Two C-130 Hercules aircraft arrived in Djerba, Tunisia, March 4, 2011 - less than one day after President Barack Obama directed U.S. military aircraft support to the international aid effort to assist those who've fled fighting in Libya and are stranded in Tunisia.
Roughly 95,000 people crossed Libya's border with Tunisia since the fighting in Libya started, according to UNHCR, who has appealed to governments to supply urgent financial and logistical assets to the border.
This is the first U.S. military involvement in OPERATION ODYSSEY DAWN, which encompasses all U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM)- led planning in support of broader U.S. government activities to assist international relief efforts.
The package includes at least 2,000 blankets, 40 rolls of plastic sheeting and 9,600 10-liter water containers supplied by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); they were delivered by the aircrew to USAID workers in Tunisia to assist in aid efforts.
According to USAID The humanitarian relief supplies, sufficient for up to 2,000 beneficiaries, will be given to the Tunisia Red Crescent for distribution.