Hundreds of Migrants Storm Border of Spanish Enclave in North Africa to Gain Access to Europe

Around 300 migrants have stormed fences separating Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco — with 116 of them making it onto European soil.

Seven policemen were burned by acid and quicklime, a skin irritant, allegedly thrown by some of the migrants as they over-ran border defences, Spanish police said.

The migrants launched their assault yesterday morning, as many Moroccan police were at a prayer ceremony marking the start of the Muslim festival Eid al-Adha.

Television footage showed some of the 116 migrants who made it through with bloodied arms and legs, apparently caused by the razor wire that tops the border fences.

Most of them were young men, cheering as they walked towards a temporary reception centre.

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More than 3,800 migrants have crossed the border into Ceuta and Melilla so far this year, according to the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR.

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