From David Brunnstrom, Reuters: French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet, whose country has been one of the leaders of the air mission, said it would continue as long Gaddafi’s forces put up resistance in their remaining holdouts and until there was "normal functioning of the state".
He said Libya’s ruling National Transitional Council should also request an end to the mission.
"There should no longer be any pockets of resistance and the NTC must request it," he told reporters. "As for Gaddafi…as long as he disappears from the stage, that would be important, but not enough. The NTC wants to capture him, and one can understand that."
Longuet said the capture of Sirte would be important symbolically, but added: "It’s not the whole of Libya. We still have some pro-Gaddafi resistance in Bani Walid for example and some … movements scattered in the south of Libya. . . ."
NATO officials said NATO conducted no strikes in Libya on Monday and Tuesday but hit targets, including command and control sites and troop marshalling areas near Bani Walid on Wednesday. (photo: Getty)
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