NATO extends Libya air war

TRIPOLI: NATO on Wednesday extended its Libyan air war by three months and said the departure of strongman Muammar Qadhafi was only a question of time, as the African Union backed Russian mediation of the crisis.

Hours after NATO-led aircraft launched new raids on Tripoli, ambassadors of the military alliance meeting in Brussels decided to renew the mission for another 90 days to late September.

NATO, whose current campaign expires on June 27, has intensified its air raids in recent weeks with daily strikes on command and control bunkers in Tripoli.

Wednesday's decision would give individual nations time to prepare their contributions for the next 90 days, a NATO diplomat said.

The Libyan government said on Tuesday that the air war has so far cost the lives of 718 civilians and wounded more than 4,000.

Also in Brussels, the head of the African Union Commission voiced support on Wednesday for Russian mediation of the Libyan crisis but insisted that Africa should remain a key player in finding a resolution.

“Anyone who can contribute to a resolution of the situation in Libya is welcome,” said AU Commission chairman Jean Ping.

Prodded by G8 partners at a summit in France last week, Russia, a critic of the NATO air war in Libya, agreed to act as a mediator in the conflict and openly called for Kadhafi to step down. — AFP