52 migrants in a van tried to forcefully cross the border separating the Spanish overseas enclave of Ceuta from Morocco. The autonomous Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla on Morocco's northern coast have the EU's only land borders with Africa.
More than 150 migrants crossed the border fence separating the Spanish overseas enclave of Ceuta from Morocco on Friday. It was the biggest attempt to cross the heavily guarded barrier in a year.
In Melilla, one of Spain's two enclaves in Morocco, around 200 migrants have tried to climb a security fence separating the Spanish territory from Morocco, local authorities say. African migrants often use Melilla and Ceuta as entry points into Europe by either climbing over their border fences or trying to swim along the coast.
Pictures sometimes appear in the news of migrants climbing tall fences topped with barbed wire in an attempt to get to the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa. Why do they make these dangerous attempts, and do the migrants then have a right to claim asylum in Europe? InfoMigrants investigates.
Fifty-two migrants have forced their way into Spain's North African exclave from Morocco by scaling the border fence. The territory has become a regular flashpoint for African migrants in recent years.
Ceuta, the Spanish enclave in Morocco, is a European town on African soil. It's often the frontline of clashes between Africans trying to reach Europe in search of a better life, and a European Union desperate to keep them out. It's also a port town where 85,000 people live, providing livelihoods for many Moroccans.
The recent wave of mass migrant deaths in the Mediterranean shows no signs of slowing, with more than 176 migrant victims and 273 missing this year alone off the coast of Spain, reported Spanish NGO APDHA. A newborn was amongst the victims of the most recent two shipwrecks last week, reported APDHA.
The Spanish government has announced that it is setting aside some 40 million euros as part of a decree that will be approved within the next six weeks for regions that will voluntarily welcome unaccompanied migrant minors.
In the Morocco mountains, thousands of African refugees lie in wait for their chance to cross the border fence into Ceuta. The Spanish enclave has become an increasingly popular destination for migrants headed to Europe.
Two young migrants have died after raids against irregular migrants in northern Morocco, according to a Spanish NGO. One of the migrants was only 16 years old.
A human rights group in Morocco has said authorities are busing would-be migrants away from departure points to Europe. The EU has said it wants to work more closely with North African nations to decrease migration.
The arrival of hundreds of migrants at Spain's southern border has set alarm bells ringing. While the government has weathered the storm so far, a worrying trend is noticeable. Santiago Saez reports from Madrid.