(MENAFN) According to reports, the UN Security Council on Tuesday approved a resolution that prolongs — for another six months — the permission granted to member states to stop and inspect ships in international waters near Libya when there is credible suspicion that they may be breaching the global arms embargo.

The measure, drafted jointly by two member states, was adopted with 13 votes in favor, while Russia and China chose to abstain.

Before the vote, France’s representative to the UN emphasized that the resolution aligns with the Council’s continued backing of efforts to maintain peace and stability in Libya. He noted, "We know full well the arms embargo remains indispensable to try to prevent sporadic clashes, particularly in the region around Tripoli."

He also praised the EU’s Operation IRINI, saying it functions "in a professional, impartial and effective way," working closely with Libya, neighboring nations and the wider UN membership.

Russia and China, however, expressed reservations about how effective and sustainable the operation truly is.

The Council originally approved these maritime inspection measures in 2016 to reinforce compliance with the Libya arms embargo. The effort builds on a broader two-way ban imposed in 2011, aiming to limit the movement of weapons into and out of the country by intercepting suspect vessels headed to or departing from Libya.

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