Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has come under fire, including by members of his own government, for defending the actions of Moroccan authorities in response to the attempted border breach by migrants at the Spanish enclave Melilla.
Of the 2,000 people who attempted to breach the border between Morocco and Melilla on Friday (24 June) at least 37 have died, according to official figures.
But rights groups, such as the Moroccan Association of Human Rights (AMDH) and the Spanish NGO Walking Borders, believe the death toll to be much higher than reported.
The incident has also sparked controversy in Spain as videos that show Moroccan police officers firing tear gas and rubber bullets and using batons to stop migrants from crossing into Melilla went viral.
Many were shocked by footage of police guarding dozens of wounded and dead migrants at Nador’s Chinatown border crossing, where 133 people managed to reach Spain.
A group of Moroccan and Spanish rights groups and the ruling socialist party’s coalition partner, Unidas Podemos, condemned the footage and called for an investigation.
But Sanchez praised the work carried out by Morocco to try to prevent, in coordination with the Spanish security forces, the “violent assault” on the border with Melilla at a press conference following the European Council on Friday (24 June).
The incident is the first since Spain reversed its stance on Western Sahara and mended diplomatic relations with Morocco after a year-long dispute.
Source: euractiv.com
