Killing of Gadhafi´s son in NATO airstrike disturbs Ankara
NATO HAVA SALDIRISINDA KADDAFİ´NİN OĞLU´NUN ÖLDÜRÜLMESİ ANKARA´YI RAHATSIZ ETTİ
ANKARA - Daily News with wires
The NATO strike that killed Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi´s son and three young grandchildren ´will lead to more fatal clashes between rival parties and deepening of instability,´ says an upset Ankara. Hours later, Gadhafi´s forces shell a besieged rebel port in a sign that the airstrike has not forced a change in regime tactics
Government officials and members of the media gather at the site of a NATO missile strike that killed Gadhafi´s youngest son and three grandchildren. AP photo
The deaths of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s son and three grandchildren as a result of a NATO raid will “lead to more fatal clashes between rival parties and deepening of instability,” an upset Ankara has said.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and his close aides were informed about the deaths late Saturday while in the minister’s hometown of Konya, where he participated in election rallies over the weekend. Convening briefly to evaluate the developments, the diplomats expressed concerns that targeting members of Gadhafi’s family would bring about serious repercussions.
The Libyan government said Sunday that a NATO airstrike had killed Gadhafi’s youngest son and three grandchildren, but that the strongman had escaped unhurt in what it called a deliberate attempt to assassinate him. Hours later, Gadhafi’s forces shelled a besieged rebel port in a sign that the raid had not forced a change in regime tactics, the Associated Press reported
One of the immediate consequences has been an increase in attacks by security forces loyal to Gadhafi against rebels, especially in the critically important city of Misrata. The increase in the scale of clashes will hamper the distribution of humanitarian assistance, sources said.
Turkey, however, is concerned that an even greater blow has been dealt to ongoing international efforts to reach a solution in Libya, by weakening the grounds for intensifying negotiations over a road map for the unrest-hit North African country.
Davutoğlu had been planning to discuss Turkey’s suggestions and other countries’ efforts to contribute to Libya’s stability with his counterparts at the Libya Contact Group meeting in Rome slated for this week.
“What we want is for Libya to overcome this crisis in its integrity. We will continue to exert all possible efforts for the Libyan people,” Davutoğlu said in an interview with a private television channel Sunday. “But those who are unhappy with the growing influence of Turkey in the region are conducting a psychological campaign against Turkey. Despite this, we’ll continue to hold dialogue with all groups.”
Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim told reporters Sunday that the house of Seif al-Arab Gadhafi “was attacked with full power,” announcing the deaths in the Saturday night raids. “The attack resulted in the martyrdom of brother Seif al-Arab Moammar Gadhafi, 29, and three of the leader’s grandchildren,” Ibrahim said. He did not identify the grandchildren.
NATO said it had targeted a command and control center in the strike, according to a report by Agence France-Presse.
Gadhafi and his wife were in the building 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 was not harmed. His wife is also in good health; she was not harmed, [but] other people were injured,” the spokesman added.
Ibrahim later said intelligence on Gadhafi’s whereabouts appeared to have been “leaked.”
“They knew about him being there, or expected him for some reason,” he said.
The United States avoided comment on the reported deaths. “We got calls from Libyans saying someone big was hit,” a senior U.S. official told AFP late Saturday. “But as to who, I have only the same reports as you do.”
Gadhafi lost an adopted daughter in a U.S. air raid in 1986.
British Prime Minister David Cameron called NATO’s targeting policy “in line” with the U.N. resolution authorizing the Libya campaign, but the Russian Foreign Ministry said it had “serious doubts” the West was not targeting Gadhafi and his family.
“The targeting policy of NATO and the alliance is absolutely clear. It is in line with U.N. resolution 1973 and it is about preventing a loss of civilian life by targeting Gadhafi’s war-making machine,” Cameron told the BBC. “It is about targeting command and control rather than particular individuals.”
Russia criticizes NATO attack
In Moscow, the Foreign Ministry said “the claims of the coalition members that strikes over Libya do not have the physical destruction of Gadhafi and members of his family as their goal cause serious doubts.”
It called on the Western coalition to “cease fire immediately,” saying “reports of casualties among civilians are being received in Moscow with increasing concern.”
NATO said it continued precision strikes against Gadhafi military installations in Tripoli overnight, “including striking a known command and control building in the Bab al-Aziziya neighborhood shortly after 1800 GMT Saturday evening.” Gadhafi’s residential compound is in Bab al-Aziziya.
Libyan state TV showed flag-waving demonstrators it said were mourning Seif al-Arab´s death.
In the rebel capital Benghazi, overjoyed rebels fired rockets, Kalashnikovs and anti-aircraft guns and set off TNT, rocking the eastern Libyan city with sustained gunfire and explosions. “They are so happy that Gadhafi lost his son in an airstrike that they are shooting in celebration,” said Col. Ahmed Omar Bani, military spokesman of the Libyan opposition Transitional National Council, or TNC.
NATO vowed more strikes, although the commander of Operation Unified Protector stressed that “we do not target individuals.”
“All NATO’s targets are military in nature and have been clearly linked to the ... regime’s systematic attacks on the Libyan population and populated areas,” said Lt. Gen. Charles Bouchard.
On Sunday morning, Gadhafi’s troops shelled Misrata’s port as a Maltese aid ship, the Mae Yemanja, unloaded food and medical supplies, said Ahmed al-Misalati, a truck driver helping move the cargo.
On Saturday, Gadhafi said NATO “must abandon all hope of his departure,” adding that he would “not leave my country and will fight to the death.” But he proposed talks with France and the United States, without preconditions, an offer that was rejected by NATO and the rebels. “We will not surrender, but I call on you to negotiate. If you want petrol, we will sign contracts with your companies – it is not worth going to war over,” he said.
In other developments, Italy boosted security checks Sunday after Gadhafi threatened retaliation over the Rome government’s decision to join the NATO-led airstrikes.
Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said Gadhafi’s threat Saturday to “bring the battle to Italy” should not be underestimated, but Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said the threats had “nothing credible” about them
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