Over 200 African men cross from Morocco into Spain's Melilla
Authorities in Spain’s autonomous city of Melilla say that 238 African men have made it to the North African Spanish enclave after climbing over fences separating it from Morocco
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Authorities in Spain s autonomous city of Melilla said Thursday that 238 African men have made it into the North African Spanish enclave after climbing over fences separating it from Morocco
Sub-Saharan migrants fleeing poverty or violence regularly attempt to force their way over the 12-kilometer-long (7.4-miles) border in Melilla and in Spain's other enclave in the northern African coast, Ceuta as a stepping stone to reach the European continent. The migrants often attempt to cross in large groups to surprise police agents on both sides of the fences.
In one of the largest attempts in recent months, more than 300 Sub-Saharan men tried to cross in the early hours of Thursday, according to a statement from the Spanish government's delegation in Melilla, a city of 84,000 residents.
It said the migrants were carrying hooks to climb the fences and that three Spanish Civil Guard officers were slightly injured when they tried to stop the migrants.
The 238 who made it in were taken to a migrant processing center where they need to self-isolate to prevent the possible spread of the coronavirus.
They usually remain there until authorities can figure out if they can be returned to their countries or qualify for staying in Spain.
Migrant pressure on the Melilla border has increased recently, with at least five attempts to cross since May, after thousands of people - including hundreds of unaccompanied children - forced their way into Ceuta, some 400 kilometers (250 miles) to the west.
That sparked a diplomatic row between Spain and Morocco over the future of Western Sahara a territory annexed by Rabat in the 1970s.
___
Follow AP’s global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration