Loud explosions rocked Tripoli near the residence of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi as global powers gathered for talks on mapping out a democratic future for the North African nation.
The first blast shook central Tripoli around 2000 GMT, followed 15 minutes later by a stronger explosion near a hotel housing foreign journalists.
Regime spokesman spokesman Mussa Ibrahim said Nato pounded the Libyan capital with more than 60 bombs on Wednesday, killing 31 people and causing dozens of injuries.
The explosions came after up to 3,000 Gaddafi troops attacked Libya’s third-largest city Misurata in a three-pronged movement from the south, west and east, rebel spokesman Hassan al-Galai said by telephone from the city.
Twelve people were killed and 33 wounded in the fighting in which Col Gaddafi’s forces deployed gunships, tanks and Grad rocket launchers as well as mortars, Mr Galai said.
Misurata is the most significant enclave in western Libya captured by the rebels since the start of the uprising in mid-February.