Gadhafi Son Killed in Airstrike, Spies Say

Moammar Gadhafi’s youngest son, Khamis, was among the dozens of loyalist troops killed in a NATO airstrike on the city of Zliten last night, a Libyan rebel spokesman told the AFP today, citing spies planted in Gadhafi’s ranks and intercepted radio chatter. NATO confirmed only that it had hit two targets in Zliten, declining to comment on the Khamis report.

There’s some reason for skepticism, because Khamis' death has been rumored often during the war. But if it’s true this time it would be a major blow to Gadhafi’s forces. The 28-year-old was trained at a Russian military academy and leads an elite squad appropriately dubbed the Khamis Brigade. “If his death is confirmed then the death of this tyrant is a victory for our revolution and our youth,” said the vice chairman of the rebel government. (More Khamis Gadhafi stories.)