A Libyan government spokesman has told Sky News that Colonel Gaddafi's forces would never kill civilians, insisting that the leader was "loved by millions".
Ibrahaim Moussa blamed coalition forces for killing 48 civilians on the first night of military action.
He told Sky's Lisa Holland - reporting from Tripoli under the supervision of Libyan authorities - that "many" more had been killed on the second and third nights of strikes. He was unable to provide precise figures.
Britain and the international community should send a "fact-finding mission" from abroad to identify who is killing civilians, instead of sending "rockets and bombs".
Mr Moussa said: "We are saying we can not kill our children, our sons of Libya, because the Libyan army is composed of Libyan children, of Libyan tribes.
"How could Libyan tribes kill Libyan tribes? We can't do that even if we want to."
He went on: "Why is it so easy for the British government and your spokespersons to send rockets on us, and it's very difficult to send politicians and observers and judge us?
"You can't accuse us of crimes, condemn us, sentence us and punish us without investigating us."
Mr Moussa said coalition strikes had hit "civilian and quasi-military" targets, such as ports and harbours used by fishermen and civilian workers as well as the army.
But he denied that pro-Gaddafi forces had killed unarmed civilians in Zawiyah - as witnessed by a Sky News reporting team - and blamed the deaths on armed militia.
Asked by Holland about comments by Col Gaddafi that there would be "no mercy" shown to opponents, he said the leader was referring to those who were holding up arms.
He said Col Gaddafi's "soundbite" had been misinterpreted and that in fact he was calling for the Libyan people, not the army, to "cleanse the country of these people".
As for Col Gaddafi's whereabouts, Mr Moussa said the leader is "here" and "leading the fight".
"The colonel is loved by millions," he said.
He said Col Gaddafi was being targeted by coalition forces so that Libya could be "robbed of its oil and wealth".
"He is the guarantee, for now, for Libya to remain one and strong and united," he added.