Africa-Press. European Union countries are facing an increasing dilemma regarding migration, as the number of migrants arriving via the Mediterranean Sea rises. According to an investigation published by a local source, Brussels has intensified its communications with the authorities affiliated with Haftar in eastern Libya, despite criticisms related to human rights records in the areas under his control.
The investigation indicates that European countries are cooperating with forces linked to the authorities in eastern Libya to limit the departure of migrant boats towards Europe, particularly towards the Greek island of Crete. This cooperation includes training, providing equipment, and assisting in the establishment of monitoring centers and radar systems to enhance the ability to detect and intercept boats.
This move comes amid a surge in the number of migrants arriving from eastern Libya. After the number of arrivals to Crete from this route was limited until 2024, it rose to about 5,000 people that year, before jumping to around 20,000 last year, according to data in the investigation.
European Cooperation with Haftar’s Authorities
The local source states that the European Union, which does not politically recognize the government in eastern Libya, has practically begun to expand its cooperation with it due to concerns about new waves of migrants. The cooperation focuses on preventing crossings from the coasts under the influence of Haftar’s forces.
The European approach, according to the investigation, includes training members of the coast guard in eastern Libya, conducting joint exercises at sea, and plans to establish a maritime coordination and rescue center in Benghazi and install a new radar station.
These steps are part of a reorientation of the European “Irini” operation, launched in 2020 to monitor the arms embargo imposed on Libya. According to the report, the European operation is increasingly engaging in migration issues and securing maritime borders.
Accusations of Cooperation with a Militia Linked to Haftar’s Son
The nature of the Libyan elements participating in the training programs has sparked widespread controversy, as the investigation indicates that some are linked to the “Tarik Ben Ziyad” militia, led by Saif al-Islam Haftar, the son of Khalifa Haftar.
Human rights organizations accuse this militia of committing serious violations, including torture, mistreatment, murder, and enforced disappearances. The local source quoted experts on Libyan affairs as saying that separating the coast guard from the forces affiliated with the Haftar family is practically difficult, given the extensive influence family members have within the security system in eastern Libya.
In contrast, the European Union denied any direct cooperation with the “Tarik Ben Ziyad” militia, emphasizing that its programs target the Libyan coast guard. The Greek Foreign Ministry also clarified that the courses hosted by the country included training on international and European law.
Migrants Between Detention and Extortion
According to the German investigation, concerns are not limited to the nature of security cooperation, as Libya has faced international criticism for the conditions of migrants held in detention centers for years, with human rights reports discussing torture, exploitation, and mistreatment.
Experts quoted by the local source believe that the Haftar family has significant influence over migration routes in eastern Libya and can affect the movement of boats towards Europe. Critics fear that the EU’s reliance on local authorities could give Haftar additional leverage in his relations with Europe.
This places Brussels in a difficult equation: limiting migration and preventing the rise of far-right parties on one hand, while avoiding cooperation with entities accused of human rights violations on the other.
This issue reflects a broader European approach that relies on cooperation with transit countries to limit migration before it reaches European territories, but it simultaneously raises legal and ethical questions about the fate of migrants who are intercepted and returned to Libya.
