NATO and its partners in the military campaign to protect Libyan civilians have decided to extend their mission another 90 days, the alliance's top official said Wednesday.

"This decision sends a clear message to the Gadhafi regime: We are determined to continue our operation to protect the people of Libya," said NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi is trying to withstand the NATO air barrage and put down a rebellion among his own people.

Wednesday's decision came during a meeting of ambassadors from the 28 NATO countries plus ambassadors from the five non-NATO countries participating in the Libya campaign — Jordan, Qatar, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco, said Carmen Romero, NATO's deputy spokeswoman.

It comes just a few days after Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper told CBC Radio's The House that he hopes for unanimous consent when Parliament is asked to approve a "reasonable" extension of Canada's military involvement in Libya.

Harper said in the interview that that there are encouraging signs of success in Libya, but the reasons Canada intervened in the first place haven't changed and warrant the military’s continued involvement. (read more)