LONDON: NATO leaders have authorised a 90-day extension of the alliance's aerial mission over Libya, raising the prospect that US and European military personnel could be involved in Libya until Christmas.
But the NATO Secretary-General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, emphasised the alliance could call home its forces ''at any time'' if international authorities and the new Libyan government determined help was no longer necessary. ''This decision sends a clear message to the Libyan people: we will be there for as long as necessary but not a day longer, while you take your future in your hands to ensure a safe transition to the new Libya,'' Mr Rasmussen said.
He said the alliance had been ''remarkably successful'' in executing a United Nations mandate to protect civilians, despite criticism that NATO's warplanes and aerial bombing campaign routinely crossed the line into actively helping revolutionary forces in their effort to topple Muammar Gaddafi.
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NATO took over enforcement of a no-fly zone over Libya in March, with an initial deadline for the mission at the end of June. A three-month extension was set to expire next week but Wednesday's decision renewed the operation until the end of December.
NATO fighter jets have flown more than 20,000 sorties over Libya in the past six months, dropping thousands of bombs to take out Gaddafi's command centres and military materiel.
The alliance has not reported any serious casualties in its air campaign, though Gaddafi's officials alleged the bombing killed hundreds of civilians and NATO has acknowledged several mistaken bombings of rebel forces.
In a further blow to Gaddafi, the African Union announced it would join the United Nations in recognising Libya's transitional government.
Also now opting to recognise Libya's new rulers was South Africa, long a staunch supporter of Gaddafi and critic of NATO airstrikes in the country.
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