BRUSSELS (Sputnik) – The EU Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Med operation foresees the seizure of ships trafficking illegal immigrants from North Africa across the Mediterranean to Europe as well as the prosecution of the ships’ captains.
The operation has been launched without UN approval.
In May, EU Foreign Service Chief Federica Mogherini turned to the UN for a mandate on the operations.
Russia, which has UN Security Council veto power, has opposed the move.
The European Union was forced to address the situation in the Mediterranean as record numbers of refugees attempted to cross the sea in 2015.
According to UN figures, some 60,000 asylum seekers have attempted the journey in a bid to flee armed conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa since the beginning of the year. Nearly 2,000 have drowned at the sea while risking the crossing so far in 2015, according to the UN.
