Operational Media Update for 9 June 2011

NATO and Libya

10 June. Allied Joint Force Command NAPLES, SHAPE, NATO HQ
(more information: http://www.jfcnaples.nato.int/)

Mission
NATO took control of all military operations for Libya under United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1970 & 1973 on 31 March 2011. The aim of Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR is to protect civilians and civilian-populated areas under attack or threat of attack.

The mission consists of three elements: an arms embargo, a no-fly-zone and actions to protect civilians from attack or the threat of attack.

Over the past 24 hours, NATO has conducted the following activities associated with Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR:

Air Operations
Since the beginning of the NATO operation (31 March 2011, 08.00GMT) a total of 10439 sorties, including 3950 strike sorties*, have been conducted.

Sorties conducted 09 JUNE: 149
Strike sorties conducted 09 JUNE: 43

*Strike sorties are intended to identify and engage appropriate targets, but do not necessarily deploy munitions each time.

Key Hits
09 JUNE: In Tripoli: 1 Vehicle Storage Facility. In the vicinity of Tripoli: 2 Command & Control Facilities, 1 Early Warning Radar, 2 Surface-To-Air Missile Launcher, 2 Anti-Aircraft Guns, 3 Tanks. In the vicinity of Misurata: 2 Rocket Launcher, 1 Truck-Mounted Gun, 4 Tanks, 1 Heavy Equipment Transport, 2 Command & Control Nodes, 2 Armoured Fighting Vehicle, 2 Check Points. In the vicinity of Brega: 1 Command & Control Facility.

Arms Embargo Activities
A total of 19 ships under NATO command are actively patrolling the Central Mediterranean.
23 Vessels were hailed on 09 JUNE to determine destination and cargo. 3 boardings (no denials) were conducted.
A total of 1260 vessels have been hailed. 85 boardings and 8 denials have been conducted since the beginning of arms embargo operations.

International Humanitarian Assistance Movements as recorded by NATO
Total of Humanitarian Movements***: 345 (air, ground, maritime)
Ships delivering Humanitarian Assistance 09 JUNE: 2
Aircrafts delivering Humanitarian Assistance 09 JUNE: 0

***Some humanitarian movements cover several days.

Command and Control
NATO’s operational commander for Operation Unified Protector is Lieutenant-General Charles Bouchard of the Canadian Air Force. His office and staff is located at the Allied Joint Force Command Naples.