The youngest son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Saif al-Arab al-Gaddafi, and three of her grandchildren, were killed overnight Saturday to Sunday during a NATO air strike, which the Libyan leader had narrowly escaped, said a spokesman for the regime in Tripoli.
"The house of Saif al-Gaddafi Arab (...), the youngest child of the Guide (Ed.: Muammar Gaddafi), was attacked with powerful means.The Guide and his wife were in the house with friends and relatives "and is" safe, "said government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim, during a press conference.
"The attack caused the death of a martyr brother Saif al-Arab (...) and the three grandchildren of the Guide," added the spokesman.
Saif al-Arab was aged 29 years, "he added. He was the youngest of six and son of Libyan leader did not occupy official position known. Muammar Gaddafi had already lost an adopted daughter in 1986 during a U.S. bombing in Tripoli.
"The guide itself is in good health. He was not injured.His wife is also in good health and has not been injured, but others have been, "he said.
"It was an operation to assassinate the leader directly to this country," he accused.
The spokesman had previously accompanied the press at the scene of a house bombed Tripoli.Given the scale of destruction, it seemed unlikely that there could have been any survivors.
In Brussels, NATO confirmed shortly after he led strikes in the area of Tripoli, but not death by Gaddafi's son, ensuring not to target individuals.
"NATO has continued its precision strikes against military installations of the Gaddafi regime in Tripoli last night, including strikes on a building command and control known in the area of Bab al-Aziziyah, shortly after 1800 GMT on Saturday "said in a statement General Charles Bouchard, Commander of the operation.
"We regret any loss of life, especially that of innocent civilians," he added, stressing that "all targets of NATO is a military nature."
Saturday night, three explosions were heard in Tripoli from the area of Bab al-Aziziyah, home to the complex M.Gaddafi, after an overview of NATO planes.
In Benghazi, Libyan stronghold of the insurgency, shots of joy rang out shortly after the announcement in Tripoli death of the youngest son of Muammar Gaddafi, said a journalist from AFP.
On the waterfront boulevard, cars drove by honking their horns while the sky was lit up by tracer bullets and the firing of rockets, anti-aircraft guns and assault rifles.
Muammar Gaddafi was repeated on Saturday in the day that he would not give up power, while NATO has rejected his call for negotiations to end the bloody conflict in Libya for almost three months.
At the same time, the rebellion has mentioned a possible "new front" in the south-east, after a second attack against regime forces a city in this desert region that left 10 dead, six civilians and four rebels.
In a first public appearance since April 9, Gaddafi, the oldest Arab leader in power since 1969, reiterated he would not leave despite the military pressure from NATO, the international financial sanctions, the embargo on weapons and freeze its assets.
"NATO should abandon all hope of a departure of Muammar Gaddafi.I will not leave my country and I shall defend to the death, "he said on television, calling the rebels" terrorists. "
"We are ready to negotiate with France and the United States but unconditionally (...). We are not going to give, but I'm calling to negotiate. We can solve our problems without fighting between Libyans, remove your fleets and your aircraft, "Mr Gaddafi launched at the NATO.
NATO has rejected that call, stressing that it was prior to Mr Gaddafi to stop its attacks against civilians.
The NLC has also rejected any negotiations with Mr.Gaddafi, saying that he had no role to play in the future.
The regime has nevertheless called rebels Misrata, 200 km east of Tripoli, "to disarm in exchange for amnesty," after warning that any ship trying to enter the port of Misrata would "hit with force. "
In the evening, 13 powerful explosions rocked Misrata, when NATO aircraft flew over the city. During the day, near the airport, intense fighting continued.Rockets and mortar shells also began to fall on the city.
According to several sources, the fighting left 10 dead and 20 injured Saturday.
NATO said it had neutralized several mines in the harbor, where a humanitarian ship was still blocked and three others waiting offshore.
In the west, insurgents still held the post-Tunisian-Libyan border Dehiba.NATO said it had destroyed 13 ammunition depots in the mountain area mainly supported the rebellion.
In south-eastern desert, 70 vehicles attacked pro-Gaddafi Jalo oasis (300 km south of Benghazi), killing six civilians and four rebels, according to the rebellion.
In Tripoli, more than 400 representatives of tribes loyal to the regime said in a statement to prepare to go to Benghazi to meet with tribal rebels in order to "reconciliation".
