Politics

Hundreds of migrants breach Spain’s Morocco border

Melilla, Spain, Mar 3 (EFE).- Hundreds of migrants on Thursday scaled a border fence to enter the Spanish autonomous territory of Melilla from Morocco, officials said.

Spanish police said an estimated 1,200 people gathered at the double border fence early Thursday and that 350 migrants had managed to enter Melilla.

Another 491 people entered Melilla irregularly on Wednesday when 2,500 mainly sub-Saharan migrants gathered on the frontier.

Four Spanish police officers were injured in the operation to halt the border breach, a Spanish government representative in Melilla said.

The number of migrants traveling along the so-called western route from sub-Saharan Africa toward Europe has grown in recent years.

Thousands of people looking to reach Europe have gathered around the borders of Melilla and Ceuta, Spain’s two North African territories.

According to the interior ministry, the number of irregular migrant arrivals in Spain grew 73.2% compared to the same period last year, the majority by sea. EFE

pst-so/jt/ch

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