24 February 2020
Operation Sophia is to be halted and replaced by a new military mission in the Mediterranean that will focus on enforcing the UN arms embargo on Libya.
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"The EU has agreed to deploy warships to stop the flow of weapons into Libya, and to wound down the military mission that rescues migrants and refugees from drowning in the Mediterranean.
Josep Borrell, the EU’s chief diplomat, said the new operation with naval ships, planes and satellites will enforce the United Nations arms embargo on Libya.
Countering critcis, especially Italy and Austria, that the operation could turn into a rescue mission, Borrell promised the ships would be withdrawn if they became “a pull factor” that encouraged people to attempt the risky crossing from Libya to Europe."
EU stops Operation Sophia and sends warships to stop Libya weapons trafficking (Malta Today, link)
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