Sunday, June 5, 2011

NATO first used attack helicopters in its mission in Libya

NATO has been used in Libya for the first time, attack helicopters, military vehicles and equipment, and ground forces of the regime of Gaddafi. The use of these devices, Britain and France, marked a new phase of the mission in Libya, which until now had developed selective shelling and air strikes from coalition air forces.

"We will continue with the use of these assets when and where needed with the same accuracy in all our missions," said the chief commander of the operation 'Unified Protector', Lt. Gen. Charles Bouchard. According to NATO, such attack helicopters provide "additional flexibility to track and locate a pro-Gaddafi forces deliberately using civilians and try to hide in populated areas." "A score of goals, including a half of military vehicles have been destroyed," said the spokesman of the General Staff, Colonel Thierry Burkhard.

In recent weeks, NATO has increased the intensity of its military operation in the country, in order to protect the civilian population of the dictator Qaddafi, harassed by the alliance and the rebels seeking to remove him from power. Hours later, the British foreign minister, William Hague, has traveled to Benghazi in secret, de facto capital of the Libyan rebels to meet with the leader of the National Transitional Council that country, Mustafa Abdel Jalil.

Hague, accompanied by Minister of International Development, Andrew Mitchell, will also meet with some individuals of Libyan society, as announced by the Foreign Office said in a statement. Before the journey, Hague said his presence in Benghazi's main objective is "to express our support for the Libyan people and the Transitional National Council, which he called" the legitimate representative of the Libyan people.

" "We will try the situation on the ground with an eye on the contact group meeting on Libya in Abu Dhabi next week," he added. The British foreign minister said his country remains "strong and true friend of Libya" and as such could not look away while Qaddafi ordered his forces to attack "innocent civilians." "While Gaddafi continue abusing their people, continue and intensify our efforts to stop him," said Hague.

No comments:

Post a Comment