The real reason the EU can't stop human smuggling from Libya
The EU’s Operation Sophia has so far failed to stop the smuggling of people from Africa to Europe, as the problem lies in Libya's tenuous government.
The European Union is taking steps to beef up its struggling efforts against human smuggling and trafficking from Libya, but until the country is politically stable, the changes aren't likely to be sufficient.
The EU naval operation launched in September, called Operation Sophia, is designed to combat people smuggling humans from Libya and surrounding countries to European shores, mainly Italy. Its main stated aim is to "board, search, seize and divert vessels suspected of being used for human smuggling or trafficking on the high seas, in line with international law," as stated on the EU Council website.
