Dozens of immigrants gathered at Melilla border fence – video

RABAT / MADRID — Dozens of migrants depicted lying by Moroccan border barriers, some bleeding, many apparent Dead. At least 18 people were killed in a mass invasion of a Spanish outlying on Friday.

Moroccan officials said the disaster occurred after migrants tried to break through the fence in Melilla's enlave.

Omar Naji, the local head of the Moroccan Human Rights Association (AMDH), said the members and sympathizers shot the footage.

He said migrants were injured for hours without treatment and the number of deaths increased.

Approximately 2,000 migrants attempted to reach Spanish territory by attacking the fence of the enlave before fighting the border guard for two hours. About 100 people crossed the border.

Morocco said 18 migrants were killed and scores were injured, but AMDH quoted an unnamed local medical practitioner as saying that the death toll was 29. Stated. Reuters couldn't talk to any of the immigrants who tried to cross.

Since Rabat and Madrid agreed to strengthen cooperation on border control this year, a large-scale crossing from Morocco to one of Spain's two North African outposts was first attempted. I did.

The deal, which ended months of cold relations, took place after Spain upheld Morocco's position on Western Sahara.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the attack an "attack on our territorial integrity" and accused traffickers. Many Moroccan and Spanish guards were also injured.

However, President Eduardo de Castro of the Melilla region said the image was difficult to explain and accused Moroccan security forces of reacting disproportionately.

Moroccan officials said the guards did not use excessive force.

Sticks, knives, acids

In one AMDH video, dozens of African migrants are piled up, many do not move while Moroccan officers equipped with riots watch over. , A few were making weak moves.

The same clip showed security forces overtaking two bleeding, vaguely visible migrants lying on the ground. The other showed Moroccan guards beating a prone person.

The Friday incident heightened tensions around Melilla, according to Usmamba, a nearby Senegalese immigrant in Nador who runs a community group to help other immigrants. It lasted for a few days.

Ba, who did not participate in or witness the incident on Friday, said that nearby migrants had several clashes with Moroccan security forces as he tried to cross the fence earlier this week.

He said many of them were desolate and desperate in the nearby countryside. "I have never seen immigrants attacking this violently. We mourn the death near the fence," he said.

According to Spanish police sources, migrants who attacked the fence used sticks, knives, and acid against security forces, rather than trying separately along the fence, and were perceived as one. Changed the tactics to try to cross the weaknesses together. ..

An image posted on Twitter by the Spanish Civil Guard Union shows most of the young male migrants flowing down the streets near the border because Reuters couldn't confirm its authenticity. I did.

Some people seemed to be throwing the projectile with a stick because the smoke marked the surrounding air.

A video posted on the Facebook page of local television station Segnan Live shows a small group of large groups of border fences as sirens ring nearby and tear gas containers emit smoke. Shown immigrants wrestling in the section.

The aftermath image released by AMDH is a closed corner where two tall metal fences meet, with ambulances standing nearby, people lying in what looks like a frontier gate. Showed a large concentration of.

AMDH and the Spanish Rights Group have issued a formal investigation into the disaster and a statement calling on authorities not to bury those who were killed until then.

"This is the most serious incident (on the border between Spain and Morocco) since the deaths of 15 people in 2014," said Esteban Bertrand, director of Amnesty International, Spain. I am. (Report by Ahmed Eljechtimi, Graham Keeley, Aislinn Laing, Belen Carreno, Written by Angus McDowall, Edited by John Stonestreet and David Clarke)