London Breaking News_Britain moves Libya jets to ground attack role

Britain moves Libya jets to ground attack role

2011-04-06 19:02

London - Britain said on Wednesday that it was moving four Typhoon jets from policing the Libya no-fly zone to ground attack roles after criticism from rebels that Nato forces were failing to protect Misrata.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a statement: "In agreement with Nato, the UK has today (on Wednesday) agreed to move four RAF Typhoons from an air defence role, policing the no-fly zone, to a ground attack role."

The move was aimed at "further bolstering Nato's ground attack capability," said the MoD.

Previously, the Typhoons, based at Gioia del Colle in southern Italy, had been policing the no-fly zone while the RAF's Tornado warplanes carried out attacks on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's ground forces.

The move came after the top commander of Libyan rebel forces, Abdelfatah Yunis, accused Nato-led aircraft of doing nothing while loyalist forces bombarded civilians in Misrata, 214km east of Tripoli.

Nato "is letting the people of Misrata die every day", Yunis told reporters in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi late on Tuesday.

In response, Nato deputy spokesperson Carmen Romero insisted that "Misrata is our number one priority."

Prime Minister David Cameron announced on Monday during a visit to Gioia del Colle that London was sending four more Tornados for the operation.

Britain now has 20 fighter jets committed to the action to enforce a UN resolution aimed at protecting civilians from Gaddafi's forces.

- AFP