Danish minister:Civil support to replace military action in Libya

The withdrawal of Danish forces from Libya will mark a shift from military to civil engagement there, Danish Defence Minister Nick Haekkerup said Thursday. "There is greater need for civil effort than military action," Haekkerup was quoted by Danish news agency Ritzau as saying. "This support depends on what Libyans themselves believe they have most need for, on what the international community believes, and on what we ourselves can effectively contribute." Haekkerup said Denmark will pull back its military forces from Libya next week, which came after the UN Security Council's resolution on Thursday to terminate its authorization of a no-fly zone over Libya on Oct. 31. "After Oct. 31, our personnel and aircraft will return home," he said, adding that with the planned return, the country's strategy for Libya enters a new phase. "I think the emphasis will be on civil efforts, with help being extended to, for example, building-up of the judicial system. I cannot imagine there will be a large military presence," he said. In March, Denmark sent six F-16 fighter jets to support a NATO-led and UN-mandated intervention to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya. The Danish aircraft were stationed at air bases in Sicily, Italy, during the campaign, from where they conducted bombing raids against military targets in Libya. According to information posted on the Danish Air Force's website, the jets participated in a total of 597 missions and fired 923 precision-guided weapons during the seven-month operation in Libya. Military operations are winding down following the death of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi last week.