LONDON: About 1,000 people were killed in clashes between supporters and opponents of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, the British government said in a report by Human Rights published Thursday.
"Although there has been no official death toll, several sources report that nearly 1,000 people have been killed and several others were injured during the recent outbreak of violence," the report from Great Britain Foreign Office.
The Foreign Office also said it was "appalled by reports wider other serious violations of human rights, including the use of torture and extrajudicial killings, illegal arrests and detentions (including incommunicado detention), denial of medical assistance and humanitarian aid. "
The quarterly update on human rights in Libya, covering the period since an uprising against the regime began to Gaddafi, noted "credible and consistent reports of brutality ... innocent civilians killed by indiscriminate shelling and air strikes by the pro-Qaddafi in Libya in towns and cities where anti-government protests took place. "
These reports led an international coalition, including Britain, to establish a no-fly zone over Libya and to launch military strikes against the forces pro-Qaddafi to prevent attacks on civilians. Allied forces say they have now destroyed the Libyan air force.
coalition leaders say they are doing their best to avoid civilian casualties.
But top Vatican official in the Libyan capital, citing what he called reliable sources in close contact with the residents, told Reuters Thursday at least 40 civilians were killed in airstrikes by Western forces in Tripoli. - (Reuters)
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