The Italian government on Sunday welcomed Libya’s decision to bar foreign vessels from a stretch of water off its coast, as two more international charities halted search and rescue operations in the area.

A Libyan human rights organisation has accused the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by General Khalifa Haftar and its militia supporters in Benghazi, responsible for acts that amount to “crimes against humanity”.

Derna Local Council (DLC) has issued a distress call to local and international organizations to intervene and lift the siege imposed by Dignity Operation militia groups on the city.

Chinese manufacturers are advertising inflatable dinghies as “high-quality refugee boats” in an attempt to market them to people-smugglers in the Mediterranean, despite the EU asking China to clamp down on the practice.

 In meetings with Libyan officials last week, France set out its plan for resolving the Libya crisis without providing a role for the African Union (AU).

On Wednesday, the European Union announced a new program worth 46 million Euros ($ 53.3 million) which aims to strengthen the integrated capabilities of the Libyan authorities regarding illegal immigration management and border administration.

Human Rights Watch, the rights advocacy group, has given warning that Italy’s naval mission to prevent refugees and migrants from setting sail from Libya for Europe could see Italy commit human rights abuses.

An Italian warship has arrived in Abu Sitta Naval Base in Tripoli with a number of experts from Italy aboard in a work visit that will last for five days, Italian Aki news agency reported the spokesman of the Libyan Navy Force, Ayoub Qassim as saying.

On May 25, a Libyan coastguard unit opened fire on Europe-bound boats full of refugees while rescue attempts were under way. Two Libyan coastguards were also accused of looting the boats, taking phones, money, and other belongings from the passengers. The incident raised serious concern over the basic rights of …

Human Rights Solidarity (HRS) called on Libyan authorities and the society to assume responsibility toward the blatant violations against illegal immigrants in the country.