Libya conflict: Gaddafi accuses Nato of murder

In an audio message broadcast on state TV late on Wednesday, he described those who carried out the bombardment as "criminals" and "barbarians".

Nato has said it regrets any civilian deaths, but that the targeted residence was a "command and control centre".

Italy's foreign minister earlier called for an immediate halt to hostilities.

Francisco Frattini said a ceasefire was necessary to allow humanitarian aid to be delivered to the war-torn country.

He also urged Nato to provide more details of its aerial campaign and precise guidelines on "dramatic errors involving civilians".

But Nato's Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said the alliance's air campaign was protecting civilians and would continue.

He repeated that Nato was investigating Libyan reports that seven people had been killed in an air strike last week, but stressed that it was Col Gaddafi's forces, not Nato, who were targeting civilians.

BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen, who is in Tripoli, says Col Gaddafi was as defiant as ever in his latest audio message.

He said Libyans would fight "foreign barbarians" and "crusaders" to the death.

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