NEWS IN BRIEF
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30 Aug 11. Afghanistan: OP HERRICK. A Sergeant from 42 Commando, Royal Marines, was killed by an improvised explosive device near Sukmanda on 30 Aug 11. UK deaths since the start of Operations on 7 Oct 01 thus rose to 380, of whom 336 were killed as a result of hostile action. (MoD, 30 Aug 11.)
From 1 Jan 06 to 15 Aug 11, 1,758 personnel were Wounded in Action and 4,930 were aeromedically evacuated. (DASA, 31 Aug 11.) From 1 to 15 Aug 11 the figures were 12 and 42.
The Kandahar-based Tornado GR4 of 31 Squadron were employed throughout the past week delivering reconnaissance and close air support. Remotely-piloted Reaper of 39 Squadron, operating from Kandahar, delivered over 240 hours of detailed video reconnaissance information. (RAF Ops Update, 28 Aug 11.)
Soldiers from 3rd Bn The Mercian Regiment and from 22 Engineer Regiment are among the first to return to their home locations from OP HERRICK 14. (MoD, 30 Aug/1 Sep 11.) [OP HERRICK 15, led by 20 Armoured Brigade, runs from October 2011 to April 2012.]
The Commander of the International Security Assistance Force (COMISAF), General John Allen, visited British troops in Task Force Helmand during the past week. (MoD, 30 Aug 11.)
Comment: KBR of Houston announced (29 Aug 11) that it had been selected by the FCO to provide life support, vehicle maintenance and healthcare services in Afghanistan (Kabul & Lashkar Gah) and in Iraq. The value of the three-year contract was not stated. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 11/34, 05 Sep 11)

03 Sep 11. Libya: OP ELLAMY. MoD daily briefings, up to and including 3 Sep 11, confirmed continued strike activity by Tornado GR4 and Typhoon aircraft. Since the start of military Operations on 19 Mar 11 UK air strikes have damaged or destroyed 910 targets (as at 3 Sep 11). HMS LIVERPOOL again fired star shells over pro-Qadhafi military positions. (MoD, 28-31 Aug/1-3 Aug 11.)
On 31 Aug 11, the RAF delivered Libyan Dinars (LD) 280m (about £140m) to the Central Bank of Libya in Benghazi. The newly-printed banknotes were part of a stock of LD1,860m (about £930m) being held in the UK. (FCO, 30/31 Aug 11.)
A small FCO-led team of diplomatic and technical staff is now on the ground in Tripoli. (FCO, 29 Aug 11.)
President Sarkozy and the Prime Minister co-chaired an international conference on Libya in Paris, attended by over 60 countries and the UN Secretary-General. The NATO Secretary-General emphasised that “we are determined to continue our mission for as long as attacks and threats continue….”. (NATO & No 10, 1 Sep 11.)
HMS LIVERPOOL escorted the frigate AL HANI into Tripoli in her new role as the flagship of the Free Libya Forces. (Sister-ship AL QIRDABIYAH has been rendered unserviceable in an RAF strike.) HMS LIVERPOOL then took up a new position off Sirte (where Free Libyan troops are mustering). (MoD, 1 Sep 11.)
HMS OCEAN maintains a close liaison with the French amphibious assault ship FS MISTRAL. There are liaison Officers aboard each vessel and the command teams have exchanged visits. (MoD, 1 Sep 11.)
In an interview on BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Service), the Foreign Secretary paid tribute to the Armed Forces and said: “Britain has to engage with emerging powers in order to retain our place on the world stage.”. (Higgins Comms, 2 Sep 11.)
Comment: In an article in ‘The Economist’ (‘NATO after Libya’, 3 Sep 11) it is noted that out of 28 NATO members, 14 committed military assets to the campaign but only eight flew ground-attack sorties. The eight are: France, the UK, the US (in a limited way), Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Italy and Norway. Only France and the UK deployed attack helicopters. Non-NATO contributions came from Jordan, Qatar, Sweden and the