NATO warned against killing civilians

The South African President Jacob Zuma

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/186339.html

The South African president voices serious concerns over ongoing NATO airstrikes in Libya as such attacks continue to kill civilians in the North African country.

During African Union panel talks on Libya, Jacob Zuma said continued NATO bombings in Libya is a concern because the UN Resolution 1973 was intended to protect civilians.

"The continuing bombing by NATO and its allies is a concern that has been raised by our committee and by the AU Assembly, because the intention of Resolution 1973 was to protect the Libyan people and facilitate the humanitarian effort," Zuma was quoted by AFP as saying.

Zuma also said that the resolution does not allow NATO to push for “regime change or the political assassination” of Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi.

His comments come one day after Libyan State TV reported the deaths of at least 15 civilians in a NATO strike on a residential area near the key town of Brega.

NATO has deployed its full range of aircraft in the war on Libya. The military alliance says the operations are aimed at protecting civilians.

However, scores of civilians have lost their lives in NATO airstrikes so far. The military alliance has admitted to having mistakenly killed at least nine civilians in just one of its attacks near Tripoli this week.

Experts say the main motive behind the Western attack on Libya is the vast oil reserves of the North African country.