World News Today: Libya operation has 'real effect'

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Libya operation has 'real effect'

Typhoon takes off from Gioia del Colle airbase

The RAF's Typhoon - or Eurofighter - is primarily used in air-to-air combat

Britain's contribution to efforts by coalition forces to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya is being stepped up.

The operation to move British aircraft to a base in southern Italy ready for missions is nearly complete, after the arrival of about a dozen planes.

RAF Typhoon fighters have taken part in their first mission to patrol the zone.

Meanwhile, amid a third night of missile strikes, a government motion to support action in Libya won a majority of 544 votes in the House of Commons.

The debate focused on Resolution 1973, which passed by the United Nations Security Council last week.

This authorises "all necessary measures", short of bringing in an occupying force, to protect Libyan citizens from the Gaddafi regime, which has been fighting rebel forces.

The Commons motion - which was backed by 557 MPs and opposed by 13 - followed continued US-led action in Libya, with Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's sprawling Bab al-Aziziya complex, in the capital Tripoli, among the locations hit.

Libya's government has said more civilians have been killed in a third night of air and missile strikes by coalition forces.

Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim told a news conference Monday's air and missile strikes had caused "numerous" civilian casualties, especially at the "civilian airport" in Sirte.

Explosions and anti-aircraft fire have been heard in Tripoli.

The RAF now has 10 Typhoon and four tornado jets at the Gioia del Colle base in southern Italy, which is about an hour from Libya by air.

The air-to-air combat jets were seen in video footage taking off in wet conditions from the Italian base on Monday.

The action is in support of a UN resolution imposing a ban on all flights in Libyan airspace, excluding aid flights, to "protect civilians".

The UK is part of an international coalition, also including the US and France, trying to protect civilians from attacks by forces loyal to Colonel Gaddafi.

Meanwhile, the BBC's Duncan Kennedy said the Italian government had expressed concern about who is in overall control of the no-fly operation.

Our correspondent said: "It wants Nato to take over, so as to give the mission wider military and political direction.

"It has warned it may review the decision to allow its bases to be used unless the command operation is streamlined."

The Tornados were initially being launched from RAF Marham in Norfolk, but are now being based in Italy along with the Typhoon jets.

The Chief of Defence Staff's spokesman, Major General John Lorimer, said the Typhoons had on Monday flown their first ever combat mission in relation to the no-fly zone.

"UK aircraft are helping to patrol the no-fly zone alongside our international allies.

"Coalition forces' action has, over the weekend, stopped Colonel Gaddafi's forces from seizing control of [rebel held] Benghazi," he said.

"GR4 Tornados left RAF Marham in Norfolk this afternoon on an air reconnaissance mission over Libya as part of Operation Ellamy.

"The Tornados have now landed at Gioia del Colle which will be their new base of operations, as we had planned," he said.

The RAF's Typhoon, or Eurofighter, is an agile aircraft, primarily used in air-to-air combat.

Aviation expert Paul Eden said the Typhoon - build to replace the Tornado fighter - was likely to remain essential to the operation in Libya for as long as there was a risk of any Libyan aircraft becoming airborne.

The Typhoon entered service with the RAF in 2003, and is primarily based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.

Col Gaddafi has ruled Libya for more than 40 years. An uprising against him began last month after the longtime leaders of neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt were toppled.

This article is from the BBC News website. � British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.