Gaddafi ‘not targeted’ by allied strikes

The chief of UK armed forces said attacks on Libya's leader were "not allowed" under a UN resolution calling for the protection of Libyan civilians.

And a French spokesman said that even if the Libyan leader's exact location was known, he would not be fired on.

Col Gaddafi has been fighting a rebellion that broke out last month.

On Sunday UK Defence Secretary Liam Fox said targeting Col Gaddafi could "potentially be a possibility".

But on Monday Britain's Chief of Defence Staff, Sir David Richards, said he was "absolutely not" a target. "It's not allowed under the UN resolution," he added.

The document, approved by the Security Council last week, authorises "all necessary measures" to protect civilians from pro-Gaddafi forces - including a no-fly zone.

A French defence ministry spokesman, Laurent Tesseire, also said the aim of the strikes was solely to protect civilians and Col Gaddafi himself was not a target.

Asked by French radio whether the Libyan leader would be fired on if his exact whereabouts was known, he said: "The answer to that is no."

The comments came after a second night of US-led action in Libya. Ten to 12 missiles were fired, a spokesman for the US Africa Command said.

In Tripoli, Col Gaddafi's sprawling Bab al-Aziziya complex was hit. Western journalists taken to the compound were shown a ruined building.

An official from one of the coalition countries, who asked not to be named, told journalists the strike had destroyed Col Gaddafi's "command and control capability".

Between 70 and 80 coalition sorties were flown on Monday.

Although the coalition has said that ground forces moving on rebel positions are open to attack, the head of the US Africa Command, Gen Carter F Ham, said on Monday that there had been no direct co-ordination with anti-Gaddafi rebels.

He also said the no-fly zone over Libya would soon expand to cover a 1,000-km area.

The action against Col Gaddafi began on Saturday with French air strikes in the east. A barrage of cruise missiles, launched from US and British surface ships and submarines followed.