Brussels, Oct 24 (IANS): NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said the declaration of liberation in Libya marked a "great victory".

"This is a great victory for the people of Libya. Their courage and determination in the cause of freedom has inspired the world," Xinhua quoted Fogh Rasmussen as saying in a statement.

The NATO chief called on Libyan people to put aside their differences and build "a new inclusive Libya, based on reconciliation, and full respect for human rights and the rule of law".

He said that NATO had preliminarily decided to wind down its military campaign, which helped Libyan rebels make advances on the ground, until the end of this month.

"As we wind down the operation, together with our partners, we will monitor the situation and retain the capacity to respond to threats to civilians, if needed," he said.

Abdel Hafiz Ghoga, vice chairman of Libya's ruling National Transitional Council, Sunday declared that Libya has been liberated. The formal declaration came three days after the capture and death of of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in his hometown of Sirte Thursday.