The attackers were trying to recoup a boat that had been emptied by the rescuers.

Kalashnikov-wielding men in a speedboat from Libya, fired on the Italian coastguard taking more than 2 000 mostly young African men off a dozen boats.

Their operation brought in four coastguard ships, two tugboats, a navy vessel and a plane.

More than 300 people desperately trying to gain access to Italy drowned in stormy seas last week.

Three days ago, another 600 migrants were rescued about 80km off Libya.

Cost considerations have forced Italy to abandon its rescue operation and join an EU exercise concentrating more on border protection.

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