The commander of the European Union’s (EU) Operation IRINI, Fabio Agostini, has confirmed to Italian newspaper, Corriere della Sera, that Libyan coastguards who were trained by the EU have not committed human rights violations against illegal immigrants.

Agostini said that the coastguards didn't shoot anyone and that most of their EU training was based on respecting human rights and renouncing violence, according to the report cited by Aki news agency.

He also reiterated that different forces and coastguards operate off Libya's coast and there always could be a mixing of those forces with the Libyan coastguards of Tripoli government, adding that those other forces cannot be trusted.

"We are supported by 24 countries in Europe that have given us four ships, including the Italian disembarkation one and also a thousand volunteers, three aircraft and four choppers. Our takes are dictated by the United Nations as per the arms embargo of the Security Council, yet we must respect the naval rules." Agostini said.

"Operation IRINI volunteers cannot board a suspected vessel for inspection if the country whose flag the vessel holds prohibits us from doing so, if we did that anyway, we would be committing violations." He added.