NATO to enforce no-fly zone

BELGIUM: NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Thursday said the alliance had agreed to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya “to protect civilians” but not to carry out ground strikes.

After days of fraught talks, as NATO member Turkey raised objections to action by the US-led coalition against Moamer Kadhafi’s forces, the alliance had finally agreed “to assume responsibility” to enforce the no-fly zone, Rasmussen said. “We have now decided to enforce the no-fly zone over Libya,” he said.

Rasmussen said the 28-member alliance would enforce the UN-mandated no-fly zone but would not take part in action to take out pro-Kadhafi military hardware.

BRUSSELS, Friday, AFP