Tag Archives: NATO

The no-fly zone and naval blockade, enforced by Nato since March 31, will end at 11:59pm Libyan time (2159 GMT), as stipulated by a UN Security Council resolution last week that closed the mandate authorising military action.

Nato on Friday announced the end of the mission, declaring that the 28-nation alliance had fulfilled its UN mandate to protect civilians from a brutal repression.

“We have fully complied with the historic mandate of the United Nations to protect the people of Libya, to enforce the no-fly zone and the arms embargo,” Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in a statement announcing the decision.

“Operation Unified Protector is one of the most successful in Nato history. We are concluding it in a considered and controlled manner – because our military job is now done.”

The mission was terminated even though Libyan interim leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil had asked for the alliance to stay until the end of the year, warning that Gaddafi loyalists still posed a threat.

But Nato deemed that civilians were safe from attacks after the new regime declared the country liberated following Gaddafi’s death and the fall of his hometown of Sirte on October 20.

Western allies are now looking at how they can assist the new regime in Libya.… Read More

By: Slobodan Lekic
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the alliance agreed Friday to wind down the Libya operation until Oct. 31.

He said Friday following a meeting of the alliance’s governing body that the bloc made a preliminary decision to end air operation on Oct. 31, and will make a formal decision next week.

The council took into account the wishes of Libya’s new government and of the United Nations, under whose mandate NATO carried out its operations.

After Libya’s former rebels killed Gadhafi on Thursday, officials had said they expected the aerial operation to end very soon.

The success of the military operation has helped reinvigorate the Cold War alliance and polished the reputation of France and Britain, the two countries that drove it forward.

Analysts attributed its success to the fact that NATO remained steadfast over the summer during a long and grinding stalemate against Gadhafi loyalists and avoided the temptation to send ground troops into Libya.

NATO earlier said its commanders were not aware that Gadhafi was in a convoy that NATO bombed as it fled Sirte. In a statement Friday, the alliance said an initial Thursday morning strike was aimed at a convoy of approximately 75 armed vehicles leaving Sirte, the Libyan city defended by Gadhafi loyalists. One vehicle was destroyed, which resulted in the convoy’s dispersal.

Another jet then engaged approximately 20 vehicles that were driving at great speed toward the south, destroying or damaging about 10 of them.… Read More

NATO said Tuesday it is considering ending its bombing campaign in Libya but the decision must consider the threat pro-Moammar Gadhafi fighters still pose to civilians.

Some have speculated that the North Atlantic Council, NATO’s top decision-making body, will declare an end to the 7-month-old Libyan operation when it meets Wednesday.