French gov't pledges humanitarian response to migrants at Calais "jungle"

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has pledged a humanitarian operation to migrant encampments in Calais, northern France, amid growing criticism from charity organizations.

Speaking to RTL radio on Tuesday, Valls said the government will seek "a humanitarian response" to the thousands of migrants staying in Calais while attempting to cross to Britain.

The migrants encampment in the vicinity of Calais where they live while trying to cross to Britain has been known as the "jungle."

"We are evacuating these camps methodically in due time because we can not accept the terrible living conditions of these migrants which are undignified," Valls said.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve has said during a visit to a migrants accommodation center in Le Mans in western France that the evacuation of the camp will be carried out "progressively, by persuasion and with respect for people's dignity."

On Feb. 15, authorities said the southern part of the Calais "jungle," where "abuses" had been committed by migrants and violent clashes escalated, would be evacuated, according to Calais town hall.

Authorities have proposed for the immigrants to move to a state-run container shelter nearby or other refugees centers across France.

The deadline expired on Tuesday evening. A court in Lille delayed a decision on whether to halt the evacuation as requested by several non-governmental organizations and migrants rights groups.

Thousands of migrants from Africa and the Middle East have fled war and poverty in their native countries recently, leading to an unprecedented migrants crisis in Europe. Some of the migrants live in Calais where the French end of the Channel Tunnel is located, while they attempt to board lorries and trains heading to Britain to seek a better life. Endi