Nearly 200 Migrants Illegally Cross Moroccan Border Into Spanish Enclave

Nearly 200 Migrants Illegally Cross Moroccan Border Into Spanish Enclave


EUROPE13:39 07.08.2017


Almost 200 migrants illegally crossed a Moroccan border checkpoint into Ceuta, a Spanish enclave on the northern coast of Africa, on Monday, the Spanish Red Cross said

MADRID (Sputnik) – A group of 186 migrants ran through the Tarahal checkpoint early in the morning, with police being unable to stop them, the Spanish Red Cross said.While the police were aware of the crossing attempt, the officers did not expect the migrants to storm the border checkpoint, as they usually try to scale fences on the Spanish-Moroccan border.

The organization said four migrants in need of medical assistance were taken to hospital, while others headed to an immigration detention center located in three kilometers (about two miles) from the checkpoint.

The last border crossing in Ceuta by migrants took place on August 1, when 73 people entered the Spanish territory.

Nearly 200 Migrants Illegally Cross Moroccan Border Into ...

186 migrants storm pedestrian border post to enter Spain, Red Cross says

Attempts to cross by force at pedestrian border posts are unusual as they are normally heavily policed.


MADRID—The Spanish Red Cross says it has tended to 186 migrants who stormed a pedestrian border post to enter Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco.

Attempts to cross by force at pedestrian border posts are unusual as they are normally heavily policed. The thousands of sub-Saharan African migrants living illegally in Morocco normally try to scale the border fences surrounding Ceuta and Melilla, Spain’s other North African enclave, in their bid to enter Europe.

Ceuta’s Red Cross tweeted that four migrants were taken to a city hospital for injuries after the crossing early Monday.

Spain’s Europa Press news agency said one police officer was injured.

Comment from the Interior Ministry in Ceuta was not immediately available.

On entering, the migrants head for temporary migrant accommodation centres. They are eventually repatriated or let go.

186 migrants storm pedestrian border post to enter Spain, Red Cross says