The Red Cross in Ventimiglia - on the border between France and Italy - has reported an increase in the number of migrants in its center, compared with the month of May.
The number of migrants in a Red Cross reception center in Imperia in Ventimiglia's Parco Roja has risen since last month. ''There are now about 480 migrants sleeping in the camp,'' said center director Insa Moussa Ba Sané, [This represents] ''an increase of 150. Every day there are more, and sometimes over 500 people.''
Between 30 and 50 Eritreans and about the same number of Sudanese and Nigerian minors arrive at the camp daily.
Increase in arrivals after Ramadan
''We have seen an increase in the number of guests since (the Muslim holy month) Ramadan ended,'' Ba Sané noted. ''Their number has doubled since then.''
The camp director said that migrants are managing to cross the border with France despite tighter border control.
''The people are never the same. They are here for a week and then they leave again. This means that they manage to cross the border,'' Ba Sané said.
In addition to those who decide to go to the Roja camp, there are about 200-300 migrants sleeping on the city's streets.
France has stepped up border controls leading to long delays for needing to cross the border to get to work. Police say checks are continuing as normal and that nothing has changed in Italian-French cooperation.
No illegal French border crossing
After the Bardonecchia incident in which French customs police conducted a blitz into the Alta Val Susa station, the Chambery bilateral agreements were suspended. However, a local agreement re-established the possibility for transit through Italian and French territory by the police of the two nations.