TRIPOLI, Libya — Libyan rebel forces made major advances in Misurata on Wednesday, capturing the strategically important airport and large swaths of territory around a city that has been encircled by Libyan troops, residents and rebel officials said.
In Tripoli, Moammar Gaddafi made his first public appearance in nearly two weeks, coming to a hotel to meet with tribal leaders from the eastern part of the country. A few hours after the meeting was shown on state TV, four explosions — apparently from NATO cruise missiles — rocked the Libyan capital Thursday morning, and heavy smoke poured from Gaddafi’s compound.
Two plumes of white smoke could be seen rising above the city following the blasts, as emergency vehicle sirens wailed and sporadic gunfire rang out.
The strikes came after Libyan state TV on Wednesday showed footage it said was of Kadhafi meeting with tribal leaders, the first new video of him aired since an April 30 air strike that the regime termed an attempt on his life.
The regime said that strike killed his son Seif al-Arab and three of his grandchildren, in "a direct operation to assassinate the leader of this country."
State TV said the Wednesday footage was of a meeting between Kadhafi and tribal dignitaries from the east of Libya, an area held by rebels seeking his ouster.
Doctors at Misurata’s main hospital said a ship left Misurata on Wednesday carrying dozens of wounded people to Benghazi, the rebels’ de facto capital in eastern Libya. One doctor said that there had been 65 injuries on Wednesday and 123 on Tuesday, and that at least one person had died. A rebel fighter told the Associated Press on Wednesday that five rebels had died.
Control of Misurata’s airport is important because it could be used to fly in humanitarian aid. It was unclear Wednesday how close Gaddafi’s forces remained to the airport and whether they could continue attacking from afar.
As the rebels were consolidating their gains, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called Wednesday for an immediate cease-fire in Libya, saying that he had spoken with Gaddafi’s prime minister and would be sending a special envoy to Tripoli “as soon as possible.
