Migrants killed while attacking the border between Spain and Morocco – Corriere.it

Eighteen people died today in a frightening stampede in Melilla, the Spanish city located on African soil. All the victims were migrants – mostly Sudanese – who tried to cross from Moroccan territory to Spain by crossing a high fence. 76 others were wounded in the attack.

The tragedy occurred when about 400 migrants tried to cross the border: clashes broke out with the police and about 130 attackers managed to enter European territory: their status is currently being examined by the authorities. Victims died of suffocation or crushing, and some fell while trying to climb over the border nets. About fifty police officers from Spain were also bruised in the attack.

Indeed, the Spanish police were alerted Thursday evening to a possible intrusion attempt: 1,500 officers were deployed at the border. When the migrants’ attack began, the police responded with tear gas and at that moment chaos broke out and 18 people died.

The land border between Morocco and Spain was reopened by correspondence with the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla on May 17 after more than two years of hiatus. The corridor was cut off by Covid but also by a tug of war between the Madrid and Rabat governments, when Moroccan police loosened control of migrants who showed up at the border.

On March 22, a similar incident occurred: on that day about 2,500 immigrants tried to break through the barriers, 900 of them managed to reach Spanish territory.