Tripoli, Oct 19 (ANI): A NATO spokeswoman has said that the Western military alliance is "very close" to terminating the seven-month long bombing campaign in Libya.
However, Carmen Romero warned that it is still too early to set the exact date because of the continuing threat to civilians from pro-Gaddafi fighters, CBS News reports.
NATO warplanes have reportedly flown over 9,500 strike sorties since the air attacks began on March 19. With armed opposition to the new Libyan authorities now limited to only a few more towns, the alliance has scaled back on the airstrikes, conducting an average of 15 a day in comparison to about 70-80 a day at the height of the campaign this summer.
Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had announced increased support for Libya's new leaders, pledging millions of dollars in aid including medical care for wounded fighters and additional assistance to secure weaponry, which many fear could fall into the hands of terrorists.
Libya's new leaders welcomed the capture of Gaddafi loyalists' second stronghold Bani Walid, 90 miles southeast of Tripoli, and said that they would only declare liberation after the fall of Sirte.
Meanwhile, military commander Ali Abdel-Rahman in Bani Walid said that revolutionary forces were supplied with new weapons on Saturday which allowed them to surge into the small city the next day.
"We didn't find a regular army but only loyalists to Gaddafi, snipers with automatic weapons. There was no resistance but we lost three martyrs on the first day," he said.addafi's whereabouts are still not known. (ANI)
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