Aerosols affect the Earth's radiation budget directly by scattering incident solar radiation. Due to the variability in the chemical composition, shape and size distribution of aerosols, these direct aerosol effects are highly uncertain. These uncertainties propagate into modeling the direct aerosol radiative effects. In order to reduce these uncertainties aerosol properties need to be investigated using different measurement techniques. One such ongoing effort is from the world-wide network of AERONET stations. Several field campaigns have also aimed at such measurements. Recently, during June 2007, one such field campaign (GERBILS) was conducted over North Africa and aircraft measurements of physical, chemical and optical properties of mineral dust were made. Using information of aerosol properties from both AERONET observations and the GERBILS field campaign over North African region in radiative transfer model, we calculate the direct radiative effect of aerosols during June 2007. Both TOA and surface DRE will be presented. A comparison b/w modeled and observed TOA DRE will be discussed.