NATO asks Libya's neighbors for assistance in fight against Gaddafi

The paper said the NATO-led coalition asked for assistance after admitting that it had underestimated the combat capability of Gaddafi's troops.

NATO asked Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Niger and Chad to close their borders to high-ranking officials and other representatives of Gaddafi's regime, and prevent imports of military and dual purpose products, including four-wheel drives.

The paper also said that the United States had asked Algeria for permission to use Algerian airspace for NATO military and transport aircraft in case of a possible ground military operation.

But since the country already refused a similar request from France, appeal is unlikely to be accepted, the paper said.

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution imposing a no-fly zone over Libya on March 17, paving the way for a military operation against Gaddafi which began two days later. The United States handed command to NATO in late March.

Despite dozens of sorties carried out by NATO aircraft against Gaddafi's forces, the government troops maintain their combat capability and continue to pound poorly-equipped rebels with heavy artillery and rocket fire. Kazinform cites RIA Novosti. See www.en.rian.ru for full version