Powerful explosions shake Tripoli

Four explosions shook the centre of the Libyan capital Tuesday, sending plumes of smoke billowing across an area in which strongman Muammar Gaddafi has his residence, an AFP correspondent witnessed. The first blast rocked Tripoli at 10:45 am (0845 GMT) and was followed by three others. The explosions were strongly felt in a hotel housing foreign correspondents in Tripoli. The complex that includes Gaddafi's residence has been consistently targeted by a NATO air campaign in Libya. On Monday, NATO air raids on Tripoli targeted the communications of the battered regime, hitting offices of the state broadcaster and his military intelligence headquarters, officials said.