Hundreds of Migrants Try to Storm Border into Spain's Enclave of Ceuta

[misskit]

MADRID —
Around 1,100 sub-Saharan African migrants tried to cross into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco on Sunday by storming a border fence, though most were eventually turned back, the Spanish government said.

Dozens of migrants made it to the top of the 6 meter barbed wire fence in the early hours of Sunday before being lifted down by cranes, footage from local TV station Faro TV showed.

Only two people were allowed into Ceuta to be taken to hospital while the rest were returned to Morocco, the Spanish government said in a statement.

Five Spanish police and 50 from Morocco were injured, the government added, after migrants used rocks and metal bars to try and break through gates to access the fence and clashed with authorities.

Spain's two enclaves in Morocco, Ceuta and Melilla, are often used as entry points into Europe for African migrants, who either climb over their border fences or try to swim along the coast.

Spain has drawn criticism from human rights groups for allowing some migrants to be immediately turned back to Morocco in such incidents. They argue that skipping the lengthier deportation procedures deprives people of the opportunity to claim asylum.

In early December more than 400 sub-Saharan African migrants managed to force their way over the Ceuta border fence.

However, Libya has become a more common departure point for African migrants, most of whom come from sub-Saharan countries and attempt the crossing to Italy by boat.

2016 was the deadliest year ever for migrants in the Mediterranean, with almost 5,000 deaths, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Separately on Sunday, Spanish police said a Moroccan woman was arrested in Ceuta last week for trying to smuggle a 19-year-old migrant from Gabon across the border with Spain curled up inside a suitcase.

Hundreds of Migrants Try to Storm Border into Spain's Enclave of Ceuta

[David48atTD]

I never knew these places existed.



Spain considered them integral parts of the Spanish state, but Morocco has disputed this point. Culturally, modern Ceuta is part of the Spanish region of Andalusia. It was attached to the province of Cádiz until 1925, the Spanish coast being only 20 km (12.5 miles) away.
Wiki

Melilla

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[wasabi]

We have the Rock of Gibraltar on Spanish soil, but it's okay because the Almighty Christian God promised us this land. Then on the opposite shore is Spanish land in Morocco. The gateway to Europe promised by European missionary's who spoke of the promised land of the missionary people living in Europe.

[Pragmatic]

No one complains when Spain builds a wall. But when Trump................... he's a racist.

[CaptainNemo]

I never knew these places existed.

A sore point, when Spaniards start ranting about Gibraltar, and then spend twice as long trying to explain how Ceuta and Melilla are "different".

[david44]

Ceuta is a Five star unmitigated shithole,I'd sooner live in garbage can in Pattaya with the DB leftover, never been to Melilla but heard i's similar with better kif, there's also the goat Island to east of Mellila near Algerian border uninhabited but defended at huge cost by Spain