UN leaves Tripoli amid attacks

The villa in Col Gaddafi’s compound was severely damaged in the strike

The UN says it is pulling out all its international staff from the Libyan capital Tripoli, following damage to its offices there.

UN buildings and some foreign missions were targeted by angry crowds following a Nato air strike that reportedly killed a son of Col Gaddafi.

The UK says it is investigating reports that its mission had been destroyed.

Protests were also reported outside the US and Italian missions in the city but it is not clear if they were damaged.

Late on Saturday, the Libyan government said Saif al-Arab and three of Col Gaddafi’s grandchildren had died in a Nato attack on a villa in Tripoli.

Foreign reporters were shown widespread damage to the building in Col Gaddafi’s Bab al-Aziziya compound.

Nato has insisted its raid targeted a “command and control” building, and that all Nato targets were “military in nature”.

Early on Sunday, angry crowds gathered outside Western missions in the city.

“We are aware of reports that the British Residence in Tripoli has been destroyed, and are currently investigating them. We believe that other foreign residences have been attacked as well,” a spokeswoman for the UK’s Foreign Office said.

“Such actions, if confirmed, would be deplorable as the Gaddafi regime has a duty to protect diplomatic missions. This would be yet another breach of Gaddafi’s international obligations.”

The UK has withdrawn diplomats from Tripoli.

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