Africa

Africa

NATO jets launch fresh attacks on Tripoli

23 April 2011 20:27 (UTC +04:00)

Several explosions rocked the Libyan capital late on Saturday as NATO warplanes overflew Tripoli, AFP reported.

The fresh strikes come hours after NATO jets struck a target near the compound of embattled ruler Muammar Gaddafi.

Government officials say NATO jets hit a car park but other reports suggest the target looked like a bunker.

Government sources say three people were killed in the earlier attack.

The troubled capital and its surrounding areas have been constantly targeted by NATO jets over the past weeks.

Meanwhile, US Department of Defense has confirmed its first Predator missile strike on Libya amid rising controversy over such attacks in other parts of the world.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates says President Barack Obama has approved the use of armed Predator drones to improve the precision of strikes in Libya.

NATO has already been under fire from Libyan opposition forces for not doing enough to protect civilian lives.

The US-led military alliance has admitted to killing revolutionary fighters and civilians in an airstrike in Libya but has refused to apologize for the deadly bombardment.

Meanwhile, Libya government said it is ready to withdraw its forces from the western city of Misratah and let the local tribes deal with the revolutionary fighters there.

Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim said the pro-Gaddafi tribes will talk to the revolutionaries and try to persuade them to lay down their arms. But if that fails, they will engage them in fighting.