NATO Ready to Help EU to Destroy Human Traffickers’ Boats in Mediterranean

NATO is ready to assist the EU mission to destroy the boats of migrant smugglers in the Mediterranean if such an appeal is made, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday.

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) — The mission is expected to involve military operations in Libyan territorial waters to destroy boats used by human traffickers to bring migrants from the North African country to Europe.

"[NATO is] ready to help if there is a request," Stoltenberg told reporters ahead of a meeting of EU foreign and defense ministers.

NATO welcomes the European Union's desire to launch an operation to combat criminal networks involved in smuggling undocumented migrants from Africa to Europe, he added.