Libya not afraid of foreign airstrikes

Libya is not afraid of possible airstrikes by the foreign military against Col. Muammar Gaddafi forces, the Libyan leader’s son, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, told ABC on Friday.

“We are in our country and with our people. We are not afraid. It will not help the people if you start bombing Libya and kill Libyans. You will destroy our country. No one is happy with your decision,” Gaddafi’s son said.

He reiterated that the Libyan Army has been fighting only against rebels, not against civilians, maintaining that the number of victims among Libya’s civilian population was minimal.

The unrest in Libya, which began in mid-February, is believed to have claimed the lives of several thousand people.

The UN Security Council’s resolution imposes a no-fly zone over Libya and stipulates military action against Gaddafi’s troops if he continues attacking civilians has been approved by 10 council members, while Brazil, China, Germany, India and Russia abstained from voting.

Libya warned on Thursday that any foreign military intervention would put air and maritime traffic in the Mediterranean area under threat, as it would hit both civilian and military targets.

NATO said on Friday it is ready to attack Gaddafi forces. A NATO source told RIA Novosti earlier on Friday the United States, Britain, France and Canada were among the countries likely to carry out the first airstrikes.

MOSCOW, March 18 (RIA Novosti)

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