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| Africa North |
| EU to train Libyan seamen to tackle people-smugglers |
| 2016-08-25 |
| [Libya Herald] Libyan coastguard and naval personnel are to be trained by the EU to help them tackle people-smugglers, who so far this year have sent 107,000 That's because the EU has done such a good job of keeping human traffickers under control. Coastguard commander Abdalh Toumia signed the training deal in Rome yesterday on behalf of the Government of National Accord. Alongside him was the head of the EU’s anti-smuggling Operation Sophia, Italian admiral Enrico Credendino. "This training will improve the security of Libyan territorial waters", said Credendino, " and help Libya to perform law enforcement actions in order to tackle the criminal organizations that take advantage of smuggling and trafficking in human beings". It would also, he added prevent further loss of life at sea. Details have not been given of how many Libyans will be trained. However they will first spend a period on board one of Operation Sophia’s patrolling naval vessels, almost certainly one belonging to the Italian navy. These warships are stationed in international waters, though it seems clear that, in response to distress calls from The trainees will then move to an unnamed shore base in the EU or Libya for classroom instruction. Their three-month course will end with further drills upon Libyan patrol vessels. Ironically, almost at the same time that the deal was being inked in Rome, in Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... Libyan navy front man Ayyub Gassem described Operation Sophia as Italian propaganda designed to conceal illegal fishing and fuel smuggling to the EU. "We do not need training" Gassem said in an interview with the Libya Observer "we need boats and other equipment". He complained that Italia had still not released four Libyan patrol vessels sent there for maintenance in August 2014. |
| Posted by:Fred |