Nato air-strike kills Qadhafi’s son: Govt official

This image is on a tour organized by the Libyan government, and inspecting the damage to the Libyan leader Muammer Qadhafi house in the Area of Gargour, after an air raid in Tripoli, Libya, April 30, 2011. Sayf al-Arab Qadhafi, embattled Libyan leader Muammer Qadhafi's youngest son, was killed in an air-strike on Saturday, a government spokesman said. – Photo by AFP TRIPOLI: Sayf al-Arab Qadhafi, embattled Libyan leader Muammer Qadhafi’s youngest son, and three of his grandchildren were killed in an air-strike on Saturday, a government spokesman said. "The house of Mr Sayf al-Arab Muammer Qadhafi … who is the youngest of the leader’s children, was attacked tonight with full power. The leader with his wife was there in the house with other friends and relatives," Moussa Ibrahim told a news conference in Tripoli early on Sunday morning. "The attack resulted in the martyrdom of brother Sayf al-Arab Muammer Qadhafi, 29 years old, and three of the leader’s grandchildren," Ibrahim said. "The leader himself is in good health; he wasn’t harmed. His wife is also in good health; she wasn’t harmed, (but) other people were injured," he said. "This was a direct operation to assassinate the leader of this country." Ibrahim had earlier taken journalists to the remnants of a house in Tripoli. Given the level of destruction, it is unclear that anyone could have survived, raising the possibility that if Qadhafi was there, he had left beforehand. Three loud explosions were heard in Tripoli on Saturday evening as jets flew overhead. Volleys of anti-aircraft fire rang out following the first two strikes, which were followed by a third. An international coalition began carrying out strikes on forces loyal to Qadhafi on March 19 under a United Nations Security Council mandate to protect Libyan civilians. Nato took command of operations over Libya on March 31. Massive protests in February — inspired by the revolts that toppled long-time autocrats in Egypt and Tunisia — escalated into war when Qadhafi’s troops fired on demonstrators and protesters seized several eastern towns. – AFP