AU expresses ‘deep shock’ over deaths at Spain-Morocco border

The deadly crossing was the first since Spain and Morocco mended relations earlier this year after a diplomatic spat. The African Union chief has expressed “deep shock” over the death of nearly two dozen people while trying to break through a border fence between Morocco and the Spanish enclave of Melilla and called for an immediate investigation into the matter. “I express my deep shock and concern at the violent and degrading treatment of African migrants attempting to cross an international border from #Morocco into #Spain, with the ensuing violence leading to the deaths of at least 23 people and injuries to many more,” Mahamat said in a tweet. Morocco’s interior ministry said in a statement that 23 people died on Friday due to what it described as a “stampede” after about 2,000 refugees and migrants tried to climb the metal border fence. Mahamat called for “an immediate investigation into the matter and remind all countries of their obligations under international law to treat all migrants with dignity and to prioritize their safety and human rights, while refraining from the use of excessive force.” Many asylum seekers were seen lying on the ground, some wounded, in photos that were widely shared on social media.