NATO to assess claims of civilian casualties in Sirte, Libya

NATO said on Saturday it would assess allegations that its airstrikes had killed hundreds of civilians in the under-siege Libyan city of Sirte, but noted that similar accusations in the past have rarely proven to be true, DPA reported.

"Most often, they are revealed to be unfounded or inconclusive," spokesman Roland Lavoie said. "As is the case with all NATO strikes, a thorough damage assessment is conducted afterwards; this will allow us to ascertain whether these allegations are founded or not."

Gaddafi spokesman Moussa Ibrahim told the Syria-based Al-Rai television that around 354 civilians were killed in NATO strikes over Sirte on Friday.

Lavoie confirmed that several military targets - five command and control facilities, three radar systems, four armed vehicles and eight air missile systems - had been struck following "strong evidence ... that the population of Sirte was being threatened.