Spain’s Interior Minister Commends Co-operation With Morocco Against Illegal Immigration

Spain’s Interior Minister, Jorge Fernandez Diaz, has commended the co-operation between his country and Morocco in the fight against illegal immigration.

Speaking when he dedicated a co-ordination center for maritime monitoring of coasts and borders here Wednesday, he hailed the level of co-operation between the two countries – which are separated by just the narrow Strait of Gibraltar – in these efforts.

He also underlined the importance of collaboration with other countries to control illegal migration flows and spare the loss of lives.

The number of undocumented migrants who reached Spain through its coasts has decreased by 31 per cent in the first half of 2013, compared with the same period of 2012, the minister had previously said.

In Rabat meanwhile, the Moroccan Interior Ministry said a group of some 300 illegal migrants attempted on Thursday to force their way to the occupied city of Sebta (Ceuta), an enclave of Spain on the Moroccan mainland facing the Strait of Gibraltar.

During the attempt, seven law-enforcement personnel were wounded by stones thrown by the illegal immigrants while about 100 of the group were arrested.

During the Eid Al-Adha holidays (October 15-17), Moroccan security agents posted along the kingdom’s northern coasts foiled more than 20 such attempts.

via BERNAMA – Spain’s Interior Minister Commends Co-operation With Morocco Against Illegal Immigration