As part of the United Nations mandate to protect civilians from the threat of attack, NATO is steadily and deliberatately degrading the ability of the Qadhafi regime to launch and sustain attacks against his own people. We are keeping up a high operational tempo to fuflil that mandate. Since NATO took command of Operation Unified Protector on March 31, our aircraft have flown over 3,700 sorties and over 1,500 strike sorties.
In the last 48 hours, NATO aircraft have also destroyed multiple-rocket launchers, armoured personnel carriers, bunkers and storage facilities in and around Misrata, Tripoli and Sirte.
NATO Spokesperson Oana Lungescu said : "We are bringing all our capabilities to bear on all parts of the Qadhafi regime that remain intent on harming the civilian population. As decided by the foreign ministers of NATO and operational partners, we will keep up the pressure until all attacks against civilians have stopped, Qadhafi's forces have withdrawn to bases and full and unimpeded humanitarian access has been ensured".
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