The end of the Libyan war is close, said Defense Minister of Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) Jalal al-Digheili, the official Tunisian press agency TAP reported on Saturday.

The statement was made on Friday on the occasion of the visit to Tripoli by Italian Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa and his British counterpart Liam Fox.

During a joint press conference, Digheili said that NTC fighters had won several victories, east, south and west of the country. "There are still pockets of resistance, but it will not last," he said.

Meanwhile, NTC forces, with NATO's support, are engaged in two decisive battles with pro-Gaddafi loyalists in Sirte and Bani Walid.

NTC forces were recently beefed up with a thousand additional troops in Bani Walid, some 170 from the capital, where troops still loyal to ousted leader Muammar Gaddafi have been resisting for more than a month.