Demonstrators torched British and Italian diplomatic buildings in Tripoli yesterday, after Libya accused Nato of trying to assassinate Muammar Gaddafi in an attack that killed one of his sons and three grandchildren.
And the port in the besieged rebel-held city of Misurata was set ablaze in a deadly bombardment by forces loyal to the Libyan strongman, witnesses said.
Libyan government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim told reporters in Tripoli that the house of Colonel Gaddafi’s second-youngest son, Seif al-Arab, “was attacked tonight with full power.
“The attack resulted in the martyrdom of brother Seif al-Arab Muammar Gaddafi, 29 years old, and three of the leader’s grandchildren,” who were not identified.
Nato said it kept up precision raids on military installations in Tripoli on Saturday night, “including striking a known command-and-control building in the Bab al-Aziziya neighbourhood shortly after 1800 GMT.”
Col Gaddafi and his wife were in the building with his son but were not harmed, Ibrahim said, calling the strike “a direct operation to assassinate the leader of this country.”
“The leader himself is in good health; he wasn’t harmed. His wife is also in good health; she wasn’t harmed, (but) other people were injured,” the spokesman added.
Mr Ibrahim later said intelligence on Col Gaddafi’s whereabouts appeared to have been “leaked.”
“They knew about him being there, or expected him for some reason.”Col Gaddafi lost an adopted baby daughter in a US air raid in 1986.
Hours after the latest attacks, angry demonstrators set fire to the Italian embassy and the residences of the Italian and British ambassadors in Tripoli, an AFP correspondent said, adding no one was in the buildings at the time.
In the afternoon, smoke could still be seen rising from the buildings, located in the same street as Libyan state television.
Rome and London both confirmed their missions had been targeted, and British Foreign Secretary William Hague announced the expulsion of the Libyan ambassador in response.
In London,Mr Hague said: “I condemn the attacks on the British embassy premises in Tripoli as well as the diplomatic missions of other countries.”
“The Vienna Convention requires the Gaddafi regime to protect diplomatic missions in Tripoli. By failing to do so that regime has once again breached its international responsibilities and obligations.“I take the failure to protect such premises very seriously indeed,”Mr Hague added.
The Italian foreign minister denounced what it called “grave and vile actions.”
Britain had recalled its envoy to Tripoli at the start of the conflict in February, and Italy shut down its mission in March.