EU leaders gathering in Brussels on Thursday will consider launching a military operation against human traffickers in Libya, held responsible for deaths of hundreds of migrants this year in the Mediterranean, a draft statement showed.

In the draft statement seen by AFP on Wednesday, leaders will commit to "undertake systematic efforts to identify, capture and destroy vessels before they are used by traffickers."

The EU's top diplomat Federica Mogherini "is invited to immediately begin preparations for a possible security and defence policy operation to this effect, in accordance with international law," the draft added.