70 immigrants scale frontier into Spanish enclave of Melilla

Around 70 immigrants were able to scale the frontier fence separating the Spanish North-African enclave of Melilla from Morocco on Thursday morning.

The government delegate in the city had originally estimated the figure to be around 100, but later reduced it to 70.

Spanish Civil Guards confirmed approximately 300 people took part in the assault which took place in heavy rain.

"At eight o'clock this morning, there was an organized assault and Moroccan forces were overwhelmed...200 people were held back, but around 70 were able to cross into Melilla," confirmed the Civil Guard.

Migrants used hooks and shoes studded with nails in order to cross the border, which is made up of two six-meter-tall wire fences with steel cables separating them. On reaching what is officially Spanish soil, they made their way to the temporary immigrant reception center in the city of around 50,000 inhabitants.

This assault on the frontier in Melilla is the latest of many in recent years with the last major assault taking place in early September when a further mass attempt to cross into the enclave ended with around 100 people making the crossing successfully.

Figures published by the Spanish Interior Ministry on Sept. 14 showed that in 2015, the number of illegal immigrants crossing into Melilla and the enclave of Ceuta rose to 11,624, 4,139 more than in 2014. Endit