Libya fighting to wrap up by late October: US senator

Fighting in Libya should be wrapped up by the end of October and rebel leaders there hope to hold early elections, a US senator who just visited the strife-torn country said Thursday.Republican Senator Mark Kirk told reporters on a conference call from Malta that clashes between Moammar Gaddafi loyalists and rebel National Transitional Council (NTC) forces will probably wrap up within the month.Despite concerns that troops loyal to Gaddafi could be just across the border in Niger or Algeria, the heavy lift of this conflict will be over by the end of October, the senator predicted.NTC interim Prime Minister Mahmud Jibril told us that he would like to move ahead with early elections to capitalize on the exuberant mood, while assuring the visting US senators that Islamists would get just 10-15 percent of the vote, said Kirk.It was unclear whether Jibrils comments reflected a change from an NTC election timetable, unveiled after its forces took the capital Tripoli on August 23, that gives it eight months to lead Libya before the direct election of a constitutional assembly of about 200 people.NTC officials have said they aim to hold parliamentary and presidential elections within a year of that council being seated, but the clock does not start ticking until they proclaim the full liberation of Libya.Kirk, who represents Illinois, said he had emerged from his visit reassured about the fate of Libyas arsenal amid US fears that Tripolis surface-to-air missiles and chemical and nuclear technology cold fall in the wrong hands.Kirk told reporters the NTC took control of key sites over a week ago.Kirk was part of a delegation led by Republican Senator John McCain and comprising Senators Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Marco Rubio of Florida.