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Russia demands investigation of civilian casualties from bombings in Libya

“It is regrettable that reports about civilian casualties of these bombings have not been investigated so far,” Lavrov said

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

UNITED NATIONS, March 12 (Itar-Tass) —— Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov demanded an investigation of civilian casualties of bombings in Libya.

“The organisations or countries that undertake to fulfil a mandate issued by the U.N. Security Council must report their activities to the Security Council in full measure. This also applies to the North Atlantic Alliance which has volunteered to ensure the no-fly zone over Libya but engaged in mass bombings instead,” Lavrov said at a Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East and North Africa on Monday, March 12.

“It is regrettable that reports about civilian casualties of these bombings have not been investigated so far,” he said.

Lavrov urged U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to “clarify this issue by invoking the Declaration of Cooperation between the U.N. and NATO Secretariats signed in 2008”.

Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry demanded an investigation of unlawful actions in Lybia, including on the part of NATO and bring those responsible to account.

“All instances of unlawful actions in Libya, including human rights violations by NATO, must be investigated thoroughly and those responsible must be brought to account,” the Foreign Ministry said.

“The commission's conclusions concerning NATO actions during Operation United Defender are clearly dissonant with Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen’s statements about the absence of ‘proved casualties’ among civilians. International experts have determined that at least 60 civilians have been killed and 55 wounded as a result of NATO air attacks. The death of 34 people from NATO air strikes at Majir on August 8, 2011 has been reported separately,” the ministry said.

“The commission exposed numerous cases of violent disappearances, tortures and extrajudicial executions among supporters of the previous regime, purported mercenaries and representatives of ethnic minorities who have basically been subjected to blatant persecution. According the commission's assessment, such actions undertaken by Libyan rebels during the conflict can be classified as war crimes,” the ministry said.

“We believe that all unlawful actions stated in the report, including human rights violations by NATO, must be thoroughly investigated and those responsible must be brought to account,” the ministry said.

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