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NATO airstrikes struck Moammar Gadhafi's fortified compound in Tripoli early Thursday, hours after the Libyan leader appeared on state TV for the first time since his son was killed nearly two weeks ago.
Reporters were shown the airstrike damage by Libyan officials, including one who said Gadhafi and his family had moved away from the Bab al-Azaziya compound some time ago. One missile appeared to have targeted some sort of underground bunker at the compound — a sprawing complex of buildings surrounded by towering concrete blast walls.
NATO, which has hit the Libyan capital repeatedly this week, said Thursday's attack successfully hit "a large command and control bunker complex in downtown Tripoli that was used to coordinate attacks against civilian populations."
At the compound, there was a large hole in the ground near stairs leading to an underground passageway. A missile appeared to have landed and penetrated through a smaller hole before blowing up the gaping crater shown to reporters — a pattern typical of bunker-busting bombs.
Another missile made a small, charred hole in a large concrete area that appeared to serve as a corridor between buildings. Yet another dug a crater close to where khaki tents were strung up. A building described as a VIP reception area had part of its facade blown away.
Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said three people were killed in Thursday's strikes — a local official and two Libyan journalists who were making a documentary about the hundreds of Libyan civilians who have been sleeping in Gadhafi's compound to show support for their leader.
Reporters were shown the airstrike damage by Libyan officials, including one who said Gadhafi and his family had moved away from the Bab al-Azaziya compound some time ago. One missile appeared to have targeted some sort of underground bunker at the compound — a sprawing complex of buildings surrounded by towering concrete blast walls.
NATO, which has hit the Libyan capital repeatedly this week, said Thursday's attack successfully hit "a large command and control bunker complex in downtown Tripoli that was used to coordinate attacks against civilian populations."
At the compound, there was a large hole in the ground near stairs leading to an underground passageway. A missile appeared to have landed and penetrated through a smaller hole before blowing up the gaping crater shown to reporters — a pattern typical of bunker-busting bombs.
Another missile made a small, charred hole in a large concrete area that appeared to serve as a corridor between buildings. Yet another dug a crater close to where khaki tents were strung up. A building described as a VIP reception area had part of its facade blown away.
Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said three people were killed in Thursday's strikes — a local official and two Libyan journalists who were making a documentary about the hundreds of Libyan civilians who have been sleeping in Gadhafi's compound to show support for their leader.