NATO transfers airspace over Benghazi to Libya

A NATO spokesman said on Tuesday the military alliance has handed over the airspace above the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi to Libyan authority. "A few days ago, Libya's newly formed Civil Aviation Authority announced that it would take responsibility for controlling aircraft in the airspace above the Benina International Airport in Benghazi. This decision marks a positive step towards enabling the new Libyan authorities to start rebuilding their country," Colonel Roland Lavoie said via video link from Naples, Italy. "Although NATO's no-fly continues to be enforced, Libyan air control services will now direct humanitarian flights into and out of the airspace in the 50 miles radius around Benghazi," he told a press briefing. The decision was taken in close consultation with NATO and the International Civilian Aviation Organization, marking the first step of a gradual transition of complete airspace responsibility to the Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC). In addition, Lavoie said that the NTC forces had controlled most of the Sirte city and made "significant advances" in Bani Walid, though Gaddafi loyalists have been still fighting in small areas. "Despite isolated fighting in Sirte and Bani Walid, most of the local population in these areas is no longer under threat. Remaining Gaddafi fighters are on the defensive, apparently attempting to avoid capture," he stressed. At the press briefing, NATO deputy spokesperson Carmen Romero said NATO ambassadors will meet on Wednesday to discuss the situation in Libya, including when to end the military campaign. "The day for the end of the operation is moving close. I don't expect tomorrow at the decision on termination by the ambassadors, because we have seen in the last days there are still threats to the civilian population," Romero said. "Key benchmarks for ending the mission will be whether or not there are threats to the civilian population and the capability of the National Transitional Council to protect civilians," she added.