BBC correspondent recalls human cost of conflict

LONDON - Jonathan Head's reporting work placed him amid brutal bombardment in Sirte, the fall of which ended Libya's eight-month civil war. Yet it was the tragic suffering of the Libyan people that left the deepest imprint on his memory.

"These are ordinary people, and it seems so unnecessary," Head told China Daily just one day after the death of ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi on Thursday.

The war, which started with a revolt in parts of Libya in mid-February and was bolstered by NATO air strikes a month later, has led to the deaths of more than 25,000 people. More than one-fifth of Libya's 6.5 million people have sought protection in neighboring countries.