EU extends mandate for migrant-rescue operation in Mediterranean for 6 months
According to the journalism company, the European Union's Political and Security Committee extended the operation's mandate on its current terms of using only air assets, but sources claim that the previous terms might be reinstated before the current mandate expires, Sputnik reports.
The operation to combat people smuggling and prevent migrants from drowning while attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean from North Africa was launched in 2015 with a headquarters in Rome. Last year, Italy closed its ports to migrant rescue ships, saying that other EU countries refuse to take in migrants whose first point of entry in Italy.
Note that, earlier in March, Italy's former Interior Minister, Matteo Salvini, claimed that operation Sophia had brought tens of thousands of migrants to Italy and eventually the operation was extended on the condition that rescue ships would be replaced with aircraft.
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