Libyan Coast Guard
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = Libyan Coast Guard
| image = Libyan Coast Guard Racing Stripe.svg
| caption = Emblem of the Libyan Coast Guard
| dates = 1970–present
| country = {{flag|Libya}}
| allegiance =
| branch = {{Navy|Libya}}
| type = Coast guard
| command_structure =
| garrison = Tripoli
| garrison_label =
| nickname =
| motto =
| patron =
| colors =
| colors_label =
| march =
| mascot =
| equipment =
| equipment_label =
| battles =
| anniversaries =
| decorations =
| battle_honours =
| commander1 = Commodore Abdallah Toumia
| commander1_label =
| commander2 = Brig. Ayoub Qassim
| commander2_label = Spokesman
| commander3 =
| commander3_label =
| notable_commanders =
| identification_symbol = 200px
| identification_symbol_label = Seal of Libyan Coast Guard
| identification_symbol_2 = 200px
| identification_symbol_2_label = Naval ensign
| identification_symbol_3 = 200px
| identification_symbol_3_label = Flag of the Libyan Navy
| identification_symbol_4 =
| identification_symbol_4_label =
| identification_symbol_5 = 200px
| identification_symbol_5_label = Libyan Coast Guard Racing Stripe
| aircraft_attack =
| aircraft_bomber =
| aircraft_electronic =
| aircraft_fighter =
| aircraft_helicopter =
| aircraft_interceptor =
| aircraft_patrol =
| aircraft_recon =
| aircraft_trainer =
| aircraft_transport =
}}
The Libyan Coast Guard is the coast guard of Libya. Organizationally part of the Libyan Navy, it operates as a proxy force of the European Union (EU) in order to prevent migrants from reaching the EU's borders.{{Cite news|first=Ian|last=Urbina|title=Europe's border agency under fire for aiding Libya's brutal migrant detentions|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/frontex-europes-border-agency-fire-aiding-libyas-brutal-migrant-detent-rcna6778|newspaper=NBC News|date=21 November 2021|access-date=13 February 2022|archive-date=13 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220213215354/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/frontex-europes-border-agency-fire-aiding-libyas-brutal-migrant-detent-rcna6778|url-status=live}}{{Cite journal |last1=Panebianco |first1=Stefania |title=The EU and migration in the Mediterranean: EU borders' control by proxy |journal=Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies |date=2020 |volume=48 |issue=6 |pages=1398–1416 |doi=10.1080/1369183X.2020.1851468|s2cid=234686316 }}{{Cite web|first1=Charles|last1=Heller|first2=Lorenzo|last2=Pezzani|title=Sea Watch vs the Libyan Coast Guard|url=https://forensic-architecture.org/investigation/seawatch-vs-the-libyan-coastguard|website=Forensic Architecture|date=2019|access-date=15 February 2022|archive-date=15 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215134813/https://forensic-architecture.org/investigation/seawatch-vs-the-libyan-coastguard|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|first1=Daniel|last1=Howden|first2=Apostolis|last2=Fotiadis|first3=Zach|last3=Campbell|title=Revealed: the great European refugee scandal|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/12/revealed-the-great-european-refugee-scandal|newspaper=The Guardian|date=12 March 2020|access-date=13 February 2022|archive-date=15 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215134811/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/12/revealed-the-great-european-refugee-scandal|url-status=live}} As of 2015, the Libyan Coast Guard consists of over 1,000 personnel. Since 2015, it has received $455 million in funding from the EU.{{Cite web|first1=Omer|last1=Karasapan|title=Libya's migrants and crimes against humanity|url=https://www.brookings.edu/blog/future-development/2021/11/02/libyas-migrants-and-crimes-against-humanity/|website=Brookings Institution|date=2 November 2021|access-date=24 February 2023|archive-date=29 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129172759/https://www.brookings.edu/blog/future-development/2021/11/02/libyas-migrants-and-crimes-against-humanity/|url-status=live}} The Libyan Coast Guard is involved in human trafficking, enslavement, torture, and other human rights violations.{{Cite journal |last1=Kalpouzos |first1=Ioannis |title=International Criminal Law and the Violence against Migrants |journal=German Law Journal |date=2020 |volume=21 |issue=3 |pages=571–597 |doi=10.1017/glj.2020.24 |s2cid=216289557 |language=en |issn=2071-8322|doi-access=free}}
History
The foundation of the Libyan Coast Guard dates back to 1970 when the previously separate customs and harbor police were joined in a single command within the Libyan Navy and under the Ministry of Defense. In 2006–2008, the Coast Guard fleet was renewed and equipped with 'stealth' {{convert|30|kn|lk=in|adj=on}} cruising speed PV30-LS patrol boats designed and produced by the Croatian company Adria-Mar.{{cite web |last1=Moskaljov |first1=Vanja |title=Adria-Mar modernizira libijske brodove za deset milijuna dolara |url=https://www.vecernji.hr/biznis/adria-mar-modernizira-libijske-brodove-za-deset-milijuna-dolara-919445 |website=Večernji list |access-date=20 September 2023}} In 2017, the coast guard were criticised for failing to respond to ten vessels in distress.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-16|title='It's a day off': wiretaps show Mediterranean migrants were left to die|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/16/wiretaps-migrant-boats-italy-libya-coastguard-mediterranean|access-date=2021-11-14|website=the Guardian|language=en|archive-date=2021-11-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211114004302/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/16/wiretaps-migrant-boats-italy-libya-coastguard-mediterranean|url-status=live}}
During the 2015 European migrant crisis, the Libyan Coast Guard intercepted refugee and migrant boats travelling across the Mediterranean Sea, per a funding agreement reached with Frontex, the European border agency. The interceptions have been criticised as "worsening the crisis" and in November 2021 were reported to result in 27,500 people being returned to detention centres.{{Cite web|date=2021-11-02|title=How migrants and asylum seekers in Libya lost faith in foreign aid|url=https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/opinion/first-person/2021/11/2/how-migrants-asylum-seekers-Libya-lost-faith-in-foreign-aid|access-date=2021-11-14|website=The New Humanitarian|language=en|archive-date=2021-11-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211114003412/https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/opinion/first-person/2021/11/2/how-migrants-asylum-seekers-Libya-lost-faith-in-foreign-aid|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|date=2021-10-24|title=Pope: Don't send migrants back to Libya and 'inhumane' camps|url=https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-middle-east-religion-europe-mediterranean-sea-b140b99f28c238596a294f0614ffe080|access-date=2021-11-14|website=AP NEWS|language=en|archive-date=2021-11-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211114003412/https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-middle-east-religion-europe-mediterranean-sea-b140b99f28c238596a294f0614ffe080|url-status=live}}
In May 2021, Salvatore Quinci, the mayor of Mazaro del Vallo, reported the second recent incident where fishermen were shot at by the coast guard, the later incident non fatality injuring one man.{{Cite web|last=Rome|first=AFP in|date=2021-05-06|title=Italian fisher wounded after Libyan coastguard reportedly shot at boat|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/06/italy-fisherman-wounded-libyan-coastguard-shot-boat|access-date=2021-11-14|website=the Guardian|language=en|archive-date=2021-11-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211114004020/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/06/italy-fisherman-wounded-libyan-coastguard-shot-boat|url-status=live}} In July 2021, the Libyan Coast Guard was criticised for chasing and then shooting at a migrant boat.{{Cite web|title=Caught on camera: Libyan coastguard shoots at migrant boat|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/1/caught-on-camera-libyan-coast-guard-shoots-at-migrant-boat|access-date=2021-11-14|website=www.aljazeera.com|language=en|archive-date=2021-11-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211114003411/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/1/caught-on-camera-libyan-coast-guard-shoots-at-migrant-boat|url-status=live}} Later in July 2021, a former senior Libyan police officer accused the coast guard of robbing people, and of being people smugglers.{{Cite web|title=[On board with SOS Méditerranée] Libyan police lieutenant: 'Coast guard are smugglers'|url=https://euobserver.com/migration/152337|access-date=2021-11-14|website=EUobserver|date=5 July 2021|language=en|archive-date=2021-11-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211114003711/https://euobserver.com/migration/152337|url-status=live}} In November 2021, the coast guard threatened the German humanitarian vessel Sea Watch 4.{{Cite web|date=2021-11-20|title=NGO: Libyan Coast Guard threatens German relief ship|url=https://en.218tv.net/2021/11/20/ngo-libyan-coast-guard-threatens-german-relief-ship/|access-date=2021-11-21|website=218 News|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-11-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120220801/https://en.218tv.net/2021/11/20/ngo-libyan-coast-guard-threatens-german-relief-ship/|url-status=live}}
Criticism of EU funding
The EU policy of funding the Libyan Coast Guard has been criticised on the grounds that intercepted migrants face mistreatment. Reports of human rights abuses caused the German government to cease training the Libyan coast guard in 2023, yet EU funding continues.{{Cite news |last=Jordans |first=Frank |date=2023-03-30 |title=Germany won’t train Libyan coast guard due to alleged abuse |url=https://apnews.com/article/europe-middle-east-germany-migration-european-union-ed724be5068d95e9da907754c7e18c4c |access-date=2024-03-05 |work=Associated Press}}
The United Nations high commissioner for human rights Zeid bin Ra'ad criticised the EU for funding the Libyan coast, calling the policy inhumane. He pointed to the conditions in Libyan Government refugee camps, in which migrants are held after interception. Visits by UN staff had shown these to be overcrowded and lacking basic necessities, refugees held at the camps reported sexual violence being committed by guards.{{Cite news |date=Nov 14, 2017 |title=EU’s policy of helping Libya intercept migrants is ‘inhuman’, says UN |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/14/eu-libya-coastguard-detention-centres-migration-mediterranean-un-zeid-raad-al-hussein |access-date=Mar 5, 2024 |work=The Guardian}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.libyaobserver.ly/tag/libyan-coast-guard Libyan Coast Guard page on the Libya Observer]
- [https://www.africaintelligence.com/north-africa/2024/07/25/tripoli-looks-to-officialise-interception-of-migrants-in-tunisian-waters,110271924-gra Tripoli looks to officialise interception of migrants in Tunisian waters], Africa Intelligence, 25 July 2024 (requires free registration)
{{Military of Libya}}
{{Coast guards}}