Nato to end mission in Libya on October 31

NATO plans to end its seven-month air and sea mission in Libya on October 31, but will issue a formal decision next week after consulting the United Nations and Libya’s interim authorities, Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said yesterday.

“We agreed that our operations are very close to completion and we have taken a preliminary decision to end Operation Unified Protector on October 31,” Rasmussen said, after long talks in Brussels with ambassadors of the 28-member alliance on when and how to wind up the campaign.

“In the meantime, I will consult closely with the UN and the National Transitional Council,” the interim authority in Libya, he added.