Operational Media Update for 28 June 2011

NATO and Libya

29 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 13,035 sorties, including 4,908 strike sorties*, have been conducted.

Sorties conducted 28 JUNE: 148
Strike sorties conducted 28 JUNE: 58

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

Key Hits
28 JUNE: In Brega: 2 Command and Control Nodes , 1 Command and Control Facility , 1 Armored Vehicle , 1 Artillery piece , 12 Armed Vehicles , 5 Armed Pick-Up Trucks , 3 Trucks , 3 Military Hangars. In the vicinity of Zlitan: 1 Multiple Rocket Launcher , 1 Mortar , 1 Armed Vehicle , 1 Command and Control Facility. In the vicinity of Tripoli: 1 Anti Aircraft Missile Launcher , 2 Radars. In Gharyan: 1 Military Compound.

Arms Embargo Activities
A total of 17 ships under NATO command are actively patrolling the Central Mediterranean.
10 Vessels were hailed on 28 JUNE to determine destination and cargo. 2 boardings (no denials) were conducted.
A total of 1556 vessels have been hailed, 129 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***: 420 (air, ground, maritime)
Ships delivering Humanitarian Assistance 28 JUNE: 1
Aircrafts delivering Humanitarian Assistance 28 JUNE: 3

***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.