2022 Melilla incident facts for kids
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The gates of the buffer zone the day after the incident
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| Date | 24 June 2022 |
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| Location | Barrio Chino border crossing between Morocco and Spain |
| Deaths | 23 migrants |
| Non-fatal injuries |
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| Missing | 70 migrants |
On June 24, 2022, a sad event happened at the border between Morocco and Spain, near a city called Melilla. About 23 people, who were trying to cross the border, died. This happened during a clash with security forces from both countries. Around 2,000 people had gathered early that day, hoping to cross into Spain.
What Happened
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This event began when nearly 2,000 people, mostly from Sudan, walked from a forest near Nador towards Melilla. Police and border guards from both Spain and Morocco arrived to stop them. This led to a two-hour-long fight. Officials from both countries said that the people trying to cross attacked their border guards with weapons. They said the guards had to defend themselves.
Some people managed to open a gate at the border crossing. Others tried to climb over the tall border fence. After climbing, many got stuck in small areas and one-way gates. These areas quickly became too crowded. This caused a dangerous situation where people were pushed and fell over each other. This is called a human stampede. Many others also fell from the fence to the ground.
In total, 23 people died. Five of them died right away during the crossing attempt. Thirteen more died later in the hospital from their injuries. Also, 77 other people were hurt. About 140 Moroccan officers were injured, five of them seriously. Forty-nine Spanish Civil Guards had minor injuries. In the end, 133 people successfully reached Spanish land. However, 470 people were sent back across the border.
Pedro Sánchez, who was the Prime Minister of Spain, said this event was a "well-organized, violent attack." He thanked the Spanish and Moroccan security forces for their actions.
Graves were prepared at the Sidi Salem cemetery where the people who died were buried by Moroccan authorities.
Some of the people who were caught in Nador were later charged with serious crimes. These included "organizing people to cross borders secretly" and "attacking law enforcement officers." Others faced less serious charges. Most of these people were from Sudan. The authorities ordered special tests to identify those who died.
What Happened Next
In September 2022, two Spanish government groups looked into the area where the event happened. They found that the incident took place entirely on Spanish land. Even though it was beyond the main Melilla border fence, this area is part of Spain's "security zone." This means Spanish law could apply there. However, the Spanish Ministry of the Interior said that everyone knew the deaths happened in Moroccan territory. They stated that Spanish guards did not have access to that specific area.
Morocco’s National Human Rights Institution started an investigation on June 27. They released a first report on July 13. The Spanish Ombudsman also shared their early findings in October. A group called the Moroccan Association for Human Rights said that Moroccan authorities tried to hide the truth about the deaths. They pointed out that no autopsies were done, and no one tried to identify the dead for six days. Later, Moroccan courts sentenced thirteen of the people who did not reach Spain to two and a half years in prison. They also had to pay a fine.
A Spanish newspaper, El País, did its own investigation. They looked at videos and talked to many people. They reported that at least one person died on the Spanish side of the border. They also confirmed that police from both countries used tear gas and hit people. Families of the missing said about 70 people were still unaccounted for.
On December 23, 2022, the Spanish Prosecutor's Office closed its investigation. They said that the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, the Civil Guard, and the officers at the border were not responsible for the deaths. The Prosecutor's Office said the main events happened in Moroccan territory. They also said that the actions of the guards were fair. They did note that some guards threw stones at the people, and this might be looked into further.
See also
In Spanish: Tragedia de la valla de Melilla para niños
- 2021 Morocco–Spain border incident
