RAF pummels walls of Gaddifi's high-security Tripoli compound

BRITISH aircraft destroyed the high walls of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's heavily-fortified compound in Tripoli early yesterday morning.

Major-General Nick Pope, the Chief of the Defence Staff's communications officer, said Royal Air Force aircraft struck the perimeter walls of Gaddafi's Bab al-Aziziyah complex. "Gaddafi has for decades hidden from the Libyan people behind these walls. The vast Bab al-Aziziyah compound is not just his personal residence, but more importantly is also the main headquarters for his regime, with command and control facilities and an army barracks," Maj-Gen Pope said.

He said RAF jets on patrol near the town of Zlitan also successfully struck four buildings on Saturday, which Nato surveillance had identified as command and control centres and staging posts.

Apache helicopters also struck a number of military positions between Zlitan and Khums, he added.