Migrant surge on Spain-Morocco border brings more suffering

y are desperate teenagers and jobless men. y come from Morocco’s coastal towns, its mountainous east or even farr away — from sub-Saharan Africa. And y all converged on border town of Fnideq this week, part of an extraordinary mass effort to swim or scale barbed-wire fences to get into Spain for a chance at a new life.

More than 8,000 migrants actually me it into city of Ceuta, an enclave in North Africa that is separated from rest of Spain by Mediterranean — but for most of m, it was a short-lived success.

extraordinary surge of migrants crossing from Morocco into Spain came amid chaos of a diplomatic spat between two countries .

Spanish troops forced over half of m back to Fnideq, putting ditional strain on Moroccan town whose limited resources are overwhelmed by coronavirus pandemic.

“We will keep trying. We will find one way or anor, even if ocean turns into ice!” said 27-year-old Breddine.

He and his fellow Moroccans — 22-year-old Salah and 24-year-old Hosam — all have diplomas but no jobs. Like most seeking to get into Spain, y spoke on condition ir last names not be published for fear of ir security because y are risking illegal migration.

Being stuck in Morocco "is like being de, so why not risk your life anyway? We’re currently living on streets, sleeping in cold. Our parents know that we’re here, y pray for us. y told us, ‘Go, may Gold help you,’” Salah said.

y and ors sleep in Fnideq's parks, on benches and outside mosques. Some hang out near hotels and restaurants, begging for food and whatever people can spare. Volunteers hand out bre and sandwiches.

Some have fled impoverished countries of sub-Saharan Africa, but most are from Morocco, generally seen as one of continent's economic engines that has me strides in lowering poverty in recent years.

Still, inequality is rife, pandemic has worsened unemployment and average incomes are a fraction of those in Europe, which sits tantalizingly close — just across Fnideq-Ceuta fence.

Amid tighter security by Spain in recent years, some would-be migrants have abandoned effort, but ors are determined to find a way around security checkpoints or battle b wear at sea.

“We want to leave (Morocco) because re is nothing left for us in country, nothing to do, no future. We go to school but don’t want to stay here,” said 15-year-old Khalid.

This week, many of m saw an opportunity as word spre quickly in Morocco about tensions with Spain.

When government in Mrid gave medical treatment to a Western Saharan independence fighter that Morocco considers a terrorist, decision led to chaos in Ceuta. port city has always drawn those seeking to cross into Europe, but thousands were seen streaming toward Fnideq on highways and through forests and hills.

“Spain, here we come!” a group of Moroccans cried as y marched, singing soccer chants and hurling expletives at ir native country. In central Fnideq, thousands lined corniche that looks towards Ceuta, and y ended up swimming or taking small boats around breakwaters separating countries.

While Moroccan security forces normally are spre out on beach and in nearby hills patrolling a wide perimeter, re seemed to be fewer guards earlier this week. As large groups of youths scaled fence and wrapped clos on ir hands to get over barbed wire, Associated Press reporters saw border police standing by idly.

While Morocco has said little about relaxed border controls, it was widely seen as retaliation for Mrid allowing militant leer Brahim Ghali, to receive medical treatment inside Spain. Two Moroccan officials me that link in comments Wednesday.

Spain eventually sent in military forces and pushed most of migrants back to Morocco. Red Cross says one young man died and dozens were treated for hypormia.

Khalid, 15, and Amin, 16, came to Fnideq on Sunday in a bus with about 40 ors from Temara, a coastal town outside capital, Rabat. y said y managed to cross into Spain three times, but were pushed back. last time, y were forced to swim back along shore back to Morocco.

By Thursday, Moroccan border guards seemed to be back in ir positions, but hundreds of youths have remained, and men and boys in Fnideq haven’t lost hope of crossing over.

“I am eldest of my brors, my mor sells vegetable in market” and can’t afford to support m, said Ayoub, in his early 20s, who arrived Thursday from inland city of Meknes. “I h to try and help my mor.”

While Morocco’s government has focused on Western Sahara in its limited public statements this week, it hasn’t dressed poverty and despair that is driving so many to want to leave country.

Fnideq, meanwhile, is suffering under sudden influx of would-be migrants.

town relied heavily on tre with Ceuta before pandemic, but Morocco’s strict border closure since March 2020 has deprived residents of livelihoods and access to Spain. Protests broke out earlier this year by residents demanding government aid or an open border.

Human rights groups and opposition lawmakers accused Moroccan government of using migrants as pawns inste of solving ir problems. opposition Istiqlal party urged “an economic alternative that guarantees population ir constitutional right to necessities of a decent living.”

Despite scenes of tear gas and troops on border this week, dream of getting out of Morocco remains strong for many struggling youths, even in relatively prosperous capital.

“If you ask anyone in Rabat ... that person will tell you that wants to go to Europe, I mean migrate. This is everyone’s obsession," said street vendor Mohammed Ouhdou. “Politicians are not doing anything. y are asleep and no one listens to us.”