NATO and Libya

Operational Media Update for 23 October 2011

24 October.
Allied Joint Force Command NAPLES, SHAPE, NATO HQ
(more information: 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
Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR air assets continue monitoring missions over Libya.
Since the beginning of the NATO operation (31 March 2011, 06.00GMT) a total of 26,323 sorties, including        9,658 strike sorties*, have been conducted.

Sorties conducted 23 OCTOBER: 42
Strike sorties conducted 23 OCTOBER: 12

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

Key Hits 23 OCTOBER:                                
Nil
 
Arms Embargo Activities
A total of 12 ships under NATO command are actively patrolling the Central Mediterranean.
4 Vessels were hailed on 23 OCTOBER to determine destination and cargo. 0 boardings (0 denied) were conducted.
A total of 3124 vessels have been hailed, 296 boardings and 11 denials have been conducted since the beginning of arms embargo operations.

International Humanitarian Assistance Movements as recorded by NATO
Total of Humanitarian Movements**2209: (air, maritime)
Ships delivering Humanitarian Assistance 23 OCTOBER: 0
Aircraft delivering Humanitarian Assistance 23 OCTOBER: 2

**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.

For more information: www.nato.int/libya

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