Tripoli: NATO-led warplanes struck the
Libyan capital early on Saturday, with the alliance saying they hit
a military command centre and Muammar Gaddafi's regime saying
that civilians were targeted.
At least seven powerful explosions were heard at
around 2:20 am (0020 GMT), as state television quoted a
military official as saying NATO aircraft "are currently
bombing civilian sites in the capital Tripoli."
In Brussels, an Atlantic alliance official said "NATO
can confirm that we targeted military objectives in Tripoli
this morning," and that the the seven strikes were on a
command and control node.
Two more explosions were heard in the same area at
about midday.
The attack came after rebel forces said they had lost
16 fighters east of Tripoli and that they infiltrated the
capital and attacked a regime command post where a son of the
strongman was among officials targeted.
The rebels, who have been fighting to oust Gaddafi for
more than five months, said the assault "seriously injured" a
high-ranking member of Gaddafi's security forces.
"Yesterday (Thursday) in Tripoli, there was an attack
on an operations centre of top regime officials, including
Seif al-Islam Gaddafi," National Transitional Council vice
president Ali Essawy said after meeting Italian Foreign
Minister Franco Frattini in Rome.
"One person was left seriously injured," he said,
identifying the person as a high-ranking security official.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, July 23, 2011, 23:47