(MENAFN- QNA) EU foreign ministers are due Monday to launch a military mission in the Mediterranean aimed at cracking down on migrant smuggling networks, after the operation was endorsed by member states, according to EU sources.
The European Union is trying to curb the loss of life at sea amid an unprecedented influx of migrants attempting to reach the bloc's southern shores by paying smugglers to place them on rickety, overcrowded vessels.
On Friday, representatives from the EU member states gave their go-ahead to a 700-page operational plan for the three-stage mission, an EU source said on condition of anonymity,reported German Press Agency reported.
The first phase - maritime and airborne surveillance activities to collect information on smugglers' activities - can begin within a week of the formal launch, according to a senior EU official.
"Several" EU member states have so far pledged to take part in the operation, which will require ships, aircraft and drones, the official said, without going into detail. Germany is expected to contribute two vessels, according to military sources.
Phases two and three of the operation - aimed at disrupting the business model of smugglers by intercepting boats used to transport migrants - are on hold while the EU seeks the backing of Libyan authorities and a United Nations Security Council mandate.
These activities - which could include seizing or even destroying vessels and equipment - could be carried out on high seas, in Libyan waters or onshore, depending on what kind of mandate is granted.
Libya, which is beset by a power struggle between two rival governments, has been the main staging post for smugglers sending migrants to sea. Internationally brokered efforts are underway to encourage the formation of a government of national unity.
The military mission will be expected to rescue any migrants in distress encountered at sea, in line with international laws, while airborne surveillance on migrant boats will be passed on to search and rescue services, according to sources.
Under the operational plan, any migrants rescued by military crews will likely be taken to Greece and Italy, an EU diplomat said on condition of anonymity.
The planned operation is part of a broader EU approach to migration, which also includes beefed-up naval patrols to rescue people found at sea and proposals to directly resettle migrants from wartorn countries such as Syria.
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