Update from NATO

05 Jul. 2011
Operational Media Update for 4 July 2011
NATO and Libya
Issued on 05 Jul. 2011


05 July. 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 13,873 sorties, including 5,229 strike sorties*, have been conducted.

Sorties conducted 04 JULY: 145
Strike sorties conducted 04 JULY: 59

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

Key Hits
04 JULY: In Tripoli: 1 Command and Control Center. In the vicinity of Brega: 1 Tank, 1 Artillery piece. In Brega: 1 Military Storage Facility. In the vicinity of Waddan: 1 Military Storage Facility. In the vicinity of Misurata: 1 Tank. In the vicinity of Nalut: 1 Military Camp. In the vicinity of Zintan: 2 Armed Vehicles, 1 Armoured Fighting Vehicle. In the vicinity of Zlitan: 1 Armed Vehicle. In the vicinity of Sirt: 2 Armoured Fighting Vehicles.

(Editor: Bouchard, how many civilian vehicles did our airborne braves hit?)

Arms Embargo Activities
A total of 17 ships under NATO command are actively patrolling the Central Mediterranean.
14 Vessels were hailed on 04 JULY to determine destination and cargo. 3 boardings (no denials) were conducted.
A total of 1638 vessels have been hailed, 145 boardings and 9 denials have been conducted since the beginning of arms embargo operations.

International Humanitarian Assistance Movements as recorded by NATO
Total of Humanitarian Movements**: 448 (air, ground, maritime)
Ships delivering Humanitarian Assistance 04 JULY: 1
Aircrafts delivering Humanitarian Assistance 04 JULY: 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.

For any operational query:
Naples Media and Information
Center tel: +39 081 721 31 11
Email: oup.media@gmail.com Any other query:
NATO HQ Press Desk
+32 (0) 2 707 1010
+32 (0) 2 707 10 07
Mail to: moc@hq.nato.int