Weapons smuggling

UN Greenlights EU Operation Against Libya Arms Smuggling

In a bid to bolster the Libyan government and stop the spread of weapons into the hands of terrorists and militias there, the U.N. Security Council adopted a measure Tuesday authorizing a European Union naval force to stop and search ships, and seize illegal arms headed to or from Libya.

The measure would expand the work of the EU-run Operation Sophia, which for the past year has been trying to disrupt migrant smuggling from Libya in the Mediterranean.

"This text marks a turning point, a potential game changer for Libya, because it addresses an urgent need in terms of security," said French Ambassador François Delattre, who co-sponsored the draft. "We all know the violations of the arms embargo only serve to feed the instability of this country and benefit Daesh, our common enemy, and other terrorist groups," he added, using an Arabic acronym for the self-styled Islamic State.