The Spanish prime minister on Saturday described a deadly migrant rush on the enclave of Melilla from Morocco as an attack on Spain's "territorial integrity", as human rights activists demanded an investigation. At least 18 African migrants died in the latest drama on the doors of the European Union, when around 2,000 mostly sub-Saharan African migrants approached the Moroccan border with the tiny territory at dawn on Friday. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the incident was a "violent and organised attack by mafias who traffic in human beings, against a Spanish territory". By Saturday, calm had returned to the border area, with Moroccan security forces lightly deployed and no migrants to be seen. The mending of ties has meant a drop in migrant arrivals in Spain, notably in the Canary Islands.

Source: The North Africa Journal June 26, 2022 05:16 UTC