NATO air raids have killed more than 700 civilians and injured over 4,000, many of them seriously, since bombing of Libya began in March, the Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim has reported.
Speaking at a news conference in Tripoli, Ibrahim said: ‘Since March 19, and up to May 26, there have been 718 martyrs among civilians and 4,067 wounded – 433 of them seriously.’
He said that the figures did not include military casualties.
Ibrahim denied that South African President Jacob Zuma, who met Colonel Gadaffi in Tripoli on Monday, had discussed an ‘exit strategy’ with the Libyan leader.
‘If Gadaffi goes, the security valve will disappear.
‘His departure would be the worst case scenario for Libya,’ Ibrahim told reporters.
A statement released by President Zuma’s office after he returned to Pretoria also said Colonel Muammar Gadaffi would not leave Libya.
‘Colonel Gadaffi called for an end to the bombings to enable a Libyan dialogue,’ the South African statement read.
‘He emphasised that he was not prepared to leave his country, despite the difficulties.’
President Zuma and the African Union have called for a halt to the NATO air strikes, insisting that Nato has overstepped its UN mandate to protect civilians.
Meanwhile, NATO announced yesterday that it has extended its mission in Libya by a further 90 days.
The extension was unanimously agreed by the ambassadors of Nato’s 28 member states meeting in Brussels.
‘We are determined to continue our operation to protect the people of Libya,’ said Nato Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
The mission was originally ‘mandated’ by the United Nations, and led by France, Britain and the US until March 31, when Nato took over.
NATO was given an initial 90-day mandate, which would have run out on June 27.
Four huge explosions were felt in the centre of Tripoli on Tuesday night.
Planes were heard flying over the capital, but it was not possible to determine the targets of the raids.