Sources told Kathimerini that the Greek Navy will continue to operate in the Libyan Sea to monitor the Greek maritime zones.
Although the deployment initially responded to a surge in migrant boats departing from Tobruk toward Crete and Gavdos, Athens considers the continued naval presence essential, especially as Ankara and Libya dispute Greek maritime zones south of Crete.
On Wednesday, Greece formally rejected Libya’s maritime claims in a letter to the United Nations secretary-general and in a diplomatic note to the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity.
In addition to asserting sovereignty, Greek naval units are also tasked with monitoring the growing presence of Russian Navy operating off North Africa and the Sahel region, following the evacuation of Russia’s naval base in Tartus, Syria.