African migrants at Morocco - Spain borders

Huddled in makeshift shelters, migrants, some of whom have been living in Tangier for years, have just one dream; getting into Spain right across the street at any cost.

It’s a move they are ready to make despite the harsh living conditions and the forceful displacements by the Moroccan authorities as part of the relocation campaigns.

These migrants would lose everything except hope, as their European destination is just within reach.

Some of them spoke to AFP reporters

“Whether they come and take me, they send me back to the camps, I will always come back to Tangier because my goal is to get back to Europe.”

“Tangier is my city, I won’t go anywhere else, or I’ll leave Tangier just when I find myself in Spain, when I find myself in Spain.”

Some have already lost their lives, trying to climb the fence that separates Morocco from Melilla, the Spanish city. In addition, two Malian migrants died in early August during these relocation operations. But they’re not perturbed.

“I was arrested with my wife and child, we spent the night, the four days we spent there (in detention together, we slept on the ground, they pushed us back. I arrived in Tiznit and came back, this is my city.”

“I can’t give up my brother, I went out for a purpose, as I told you earlier, which is to go back to Europe, because I know what I left in Cameroon.”

In the Bukhalef district of Tangier, a large community of migrants have taken up residence and they remain hopeful.