Conflicting reports of civilian casualties in Libya

 

China.org.cn, March 24, 2011

As the western-led military intervention in Libya entered the 6th day, there were conflicting reports about civilian casualties.

Libyan government officials claimed that dozens of civilians have been killed in air strikes launched by the Western powers against their country while U.S. military officials denied that any civilians have been killed in air strikes.

A number of civilians have been reportedly wounded in the air strikes in eastern Tripoli launched by Western warplanes on Wednesday night, according to Xinhua correspondents and local media.

Libyan state television said Western planes had struck in Tripoli and in Jafar, southwest of the capital.

"Military and civilian targets were attacked by colonialist crusaders," the television said.

Huge explosions were heard near the Libyan capital on Wednesday night, Xinhua reported.

Among the explosions, a huge blast was heard at a military base some 30 km east of the capital, witness told Xinhua.

A Xinhua correspondent on the spot said a military engineering institute was hit during the air strike and caught on fire.

Several cars parking nearby or passing by were hit by the bombing and passengers inside were injured, local residents told Xinhua, adding the injured had been rushed to hospital for treatment.

The number and conditions of the injured remained unknown at the moment.