EU defense chiefs discuss progress of Mediterranean operation

European chiefs of defense discussed the progress of EU naval operation against human smuggling in the Mediterranean, EUNAVFOR MED - Operation Sophia, at an EU military committee meeting Tuesday.

Operation Sophia Commander Rear Admiral Enrico Credendino informed the meeting that, since the operation had moved to phase two in October, 2015, it had contributed to the arrest and transfer of 69 suspected smugglers and traffickers to the Italian authorities.

According to results issued after the meeting, the operation also neutralized 114 vessels and helped save close to 14,000 lives.

As part of the EU approach to stop human smugglers in the Mediterranean, the European Union launched a military operation in the Southern Central Mediterranean (EUNAVFOR MED) in June of last year.

In its first phase, EUNAVFOR MED - Operation Sophia patrolled the high seas gathering information, and detecting and monitoring the smuggling networks.

During the second phase, it identified, captured and disposed of vessels used or suspected of being used by migrant smugglers or traffickers.

The EU member state defense chiefs talked about EU security and defense matters at the meeting, including the EU global strategy on foreign and security policy, naval operations, training and advisory missions, the Ukraine crisis, and cooperation with NATO.

Source: XINHUA