NATO extends libya campaign

NATO agreed on Wednesday to a three-month extension of its air-and-sea campaign in Libya as the country\'\'s new rulers try to dislodge well-armed Gaddafi loyalists holding out in several towns. The agreement to extend the United Nations-mandated mission, which NATO took over on March 31st, came at a meeting of ambassadors of the 28 NATO states in Brussels. The current operations mandate was due to expire on September 27th, and it was the second 90-day extension to the mission to protect civilians that has involved a campaign of air strikes and a naval mission to enforce a UN arms embargo against ousted leader Muammar Gaddafi government. Eight of the 28 NATO nations have taken part in air strikes since the mission began and have flown 23,350 sorties, including 8,751 strike sorties against targets such as command centres, armoured vehicles and missile sites. Fourteen ships under NATO command are patrolling the central Mediterranean Sea to enforce a U.N. arms embargo. NATO has so far suffered no casualties in the mission.