MADRID — Authorities in Melilla, one of Spain's two enclaves in North Africa, said Friday that around 200 migrants tried to climb a security fence separating the city from Morocco. The local office of the Spanish government's representative said about 50 of the migrants managed to scale the barrier surrounding the coastal city, while the other 150 were repelled by Spanish and Moroccan border guards. The migrants who reached Spanish soil were taken to a holding center, where they can ask for asylum while authorities start procedures to return them to their countries of origin. In May, 52 migrants got over the Melilla fence in another attempt. Spain's Interior Ministry says 2,397 migrants reached Melilla over land between Jan. 1 and July 15.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 19, 2019 11:51 UTC