UK MoD: Libya Operation Ellamy update - 8 August 2011
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Major General Nick Pope, the Chief of the Defence Staff’s Communications Officer, said:
"As NATO’s Operation Unified Protector continues apace over Libya, the Royal Navy has been in action off Zlitan, while Royal Air Force and British Army aircraft have taken action against Colonel Qadhafi’s troops in the western highlands of the Djebel Nafousa.
"NATO taskings saw RAF aircraft maintaining frequent patrols throughout Friday over the Djebel Nafousa. One such patrol attacked a building used by artillery teams firing into Yafran, whilst another patrol struck a staging post for the former regime forces which have been concentrated around Gharyan. Further east, HMS Liverpool took action during the early evening of Thursday, successfully engaging, with her 4.5" gun, a Grad multiple rocket launcher positioned on the coast near Zlitan. Liverpool remained in the area and, after darkness had fallen, fired star shells to provide illumination for NATO operations in the area.
"On Saturday, a precision strike was conducted against a location, near Bir al Ghanam in the Djebel Nafousa, which was supporting multiple rocket launchers. This was followed up by successful attacks on two ammunition stores and a headquarters in the same area, our aircraft employing Paveway guided bombs to destroy their targets.
"In the early hours of this morning, Apache helicopters from the Army Air Corps, flying off their carrier HMS Ocean, penetrated deep into Libyan airspace to conduct a strike on a troop concentration at Al Watiyah, 40 miles south of the coast at Zuwarah. Hellfire missiles and cannon fire accounted for one headquarters and twelve military vehicles, including at least one armed with a surface to air weapon system, with another four vehicles left seriously damaged. Fleet Air Arm Sea Kings provided radar cover, whilst RAF Tornado GR4s flew as overwatch. The Tornadoes were also able to prosecute successfully a target of their own, destroying a military staging post further south at Tiji."
"As NATO’s Operation Unified Protector continues apace over Libya, the Royal Navy has been in action off Zlitan, while Royal Air Force and British Army aircraft have taken action against Colonel Qadhafi’s troops in the western highlands of the Djebel Nafousa.
"NATO taskings saw RAF aircraft maintaining frequent patrols throughout Friday over the Djebel Nafousa. One such patrol attacked a building used by artillery teams firing into Yafran, whilst another patrol struck a staging post for the former regime forces which have been concentrated around Gharyan. Further east, HMS Liverpool took action during the early evening of Thursday, successfully engaging, with her 4.5" gun, a Grad multiple rocket launcher positioned on the coast near Zlitan. Liverpool remained in the area and, after darkness had fallen, fired star shells to provide illumination for NATO operations in the area.
"On Saturday, a precision strike was conducted against a location, near Bir al Ghanam in the Djebel Nafousa, which was supporting multiple rocket launchers. This was followed up by successful attacks on two ammunition stores and a headquarters in the same area, our aircraft employing Paveway guided bombs to destroy their targets.
"In the early hours of this morning, Apache helicopters from the Army Air Corps, flying off their carrier HMS Ocean, penetrated deep into Libyan airspace to conduct a strike on a troop concentration at Al Watiyah, 40 miles south of the coast at Zuwarah. Hellfire missiles and cannon fire accounted for one headquarters and twelve military vehicles, including at least one armed with a surface to air weapon system, with another four vehicles left seriously damaged. Fleet Air Arm Sea Kings provided radar cover, whilst RAF Tornado GR4s flew as overwatch. The Tornadoes were also able to prosecute successfully a target of their own, destroying a military staging post further south at Tiji."
