German navy to take part in efforts to stop flow of weapons into Libya

The German government has decided to expand the role of the German navy in the Mediterranean Sea to include efforts to stop arms heading to Daesh militants in Libya.

Media sources quoted German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday as saying that Germany had an interest in creating “more order” along the border to Europe.

“It’s important that the character of the mandate is being expanded to focus more on the root causes of the refugee streams,” she said.

Government sources said the German parliament is expected to approve the government’s decision before the start of the parliamentary summer recess in late June, while the German army said that about 950 soldiers have helped save an estimated 15,000 people from the sea since May 2015.

The announcement comes days after the European Union gave its naval force authority to search suspicious vessels as part of its Operation Sophia mission.