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Gaddafi’s compound destroyed in air strike; Libyan military announce cease-fire

Monday, March 21st 2011 - 06:46 UTC
Full article 3 comments
US Navy Vice Admiral William E Gortney said Gaddafi was not a target (Photo Reuters) US Navy Vice Admiral William E Gortney said Gaddafi was not a target (Photo Reuters)

A three-storey building in a military command centre used by Muammar Gaddafi has been destroyed in an air strike by coalition forces. The Sunday-night strike was the first reported attack on the Bab al-Azizia, a sprawling compound in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, that Gaddafi has used several times as a setting for televised addresses, and which was bombed by the United States in 1986.

The regime invited journalists to visit the site of the attack early on Monday morning. Spokesman Mussa Ibrahim called it a “barbaric bombing” but said no one had been hurt. He declined to say whether Gaddafi himself was inside the compound.

Coalition forces from France, the United Kingdom, United States and other nations began striking the regime's military assets on Saturday as part of an effort to enforce a UN Security Council resolution aimed at protecting Libyan civilians.

Coalition officials told journalists on Monday that the building hit in the attack was a military command and control centre for Gaddafi.

The blasts came two days after the United Nations Security Council authorised international military action to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya, as well as “all necessary measures” to prevent attacks by Gaddafi forces on civilians.

The uprising against Gaddafi broke out on February 15, and hundreds of civilians have died in the regime’s brutal crackdown.

The US military said the coalition campaign, called Operation Odyssey Dawn in the United States, had succeeded in “severely degrading” Gaddafi''s air defences.

US Navy Vice Admiral William E Gortney stressed in a press briefing on Sunday that the Libyan leader is not a target for the international military assault on the country.

“There has been no new air activity by the regime and we have detected no radar emissions from any of the air defence sites targeted and there’s been a significant decrease in the use of all Libyan air surveillance radars” said Gortney.

Gortney said the coalition acting against Gaddafi, which originally grouped the US, Britain, France, Italy and Canada, had broadened to include Belgium and Qatar. His comments came shortly after the Libyan military announced its second ceasefire since the UN resolution authorising the no-fly zone was passed.

But the White House has said it will not recognise a ceasefire declaration.
 

Categories: Politics, International.

Top Comments

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  • briton

    Hopefully this will be over soon for the sake of the people.

    Mar 21st, 2011 - 01:05 pm 0
  • Britishbulldog

    briton.

    It will only be over when we kill Gaddafi, if we leave him alive the people of Libya will never find peace. When a snake attacks you you cut of its head to kill it. Gaddafi has attacked our civilized society on more than one occasion and we should have done something about him long long a go. No mercy, and if his mate Chavez the Chav gives him sanctuary we should go after that idiot as well and do Venezuela a favor.

    I notice that both Castro and Chavez are siding with Gaddafi, Castro wont give him sanctuary though, not when America is his next door neighbour, he is to cowerdly and ill to rock that little boat, Chavez though would give him a place to live out his life, Pea's in a pod come to mind.

    Mar 21st, 2011 - 06:14 pm 0
  • briton

    Well he stated today that the no fly zone was operating ok.
    and masses of anti air missiles have been destroyed,
    so hopefully gaddafi will be next .

    Mar 21st, 2011 - 07:32 pm 0
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