Official end of the NATO operation in Libya

Fighter

This is the official end of "Operation Unified Protector". Seven months and 26,000 sorties later, the NATO mission ends this Monday, October 31. In a statement, the organization had welcomed last week a success "historic" and called the new plan to "build a new Libya" democratic.

"The board of the North Atlantic [the governing body of the alliance, extended to representatives of five non-member countries - Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Jordan and Sweden - partners in the operation] confirmed the decision a week ago. The operation in Libya ends this Monday, October 31. Our military mission is now complete ", said Thursday the Secretary General of NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

"We have completely filled the historic mandate of the United Nations to protect the people of Libya, to enforce a flight ban and an arms embargo," he added. The operation "Unified Protector" is "one of the most successful in the history of NATO," welcomed the Secretary-General, while believing that the victory was won by the Libyan people, who "can take her future in his hands firmly and safe, "Rasmussen noted. For the head of NATO, the Libyans, however, "much work to do to build a new Libya based on reconciliation, human rights and the rule of law."

THE FEARS CNT the remnants of Qaddafi

The National Transitional Council (CNT) had asked last week to maintain NATO in Libya at least "until the end of the year", ensuring that even after the death of his last loyal Muammar Gaddafi a threat for the country. These fears were reinforced by reports of South African newspaper Beeld that a group of South African mercenaries was still in Libya and attempted exfiltration Saif Al-Islam, son of Muammar Gaddafi.

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