Gaddafi's son killed in strike

China.org.cn, May 1, 2011

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's youngest son Saif al-Arab Gaddafi and three grandchildren were killed in NATO's strike against Gaddafi's house, said a spokesman of the Libyan government.

The leader himself and his wife, who were in the house, were in good health, while other people injured in the attack, said Mossa Ibrahim, the government spokesman.

This is a direct operation to assassinate the leader, said the spokesman.

The attacks had no legal or political foundations, he said, saying the strike was a violation of the international law.

Asserting he would not leave, Gaddafi on Saturday called for a cease-fire and negotiations in a televised speech, saying "the door to peace is open."

He said that all parties concerned should follow the truce, and the NATO forces must stop their attacks.

But the NATO official said Gadhafi's regime has announced cease-fires several times before and continued attacking cities and civilians.

"All this has to stop, and it has to stop now," the NATO official said, adding that a cease fire must be "credible and verifiable."

The official, who could not be identified in line with standing regulations, said just hours before Gadhafi proposed the truce, his forces indiscriminately shelled the besieged port city of Misrata, Libya, killing several people.

The world's major powers, the UK, the US and France, started on March 19 to launch strikes from the air and sea against Gaddafi's forces after the UN Security Council passed a resolution to impose a no-fly zone over Libya and authorize "all necessary measures" to protect civilians in Libya.