafi’s grandchildren, the spokesman said.
Arabic TV channel Al Arabiya later in the day cited a source close to Gaddafi’s family saying that Saif Al-Arab Gaddafi was indeed killed in the NATO strike, but the Libyan leader’s three grandchildren escaped unharmed.
According to the Associated Press, some other family members were injured in the airstrike. Gaddafi, who was staying in the house with his wife, survived the offensive.
"What we have now is the law of the jungle," Reuters quoted Moussa Ibrahim as saying.
"We think now it is clear to everyone that what is happening in Libya has nothing to do with the protection of civilians," he added.
According to Ibrahim, the attack was a direct attempt to assassinate Gaddafi. NATO has yet to confirm or deny the attack.
Gaddafi announced earlier that the Libyan government is ready for a ceasefire and peace talks with NATO. Both NATO and the rebels have so far rejected the offer.
NATO confirms bombing Tripoli, denies targeting Gaddafi and family
NATO has denied targeting Gaddafi, or his family, but confirmed it did launch air strikes on military targets in Tripoli on Saturday.
"NATO continued its precision strikes against regime military installations in Tripoli overnight, including striking a known command and control building in the Bab al-Aziziyah neighborhood shortly after 1800 GMT Saturday evening," the alliance said in a statement as cited by Reuters.
"All NATO's targets are military in nature…We do not target individuals," said NATO's commander of Libya operations, Canadian Lieutenant-General Charles Bouchard. "I am aware of unconfirmed media reports that some of Gaddafi's family members may have been killed. We regret all loss of life."
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister David Cameron declined to comment on what he also called the "unconfirmed report" about members of Gaddafi's family being killed in the NATO strike, but confirmed the coalition’s targeting strategy.
"The targeting policy of NATO and the alliance is absolutely clear. It is in line with UN Resolution 1973 and it is about preventing a loss of civilian life by targeting Gaddafi's war-making machine, so that is obviously tanks and guns, rocket launchers, but also command and control as well," Cameron told the BBC.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry expressed serious doubt over the coalition members’ statements that the strikes on Libya are not aimed at destroying Gaddafi or his family. The ministry also accuses the coalition of exceeding UN Resolution 1973, Interfax reported on Sunday.
“The statements of the coalition members, declaring that the purpose of strikes on Libya is not the physical elimination of Muammar Gaddafi and members of his family raise grave doubts. As we have forewarned, disproportionate use of force, especially exceeding the mandate of UN Security Council Resolution 1973, which does not presuppose the change of leadership in the Libyan Jamahiriya, has been leading to harmful consequences and deaths of innocent people,” said the ministry in its Sunday statement.
Konstantin Kosachev, Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Russian State Duma, has called on the Western coalition to undertake a prompt evaluation of its actions.
"More and more facts indicate that the purpose of the anti-Libyan coalition is to physically destroy Gaddafi," said Kosachev as cited by Interfax.
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The below statement is one of the reasons why I feel Russia is playing an ambiguous role both in the U.S and NATO war in Libya and destabilizing the ME. The below statement issued by Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is either a PR spin meant for the consumption the public or Russia does not have urgent concern with U.S Missile Shields in Eastern Europe. If these Missiles are directed against Russia than who else is the target of U.S Missile Shields in Eastern Europe? "Moscow concerned by planned US missile defense base in Romania Russia’s Foreign Ministry stated on Tuesday that it is troubled by Romania agreeing to host an American missile defense base in Deveselu. The Ministry regards it as another step in the phased approach strategy Washington has been implementing in Europe to build its global defense system. The base might create hazards for Russia’s strategic forces of nuclear containment, the ministry says in its statement. “Unfortunately we have to conclude that practical steps to create a European segment of the US global missile defense are taken with disregard to the Russian-American dialogue on the anti-missile topic initiated by President Dmitry Medvedev and President Barack Obama,” declares Russia’s Foreign Ministry. The ministry will be seeking legal assurance from the US that the base in Romania will not target Russia’s strategic forces."
MEJanssen I am confident that the Russians do know what the real deal is on the war on Libya because this is clearly a war on sovereign nation and it is allowed to happened. From the outside, I think the Americans want to hold on to Europe. Today, the only real incentive for the U.S hegemony over Europe is the promise of European energy security-which can only secured, it seems with the might of American military. Here by conquering and occupying resources rich countries in the ME, Africa and very near future in the Central Asia, the United States central objective is to remove Russia as the primary guarantor of European energy security. Of course, in the West, some media pundits played up Russia as a cynical by asserting that war on Libya is good for Russia because now Russia is cashing in high energy prices but in the long aim is reduce Russia at least as another supplier of energy to Europe. Here we can clearly see “energy diversification” to Europe is coming not according to market imperatives but through old fashion colonial aggression. Russia made categorical error when it did not kill the UNSC resolution 1973. I am willing to be proven wrong but I believe Russia can redeem itself by acting now and ending the bloodshed in Libya by insisting diplomatic solution to the conflict in Libya.
Russia, China n AU please do something about this the world had enough of this NATO US UK France aggression....this bombing must be stop.. Russia, China n AU this is your time to rise against barbaric.... world will never live in Peace if NATO US UK France destroy a country...