Rebel chief Mustafa Abdel Jalil said today he felt “pain and sorrow” even for Muammar Gaddafi’s family following a Nato air strike on his house in Tripoli, but blamed the Libyan leader for the violence.
Gaddafi survived the air attacke on the dwelling but his youngest son, Saif al-Arab, and three grandchildren were killed, according to a government spokesman.
Abdel Jalil, speaking in comments broadcast on the Qatar-based Al Jazeera channel, also offered amnesty to Gaddafi supporters who abandon the Libyan leader and join the rebels.
“We feel pain and sorrow for any bloodshed, even when Gaddafi’s house was bombed last night. We feel pain for any blood that is shed unjustly,” Abdel Jalil said.
“But the blood of Gaddafi’s sons is not more precious than the blood of Libyan men and women,” he added.
Abdel Jalil said Gaddafi was to blame for the civil war.
“He bombed our cities and villages with rocket launchers and planes. He shed blood and killed children ...,” he said.
Abdel Jalil urged Gaddafi supporters to join the rebels.
“You must abandon him and you will live with us in peace and security. Anyone who abandons Muammar Gaddafi in these moments will have peace and security for him and his family and will live with us in prosperity in the future.”
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said today that Nato could be targeting leader Muammar Gaddafi and his family, after Libyan officials said his youngest son and three grandchildren were killed in an air strike.
Russia has been an outspoken critic of the Western military alliance’s intervention in Libya.
Earlier, Russian parliament member Konstantin Kosachev told Interfax news agency the attack was proof the coalition was not protecting civilians, as mandated by the United Nations.
“We have serious doubts about statements by the coalition members that attacks on Libya are not intended to physically eliminate Gaddafi and his family,” the ministry said in a statement.
Nato denied targeting Gaddafi or his family in the Saturday evening’s bombing, but said it had launched air strikes on military targets. Libyan officials said there had been an “assassination attempt”.
Libyan government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim said Gaddafi’s youngest son Saif al-Arab, 29, was killed in the attack along with three of Gaddafi’s grandchildren.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry echoed its plea of a week ago for an immediate ceasefire and the “beginning of a political settlement without any preconditions”.
“Moscow is treating the reports about civilian casualties with growing concern,” it added.
The Libyan rebels and Nato have rejected Gaddafi’s offer for a ceasefire, saying it lacked credibility.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has criticised the Western countries enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya and said they have gone beyond the limits of a UN Security Council resolution designed to protect civilians.
Russia holds the power of veto as a permanent member of the Security Council but abstained in March in a vote on a resolution authorising force to protect civilians.
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