LIBYA: Daylight shots show Tripoli house where government says Muammar Gaddafi's son died in NATO attack

Record ID: 574897

  • Title: LIBYA: Daylight shots show Tripoli house where government says Muammar Gaddafi's son died in NATO attack
  • Date: 2nd May 2011
  • Summary: CLOSE OF PICTURE OF SAIF EXTERIOR OF NEIGHBOURING HOUSE DAMAGED IN STRIKE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) NEIGHBOUR AND GRANDMOTHER OF THREE, SAIDA, SAYING: "We were sitting safe in our homes and we had no idea about the missiles until the children fell towards me and I did not know where to take them, the door fell in on us, pieces and shrapnel fell on us. Why? Is this protection of civilians for the West?" DAMAGED INTERIOR OF NEIGHBOURING HOUSE
  • Embargoed: 17th May 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Libya
  • Country: Libya
  • Topics: War / Fighting
  • Reuters ID: LVACDHSBMPHSSN9TYZ8C6A1M1JS5
  • Story Text: Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi survived a NATO air strike on a Tripoli house that killed his youngest son Saif al-Arab and three young grandchildren, a government spokesman said on Sunday (May 1).
    Libyan officials took journalists to the house, which had been hit by at least three missiles. The roof had completely caved in places, leaving mangled rods of steel hanging down among splintered chunks of concrete.
    The deaths have not been independently confirmed. But they would be sure to heap pressure on NATO -- which denies targeting the Gaddafi family -- from opponents of the mission who say it goes beyond its U.N. mandate to protect civilians.
    People in the surrounding houses showed their anger at NATO after the attack, accusing the western coalition of attacking civilians.
    "We were sitting safe in our homes and we had no idea about the missiles until the children fell towards me and I did not know where to take them, the door fell in on us, pieces and shrapnel fell on us, why? Is this protection of civilians for the west?" said Saida, a neighbour and grandmother of three.
    Libyan Government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim said Gaddafi's youngest son, Saif al-Arab, was killed in the attack. Saif al-Arab, 29, is one of Gaddafi's less prominent sons, with a limited role in the power structure.
    Ibrahim described him as a student who had studied in Germany.
    The grandchildren killed were pre-teens, Ibrahim said.
    NATO denied targeting Gaddafi, or his family, but said in a statement it had launched air strikes on military targets in the same area of Tripoli as the bombed site seen by reporters.
    Canadian Lieutenant-General Charles Bouchard, said the target was part of a strategy to hit command centres that threaten civilians.
    Britain said on Sunday it was investigating reports the ambassador's residence in Tripoli had been attacked, along with other countries' diplomatic premises.
    Gaddafi, who seized power in a 1969 coup, is fighting an uprising by rebels who have seized much of eastern Libya. He describes the rebels as religious extremists and Western agents who seek to control Libya's oil.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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