Libyan Government Blames NATO for Causalities

A NATO official acknowledged civilian casualties caused by an airstrike on June 19 in Tripoli Libya. Mike Bracken, a wing commander said that “a military site was the intended target of the air strikes in Tripoli, however, due to a weapon system failure one weapon hit a wrong target and caused a number of civilian casualties."

The Libyan government blamed NATO of killing nine civilians in the airstrike, in a residential neighborhood in the capital.The government reported that the strike intentionally targeted a "civilian neighborhood," and non-military targets such as a hotel, markets and vehicles.

Libyan Foreign Minister Abdul-Ati Al-Obeidi told reporters in a press conference that nine civilians, including two children, were killed in the strike and 18 people wounded

Mr. Al Obeiedi said "We hold Prime Minister Cameron, President Sarkozy and President Obama responsible for these and other crimes committed in the last three months against civilians.” Almost 856 civilians have been killed in NATO airstrikes since they began in March according to the Libya's Health Ministry.

Al Arabiya could not verify the number if Libyans killed in NATO air strikes.

Speakers:

Mike Bracken, NATO wing commander
Abdul-Ati Al-Obeidi, Libyan Foreign Minister