The Spanish territory of Melilla has seen an assault by at least 300 African migrants on its border fence with Morocco.
Spain’s two enclaves, Melilla and Ceuta, are the only bits of the European Union in Africa. As such, they have become the focus of increasing attempts by sub-Saharan Africans to gain entry into Europe.
One hundred of the gang were said to have successfully scaled the 20’ high fence despite its double barbed wire, while 96 were arrested.
Thirteen security force members and 14 migrants were wounded in the clashes, according to the Moroccan interior ministry.
It also said the migrants hurled rocks at the security forces and a Spanish government representative called the migrants “very violent”.
On 17 February some 150 African migrants made it into Melilla after using the same tactics on the border fence. But earlier that month a similar attempt to enter Ceuta by sea was pushed back and 14 drowned to death.
Spanish authorities have confirmed that police fired rubber bullets as the migrants attempted to swim into Ceuta.
