Illegal Immigration: Morocco, a strategic partner in fight against international Mafias, Spanish PM says
The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sanchez, praised again this Monday Morocco’s efforts in the fight against illegal immigration, noting that the Kingdom is a “strategic partner”, which struggles against the ”violent actions of migrants orchestrated by international mafias”.
“Morocco is a strategic partner for Spain, not only in terms of monitoring illegal immigration (…) Morocco is also important for Spain in the fight against terrorism,” Sanchez pointed out in an interview with Spanish newspaper ”La Vanguardia”, published this Monday.
“Morocco is also fighting and suffering from the violent actions of migrants”, the President of the Spanish government said, stressing that ”the main culprits for the tragedy that took place (Friday) and the regrettable loss of human life are the international mafias which organize violent attacks.”
Regarding the attempted assault on the metal fence in the province of Nador, Sanchez said he was “grateful” for the work done by the Moroccan public forces.
Early on Friday, nearly 2000 Sub-Saharan migrants armed with sticks, bladed weapons and even acid attacked Moroccan security forces at a border passage with the Spanish occupied city of Melilla.
Their violent rush triggered a stampede as many fell from the 12-meter-high fence causing the death of 23 migrants and injuring dozens. Some 130 migrants made it to the other side of the fence.
At least 140 members of the Moroccan security forces were injured while trying to stop migrants, who have shown unprecedented violence on their way to the fence, triggering clashes with Moroccan and Spanish forces.
“We regret the loss of human lives, in this case of desperate people who were looking for a better life and who are the victims and instruments of the mafias and criminals who organize violent actions”, Pedro Sanchez added.
Spanish Foreign Minister has also paid tribute to Moroccan security forces for their steady efforts to put an end to illegal migration and the exploitation of migrants by trafficking networks and gangs.
In the wake of this tragic crossing, Morocco’s foreign ministry and interior ministry officials briefed, at a meeting in Rabat Sunday, African ambassadors accredited to Morocco, and projected videos showing violent attacks by the illegal migrants.
The African diplomats commended the humanitarian approach permeating Morocco’s migration policy and expressed their readiness to collaborate with the Moroccan authorities on this issue. They also rejected illegal migration and human beings trafficking.
Morocco was the only country in Africa to adopt a humanitarian approach regarding migrants offering more than 55,000 residency cards to mostly Sub-Saharan nationals.
