Nato to hit former civilian sites held by Gaddafi forces

Nato warned Tuesday it would bomb former civilian facilities in Libya, including factories, warehouses and agricultural sites, which are being used by Moamer Gaddafi's forces to launch attacks.

Nato hit a concrete factory in recent days where regime forces were hiding and firing multi-barrel rocket launchers, said alliance military spokesman Colonel Roland Lavoie.

"Pro-Kadhafi forces are increasingly occupying facilities which once held a civilian purpose," Lavoie told reporters in a video news conference from the operation's headquarters in Naples, Italy.

The facilities include stables, agricultural facilities, commercial and industrial warehouses, factories and basic food processing plants.

"By occupying and using these facilities the regime has transformed them into mililtary installations from which it commands and conducts attacks, causing them to lose their formerly protected status and rendering them valid and necessary military objectives for Nato," he said.