Chavez: Let's pray for Libyan civilians

The Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has criticized NATO's military invasion of Libya, saying that the US-led military alliance's bombings have come to target Libya's civilian-residing areas. “Let's pray to God for the Libyan people,” he said in a televised speech on Monday, the Associated Press reported. “Today they dropped I do not know how many bombs," he regretted. The aim of the US and its European allies, who participate in the operations, is to "intervene and seize a country and its riches," he added. Since March 31, when the alliance took over the command of the airstrikes on a UN mandate, its warplanes have carried out around 11,644 sorties over the country. Washington and NATO say the military campaign is aimed at pressuring Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to step down and protecting civilians. However, Libyan officials say hundreds of the non-combatants have died in the bombings.