3 children among 15 dead in new raid on Libya

A picture taken on a government-guided tour Sunday shows the rubble of buildings. TRIPOLI, June 20 (agencies) : Three children were among 15 people killed in a new NATO-led air strike Monday, government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim told reporters as they were given a tour of damaged buildings in Sorman, 70 kilometres (45 miles) west of Tripoli.

Meanwhile: NATO acknowledged late Sunday that it was responsible for civilian deaths in Tripoli after Libyan officials showed reporters five bodies, two of them of toddlers, they said were among nine people killed in a "barbaric" air strike.

Rebels fighting the four-decade rule of Moamer Kadhafi meanwhile warned that they were running out of money as their struggle enters a fifth month and called on governments in the NATO-led coalition to make good their promises of funds.

An alliance statement released in Brussels said "NATO acknowledges civilian casualties in Tripoli strike" during action targeting a missile site.

"It appears that one weapon did not strike the intended target and that there may have been a weapons system failure which may have caused a number of civilian casualties," the statement added.

The admission that the civilian deaths were caused by NATO was an embarrassment for the alliance which has led the bombing campaign under a UN mandate to protect civilians.

Libyan government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim accused the Western alliance of "deliberately targeting civilians," insisting there were no military targets anywhere near the residential area of Tripoli that was hit early on Sunday.

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