KHAMIS GADDAFI, SON of the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, is reported to have died after a pilot drove a plane into his barracks.

It has been reported that Khamis – who led the elite 32nd Brigade in Gaddafi’s armed forces, became the victim of a kamikaze pilot on Saturday night and has since died in hospital of burn wounds.

The reports – emanating from Algerian TV – claim that the Bab al-Aziziya compound where Khamis Gaddafi was stationed was hit on Saturday. It was again hit by cruise missiles from coalition forces last night. However, the Libyan government has so far denied the story.

Earlier today, US President Barack Obama said that while he would like to see Gaddafi Snr step down, the air strikes and imposition of a no-fly zone were not meant to be a direct attack on him. Obama said they were simply a measure to protect civilians on the ground. British Prime Minister David Cameron also said today that the deployment of coalition forces was to “protect civilians” and to “neutralise” Libyan air defences.

Meanwhile, the Guardian is reporting a “split” between David Cameron and the British Chief of Defence Staff on the third day of the air assault on Libya. Cameron believed Gaddafi may be a “legitimate target” while David Richards, said he was “absolutely not”.