NATO has taken over full command and control of military operations against Libya from the United States, a NATO official confirmed?in Brussels?on Thursday.

NATO will make an announcement shortly, the official told Xinhua, adding Lieutenant General Charles Bouchard, commander of the NATO mission, code-named Unified Protector, would hold a press briefing this afternoon via video conference from the alliance's base in Naples, Italy.

NATO members agreed on Sunday to take full charge of military operations in Libya, including arms embargo, a no-fly zone and protecting civilians and civilian-populated areas, ending a week of squabbling over the command structure mainly involving France, Turkey, the U.S. and Britain.