Libya TV says NATO strike on 'civilian sites' kills 15

Tripoli, Jun 25: Libyan state television said a NATO air strike on "civilian sites" in the eastern town of Brega killed 15 people and wounded more than 20, a claim promptly denied by the alliance.

"The colonialist crusader Atlantic coalition bombed civilian sites, among them a bakery and a restaurant in Brega, creating 15 martyrs and more than 20 wounded, among them regular clients of those places," the TV said.

The TV report, which did not say when the attack took place, referred to a NATO "war of extermination" and "crimes against humanity" in Libya.

State news agency Jana said the raid took place today, and spoke of five other "citizens" killed in raids the day before.

In its daily operations report, the alliance said that yesterday it had targeted 35 objectives, including military vehicles and installations, in the Brega region.

NATO rejected the claim, saying in Brussels that its forces had hit "legitimate military targets." Brega is a key refinery town 800 kilometres east of Tripoli and 240 kilometres southwest of the rebel stronghold of Benghazi.

AFP