MADRID — Six Spanish police officers were injured yesterday when they tried to stop 15 sub-Saharan migrants armed with sticks and knives from illegally entering the Spanish enclave of Melilla from Morocco by boat, local officials said.
The agents suffered bruises and scratches when they tried to detain the migrants who arrived at the San Lorenzo beach near Melilla’s marina on a wooden boat, the local Spanish government delegation said.
Police detained five but the others managed to escape and entered the Spanish enclave on the northwestern African coast, it added.
Melilla, which is home to around 80,000 people, is surrounded by Morocco on one side and the Mediterranean Sea on the other.
Migrants from across Africa seeking to get to Europe camp out around Melilla and then make late night bid to enter the territory by cutting fence or by boat.
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