BRUSSELS - NATO carried out 70 airstrikes over Libya on Saturday, the western military alliance said on Sunday in its daily report.

NATO aircraft are enforcing a no-fly zone and protecting civilians by airstrikes in Libya while the alliance's naval vessels are patrolling the Mediterranean to implement arms embargo.

NATO aircraft conducted 184 sorties on Saturday, including 70 "strike sorties", the alliance said.

Strike sorties "are intended to identify and engage appropriate targets, but do not necessarily deploy munitions each time," NATO explained.

Since the beginning of the NATO-commanded mission, code-named Unified Protector, from Thursday, a total of 547 sorties and 218 strike sorties have been conducted.

Twenty-one naval vessels under NATO command are patrolling the Central Mediterranean to enforce arms embargo on Libya, NATO said in the report.

Four vessels were hailed on Saturday to "determine destination and cargo. One boarding was required," according to the report.