UK considers deploying military teams in Libya

British defense officials said they are considering basing military trainers in Libya and sending another warship to the Mediterranean, claiming they decided to proceed with the deployment after the EU agreed to boost an anti-people smuggling operation and enforce a UN arms embargo.

The EU said this week it would extend Operation Sophia's mandate by one year to July 2017, and improve its capacity as per a UN resolution, as the EU tries to control the flow of weapons into Libya and refugees heading to Europe from its shores, Middle East Eye reported.

Sophia currently comprises five vessels and three helicopters charged with intercepting smugglers' boats and destroying them in international waters.

It comes after the British Prime Minister David Cameron said last month that the UK would "take an active leadership role in that process".

A spokesman for Britain's Ministry of Defense told Middle East Eye the UK was considering stationing military personal in Libyan ports to train the Libyan coastguard, as well as basing another Royal Navy warship off its coast.

Defense officials were also considering basing another Royal Navy warship in the Mediterranean to intercept weapons shipments to groups such as the Daesh, and others which oppose the new unity government in Tripoli.

EA