Arham Online
AFP – Spain increases border security with neighboring Morocco in an attempt to curb migration flows onto its territory, as fences are raised and security is surveillance increases
Spain is boosting its security at its border between its north African enclave of Melilla and Morocco following recent attempts by migrants to enter the Spanish territory by force, officials said.
The height of the fence separating the two sides has been raised and work has been done to prevent migrants from being able to climb it, said the representative of Spain’s central government in Melilla, Abdelmalik El Barkani.
“There are also video cameras and more staff,” he added during an interview with Spanish public radio.
Over 400 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa tried to force their way into Melilla on Saturday night from Morocco, said a spokesman for the central government’s office in Melilla.
“There were two assaults, one at around nine involving some 300 migrants in which some 60 people managed to cross over, and another at five in the morning involving 150 people where no one was able to enter,” he said.
Last week another group of some 150 migrants tried to force themselves into Melilla.
In 2005 14 migrants were killed while they tried to cross over into Melilla and Ceuta, another Spanish enclave in north Africa, from Morocco.
They included several shot by Moroccan or Spanish during assaults on the borders of the two territories, which are both claimed by Morocco.
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