At least 18 migrants were killed when up to 2,000 people ran to the border fence between Morocco and the Spanish North African exclave of Melilla. In addition, another 63 migrants and about 140 Moroccan police officers were injured. The Moroccan Ministry of the Interior accused the migrants of using violence. They come from sub-Saharan Africa.
As the Spanish newspapers “El País” and “La Vanguardia” reported late Friday night, 133 migrants managed to climb the two parallel six-meter fences and enter Spanish territory.
Photos showed the mostly young men running through the streets of Melilla, beaming with joy, singing and dancing. They have been taken to an emergency center.
Morocco became independent from France and Spain in 1956. Yet Spain still has two exclaves there: Melilla and Ceuta, 250 kilometers further west on the Strait of Gibraltar. Both are claimed by Rabat.
Near the two areas, tens of thousands of Africans, mostly from sub-Saharan countries, are often waiting for a chance to enter the EU. Usually several hundred people try to surprise the border officials and cross the border.
The border fences around Melilla are fitted with barbed wire. They are also equipped with video cameras and surveillance platforms. Images in the Spanish media on Friday showed images of migrants lying exhausted on the footpath, some with bleeding hands and torn clothes. The Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in Morocco are regular destinations for people hoping for a better life in Europe.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
