Rome gives Libya 12 boats to 'fight human trafficking' at sea

The Italian government will give Libya 12 boats to help them "fight human trafficking" and curb the flow of migrants into Europe, Rome announced late Monday. The announcement comes as several EU nations are pressuring Libya to take charge of migrant rescues in the Mediterranean, with the bloc debating how to handle the influx of migrants to the continent.
The measure, adopted during a cabinet meeting, "aims to strengthen the operational capacity of the Libyan coastguard" to ensure the "proper management" of the migrant situation in the Mediterranean, a government statement said. The measure "prioritises the need to fight human trafficking, to protect human life at sea and to curb migratory pressure," the statement added.