Hundreds of residents have been killed and wounded in the assault by Gaddafi's forces on Libya's third-largest city, and residents are running short of water, food and medicine.

Snipers targeting children in Libya - UN

• From:AP 
• April 08, 2011 7:36PM

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SNIPERS are targeting children in the besieged rebel-held Libyan city of Misrata, the UN's children agency says.

Hundreds of residents have been killed and wounded in the assault by Gaddafi's forces on Libya's third-largest city, and residents are running short of water, food and medicine.

"What we have are reliable and consistent reports of children being among the people targeted by snipers in Misrata," UNICEF spokeswoman Marixie Mercado told reporters in Geneva today.

The information was based on local sources, Mercado said.

She was unable to say how many children have been wounded or killed in this way.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said it is sending a team to Misrata by boat today and would investigate the reports of snipers targeting children.

A spokesman for the Geneva-based aid group, Christian Cardon, told The Associated Press that children and other civilians not involved in hostilities are never a legitimate target in an armed conflict.

more -- http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/breaking-news/snipers-targeting-children-in-libya-un/story-e6frg12u-1226036242716?from=public_rss