The European Union (EU) has agreed on the creation of a naval operation that is projected to enforce an arms embargo on war-torn Libya. The naval operation is set to intervene to stop arms shipments in the Mediterranean.
The E.U. hopes to have the operation, focused on the eastern part of the Libyan coast, up and running by the end of March. The seemingly hasty timeline can be attributed to the new wave of violence between warring governments in Libya. The kinks of the operation including the rules of engagement for the participating naval units are yet to be ironed out.
Military commanders will propose many of the operational details, including the number of ships and the exact geographical scope, for E.U. foreign ministers to approve at their next meeting on March 23.
Making the arms embargo work is seen as crucial to stabilizing the Libyan conflict, where the U.N.-recognized Tripoli-based Government of National Accord is under attack from the self-styled Libyan National Army forces loyal to General Khalifa Haftar, which control much of the country’s south and east.
The need for the naval operation has been prompted by the fragile truce between both sides which might fall apart if the arms embargo is not implemented. Intelligence indicated that arms embargo is being violated systematically and this is going to feed the fighters with an incredible amount of arms. Thus, the need for the operation to ensure that stability is restored in the north African nation.
