LOC13:32
10:32 GMT
LONDON, Sept 3 (KUNA) -- British forces have so far hit more than 900
targets in the campaign to protect Libyan civilians from the Gaddafi regime,
the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) disclosed Saturday.
The latest strikes came during armed reconnaissance patrols yesterday
against buildings in Bani Walid which had been used by Muammar Gaddafi's
forces as a military vehicle depot.
At least 910 targets, including secret police headquarters and command
bunkers, had been damaged or destroyed since operations began in March, the
MoD said.
The latest update on the input of UK forces to the Nato campaign came after
Prime Minister David Cameron insisted yesterday that Britain had punched
"above our weight" in Libya.
There have been continued claims that the mission has exposed the limits of
British military resources in the wake of controversial defence cuts.
MoD spokesman Major General Nick Pope said the RAF had been patrolling
areas where civilians remained "subject to the oppression of Colonel Gaddafi's
remaining troops".
Tornado jets had destroyed three targets, making up the vehicle depot,
using Paveway laser and GPS guided bombs.
"Since the start of military operations on March 19, Royal Navy, Royal Air
Force and Army Air Corps strikes have damaged or destroyed over 910 targets
that were being used by Gaddafi's former regime to threaten the Libyan people,
ranging from secret police headquarters and command bunkers to tanks, rocket
launchers and armed trucks," he said.
Pressure was intensifying on ousted dictator Gaddafi today as rebels
prepared for a final showdown.
They were still hoping he may surrender without a fight but the fugitive
continued to issue warlike statements.
Although remaining in hiding, he issued a defiant appeal to his supporters
yesterday to continue to fight.
Meanwhile, Cameron yesterday hit out at the "armchair generals" who had
doubted Britain's capacity to intervene in Libya, insisting they had been
proved wrong.
"A lot of armchair generals who said you couldn't do it without an aircraft
carrier, they were wrong," he said.
"A lot of people who said Tripoli is completely different to Benghazi, the
two don't get on, they were wrong.
People who said this is all going to be an enormous swamp of Islamists and
extremists, they were wrong. People who said we were going to run out of
munitions, they were wrong." (end)
he.rk
KUNA 031332 Sep 11NNNN