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On March 31st, the EU launched its CSDP (Common Security and Defence Policy) military operation in the Mediterranean, called Operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, and its aim is to enforce the UN embargo on weapons deliveries to Libya.
“Only political solutions and the full respect of the UN arms embargo will bring a solution to the Libyan crisis. But diplomacy cannot succeed unless it is backed by action. This operation will be essential and a clear contribution to promoting peace in our immediate neighbourhood through a permanent ceasefire,” said Josep Borrell, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and President of the Council.
There is also a hype video for the operation:
The core task is, as mentioned above, to implement the UN arms embargo through the use of aerial, satellite and maritime assets. In particular the mission will be able to carry out inspections of vessels on the high seas off the coast of Libya suspected to be carrying arms or related material to and from Libya in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2292 (2016).
Its secondary tasks are the following:
- monitor and gather information on illicit exports from Libya of petroleum, crude oil and refined petroleum products
- contribute to the capacity building and training of the Libyan Coast Guard and Navy in law enforcement tasks at sea
- contribute to the disruption of the business model of human smuggling and trafficking networks through information gathering and patrolling by planes
IRINI will be led by Rear Admiral Fabio Agostini as EU Operation Commander, and its headquarters will be located in Rome, Italy.
It is planned for it to last one year, through to March 31st, 2021.
Turkish state outlet Anadolu Agency reported that there are critics of the operation.
“The EU has also been criticized for only patrolling the Mediterranean to prevent shipments of arms to Libya, while Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar, continued to receive arms through Libya’s land border with Egypt, according to various reports.”
“IRINI is part of the solution, not the solution itself,” Borrell replied to journalists’ questions.
Notably, Turkey is supplying the Government of National Accord, the militants hired by it, the Turkish Armed Forces, as well as various fighters it has imported into Libya primarily through sea.
Thus, it would be unfair if the EU would stop the path for weapons supplies from Turkey for the GNA, but no impede supplies for Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) reportedly coming from Egypt and the UAE, among others.
Meanwhile, on the ground in Libya, the LNA and GNA are clashing around Tripoli.
A Turkish navy frigate fired upon a LNA unmanned aerial vehicle off the coast of Sabratha, near Tripoli.
#Libya– #Turkey Navy frigate sailing off coast of #Sabratha (55 km west of #Tripoli) reportedly fired (at least one) RIM-66E-05 SAM, supposedly against an #LNA UAV, which missed and landed near al-Ajaylat, just southwest of Sabratha pic.twitter.com/KAfvfUl3Jd
— Oded Berkowitz (@Oded121351) April 1, 2020
The GNA targeted LNA vehicles with UAVs.
#UMH hava kuvvetleri tarafından vurulan terör araçları#Libya. pic.twitter.com/XiAZ84DBpf
— Libya Febrayer TV (@TvFebruary) April 1, 2020
On April 1st, the LNA began pushing back, shelling the GNA headquarters near Husain cemetery in southern Tripoli.
الله أكبر ولله الحمد
خاص / سماع أصوات سيارات الإسعاف وبكثرة بعدما قامت مدفعية قواتكم المسلحة بإستهداف مقر لشركة نفط بداخله مرتزقة سوريين وتحديداً بجوار مقبرة سي حسين
وأعمدة الدخان لازالت تتصاعد حتى #الآن من المقر #طرابلس #ليبيا pic.twitter.com/R9d6AGXOzP
— سالم الشرقاوي (@agly1988) April 1, 2020
LNA and GNA had heavy clashes, as Haftar’s forces reportedly advanced on Aziziyah in southern Tripoli.
اشتباكات قوية وتقدم القوات المسلحة في منطقة العزيزية بتجاه مثلث ولاد تليس ورشفانة ..
— غصة الخوارج (@LiBya_73) April 1, 2020
On April 2nd, the GNA reportedly targeted a LNA supply shipment south of Bani Walid.
عاجل | بركان الغضب: سلاح الجو استهدف 3 شحنات لحفتر جنوب بني وليد محملة بالذخائر وقذائف المدفعية وصواريخ الجراد pic.twitter.com/YwEEc7jVgT
— ليبيا بانوراما (@lpc_ly) April 2, 2020
عاجل | بركان الغضب: سلاح الجو استهدف 3 شحنات لحفتر جنوب بني وليد محملة بالذخائر وقذائف المدفعية وصواريخ الجراد pic.twitter.com/YwEEc7jVgT
— ليبيا بانوراما (@lpc_ly) April 2, 2020
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