NATO was on Monday ending its mission in Libya, describing the campaign as one of its "most successful" yet.

NATO was on Monday ending its mission in Libya, describing the campaign as one of its "most successful" yet.

NATO on Friday announced the end of the mission, declaring that the 28-nation alliance had fulfilled its UN mandate to protect civilians from a brutal repression.
"We have fully complied with the historic mandate of the United Nations to protect the people of Libya, to enforce the no-fly zone and the arms embargo," NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in a statement announcing the decision.

"Operation Unified Protector is one of the most successful in NATO history. We are concluding it in a considered and controlled manner -- because our military job is now done."

The no-fly zone and naval blockade, enforced by NATO since March 31, will end at 11:59 pm Libyan time (2159 GMT), as stipulated by a UN Security Council resolution last week that closed the mandate authorizing military action.

The mission was terminated even though Libyan interim leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil had asked for the alliance to stay until the end of the year, arguing that Gaddafi loyalists still posed a threat.

Gaddafi was killed on October 13 by a NATO raid that targeted his convoy in his hometown of Sirte, paving the way for National Transitional Council fighters to capture him and then kill him.