Nato strike 'kills Saif al-Arab Gaddafi', Libya saysA Nato air strike in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, has killed the son of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, a government spokesman has said.
Colonel Gaddafi himself was in the large residential villa which was hit by the strike, the spokesman added, but was unharmed.
His son Saif al-Arab was said to be dead, as well as three grandchildren.
Nato has confirmed the air strike, without denying or confirming the reported deaths.
A Nato spokesman said the strike had hit a "known command and control building in the Bab al-Azizya neighbourhood".
"All Nato's targets are military in nature... We do not target individuals," said Lieutenant-General Charles Bouchard.
He said that he was aware of reports that members of Col Gaddafi's family had been killed, but made no further comment.
"We regret all loss of life, especially the innocent civilians being harmed as a result of the ongoing conflict," said Lt-Gen Charles Bouchard.
'Direct operation'Journalists takent to the site of the air strike in Tripoli said the building was extensively damaged and one unexploded bomb remains at the site.
Saif al-Arab, who had a lower profile than his brother Saif al-Islam, had been studying in Germany and returned to Libya recently.
Government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said the villa in which he was killed was attacked "with full power".
"The attack resulted in the martyrdom of brother Saif al-Arab Muammar Gaddafi, 29 years old, and three of the leader's grandchildren," he said.
"The leader with his wife was there in the house with other friends and relatives, the leader himself is in good health, he wasn't harmed." Col Gaddafi's wife was also unharmed, he said.
"This was a direct operation to assassinate the leader of this country," the spokesman added.
There has been no independent confirmation of the deaths.
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