The Spanish enclave of Melilla has come under renewed attack with some 600 people storming their way in on Tuesday.
This was the largest surge in migrant numbers trying to gain access in nearly a decade, according to Spanish officials.
Triple barriers separate Melilla from Morocco, but migrants from all parts of Africa regularly try to scale them in a mass rush, oftentimes violent. Many are killed or injured in the attempt.
The Africans first camp out, sometimes for months, in a shrub-covered area which provides daytime cover before mounting a night-time assault.
This time they were helped by dense fog in a series of assaults through the night and morning. Stones, sticks and other objects were hurled at the security forces, said Melilla’s governor.
Spanish authorities claim the incidents involved about 1,100 people while Morocco believes the number was about 600.
In all, nearly 300 migrants were arrested and 29 had to be given emergency medical assistance in Melilla.
The land crossings are surely a sign of a desperate humanity. The increase in attempted access seems to be down to the increased number of naval patrols in place trying to discourage attempted entry from the sea.
Migrants enter the enclaves without official documents, often without belongings and wearing just flimsy shoes and shorts, and are housed in temporary centres until their identity can be determined or until they are moved.
