23 migrants dead at Morocco-Spain border
Spain’s enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta in North Africa have long been a flashpoint for people seeking to enter the European Union from Africa, resulting in tensions between Morocco, Algeria and Spain.
Dozens of migrants died trying to cross from Morocco into Spain over the weekend. The tragedy is part of a wider issue involving both countries, people from sub-Saharan Africa and Algeria.
What happened: On Saturday, thousands of people — most of them from sub-Saharan Africa — attempted to illegally cross from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Melilla. The territory borders Morocco and is located on the African continent — not continental Europe like most of Spain. At least 23 migrants died, while an additional 20 plus two security officers remain in the hospital. More than 500 of the migrants successfully entered Melilla, according to Agence France-Presse.
A video obtained by the Spanish news outlet ABC showed the group climbing a metal fence when Moroccan security forces arrived and fired what appeared to be smoke grenades at the migrants. Part of the fence then collapsed, and many of the migrants fell to the ground.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez blamed traffickers for the incident and defended the response of Spanish and Moroccan security forces. He told The Associated Press today that some of the migrants attacked the fence with axes and hooks.
