Leaked documents obtained by POLITICO show that EU Officials were aware that Operation Sophia, a military operation in the Mediterranean, which primary mission was to disrupt smuggler networks but also rescued some 49,000 people, made crossings more dangerous. The report reveals that European leaders knew that its policies would push migrants into using rubber dinghies and that the Libyan coast guard, which the EU funds, committed serious human rights abuses. EU officials also knew that many Libyan coast guard officers used to be in militias and had strong relationships with smugglers.