LIBYA - Continuing civil war
The virtual stalemate that had developed in April-May in the civil war between the regime of Col Moamer al-Kadhafi centred in Tripoli (the capital) and the rebel Interim National Council (INC) based in the eastern coastal city of Benghazi gave way in June to limited advances by rebel forces, who benefited from the deployment of French and UK helicopter gunships within the NATO-led coalition acting to provide aerial protection for civilians under UN Security Council Resolution 1973 (2011) of March 17. Nevertheless, the entry of the NATO-led military action into its fourth month increased concerns that there was no end in sight and that a defiant Kadhafi was as entrenched in power as at the start of the campaign.