Over 400 sub-Saharan African migrants forced their way on Friday (December 9) morning over a barbed-wire fence into Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta, which borders Morocco.
[Photos] Blood, pain and security as African migrants strive to reach Spain
Television footage showed migrants celebrating after reaching Spain whilst others remained perched on the top of the six-metre fence as they tried to get over. Several people were injured after storming the barrier, emergency services said.
The regional government of Ceuta said approximately 800 migrants had attempted to cross over to Spain but only 438 were successful and were at the CETI migrant internment centre.
Spain’s two enclaves in Morocco, Ceuta and Melilla, are often used as entry points into Europe for African migrants, who either climb over their border fences or attempt a dangerous swim along the coastline.
Some also try to cross from Morocco into mainland southern Spain by boat, despite tighter controls in recent years by the two countries which has diminished the number of those attempting this route.