5,000 migrants crossed the border into the Spanish enclave – VG

Spanish authorities say this until Tuesday evening, writes NTB.

According to the Spanish newspaper Country Migrants began crossing the border from the city of Fnideq in Morocco early Monday morning. On Tuesday night, more than 5,000 people managed to enter the Spanish enclave, including about 1,500 minors.

Also read: The New Road to Europe: Willing to Die to Reach the Goal

Spanish authorities, who say the incident is unparalleled, sent additional reinforcements on Monday to Ceuta, consisting of riot police and others.

The nearby enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla have long been a destination for migrants hoping to move to Europe in search of a better life. guardian. Every year, hundreds of people risk their lives trying to jump over fences, hide in cars or swim across borders, according to the Associated Press.

The enclaves were described as being highly guarded. He writes that the eight-kilometer-long Ceuta border with Morocco is protected by a double fencing ten meters high AP.

Click to activate the map

The strict border restrictions due to the Coronavirus have resulted in many Moroccans who work in the enclaves on a daily basis, or who trade across borders, have lost their jobs, AP writes.

According to the Spanish authorities, inflatable boats were used on Monday to cross the border. Others swam across the pier that stretched several meters into the Mediterranean Sea. At least one person must have drowned in the experiences, Writes for the AP News Agency.

The last time something similar happened was in April. Then more than 100 young men swam to Spain in one day. Most of them were returned to Morocco within 48 hours.

Monday’s incident comes at a time of heightened tensions between Spain and Morocco, after Spanish authorities in April allowed Brahim Ghali – the leader working for independence in Western Sahara – to enter Spain to receive treatment for COVID-19.

Morocco criticized the decision, warning that the accident would have consequences. The Spanish authorities that allowed Ghali to enter the country with a false identity, They responded that their decision was made on humanitarian grounds.

Spain occupied Western Sahara until 1975, when Morocco seized most of the land, BBC writes.

Muhammad bin Issa, head of the Northern Observatory for Human Rights, told The Associated Press that they had information indicating that Monday’s events were linked to diplomatic riots between the two countries.

The information available to us is that the Moroccan authorities have reduced the usually strong military presence along the coast, which is what happens after the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared that Spain had received Ibrahim Ghali.

Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya According to Reuters She doesn’t know that.

– I cannot speak on behalf of Morocco, but they told us, a few hours ago, that it was not about the dispute, he said.