Libyan presidential headquarters flattened by missiles
A missile fired by coalition forces yesterday (March 20) completely destroyed the office of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi located in his residence in the capital Tripoli, an AFP reporter said.
A Libyan government tank was hit by coalition fire.
The building, located just 50 meters from the camp where Mr. Gaddafi often received guests, was flattened by a missile strike, Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim told reporters.
"This was a brutal attack. It narrowly missed hundreds of civilians gathered around President Gaddafi's residence, which was just 400 metres from the headquarters that was attacked," Mr Ibrahim said.
Spokesman Ibrahim condemned “the contradiction in the West’s words,” accusing “Western countries of saying they want to protect civilians while they themselves bombed a compound where they knew civilians were inside.”
Dozens of Gaddafi supporters rushed to his compound in Bab el-Aziziya, south of the Libyan capital, after rumors spread that a plane had been shot down and crashed there. "Where is the plane?" many people, mostly young men, asked in tears.
Black smoke billowed from the Libyan presidential palace and surrounding barracks.
When asked about the bombing of the Libyan President's residence, US Vice Admiral Bill Gortney affirmed: "We did not target Gaddafi's residence. We also had no intention of pursuing him."
US Secretary Robert Gates himself also said that the coalition did not intend to target Mr. Gaddafi but only aimed to carry out the goals set out in the UN Security Council resolution, which is to protect civilians.
Explosions were heard across the capital Tripoli this morning, but it is unclear where they came from or who carried them out. Earlier yesterday evening, the Libyan army declared a new ceasefire.
According to VnMedia
