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presstv
Russia and China have voiced concerns over reports of civilian deaths in the crisis-hit Libya in a United Nations Security Council meeting on peace building in war-torn regions across the globe.

Officials from both countries, who abstained from voting on the United Nations no-fly zone resolution over Libya on Friday, keep condemning UN-authorized airstrikes by US-led coalition forces on the North African nation, a Press TV correspondent reported Thursday.

A spokesman for the regime of Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi had earlier said that there had been families killed over four nights of the bombings.

American officials, however, say that coalition forces have been careful to avoid civilians, focusing their strikes only on isolated arsenals, while spokesman for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Martin Nesirky, has not confirmed that information.

“That is the important point. Any loss of life of civilians is to be regretted of course. But there is no confirmation. We have not been able to verify the reports so far,” said Nesirky.

The move comes as the UN humanitarian coordinator for Libya said the situation is not “only limited to requirements in emergency; food aid, or water supplies or medication supplies or shelter,” adding that what is taking place in the African nation also has to do with “protection of people who find themselves in the middle of cross fire.”

The abject situation in oil-rich Libya continues as the military operations executed by the coalition forces have yet intensified the nationwide crisis, with the Gaddafi loyalists keeping their pressure on the revolutionaries to beat them back from crucial towns such as the eastern city of Benghazi.