Calais 'jungle' cleared - French authorities declare

Authorities in the French port of Calais say they have finished clearing the “jungle”, a shanty town outside the port inhabited by thousands of migrants trying to get to Britain.

Authorities started moving the migrants out of the camp on Monday to other parts of France.

But some of the migrants have insisted they would like to stay on in the camp as they make further attempts to cross the English channel to Britain.

Prefect of the region of Calais, Fabienne Buccio told reporters on Wednesday that the mission to clear the “jungle” had ended.

“A lot has happened, an incredible human experience has taken place within this camp, with all its different communities. But we are turning the page now, and it is a positive page because these people are going to be welcomed in France and are going to be able to start a new life.”

Some 4,000 migrants had been moved from the camp by Tuesday and a further 6,000 were expected to leave the ‘jungle’ on Wednesday.

“We did a tour this morning. There are no more migrants in the camp on the moor. As we speak, we have already processed more than 5,000 people at the SAS registration centre,” Buccio told reporters.

“We will of course continue on all day long, even through the evening. We will go on for as long as we have migrants around to be processed. So we will work for as long as necessary in order to welcome everyone. And later this evening, since the job will be done, we will close the SAS,” she added.

Buccio also added that the area around the temporary welcome centre where minors were staying was being cleared off to protect Calais’ vulnerable migrant minors.

Migrants at the “Jungle” camp on Wednesday set more tents and shelters ablaze in what appears to have become a ritual since earlier this year when one section of the camp was dismantled.

Authorities say four Afghan migrants have been arrested in connection with the fires.