Melilla: The mass attempt by 2,000 sub-Saharan migrants to cross into the Spanish enclave of Melilla in North Africa remains a haunting memory, as the exact number of deaths continues to be unknown. An ordinary Friday morning in the Autonomous City of Melilla turned into a day marked by bloodshed and silence, highlighting the dark complexities of Spanish, Moroccan, and European migration policies.
According to Global Voices, around 2,000 migrants, primarily from Sudan, tried to storm the border fence between Morocco and Spain through the Barrio Chino checkpoint. This resulted in dozens of deaths and disappearances, marking a significant turning point in the regional migration narrative. Three years later, the confirmed death toll remains elusive, with Amnesty International reporting at least 37 confirmed deaths and 73 missing persons. Caminando Fronteras places the toll at 40 dead and 77 missing, while AMDH-Nador, in collaboration with Border Forensics, counts 27 deaths and over 70 missing. A coalition of 74 NGOs has addressed the UN, stating at least 37 were killed and more than 70 remain unaccounted for.
The official Moroccan account reports 23 migrant deaths and two Moroccan police officers killed, with 76 migrants and 140 security personnel injured. This version was endorsed by Spain’s Ministry of the Interior. However, an independent investigation by El País, Lighthouse Reports, Le Monde, Der Spiegel, and Enass alleged that at least one migrant died on Spanish territory. Amnesty International also reported that Spanish forces conducted 470 “hot returns,” forcibly sending migrants who had crossed the fence back to Morocco.
Survivors of the incident were reportedly transported to remote areas in Morocco, according to Amnesty International, with their current whereabouts unknown. Some survivors are said to have continued their journeys through other migration routes such as Libya, Algeria, or Tunisia, though no reliable sources confirm this.
On June 28, 2022, Spain’s Public Prosecutor opened an investigation into the events, examining whether Spanish authorities acted appropriately. However, by December 23 of the same year, the case was closed, citing no evidence of criminal conduct in the use of summary returns. Similarly, Moroccan authorities launched an inquiry into their security forces’ actions, formally closing it on June 24, 2024, citing a lack of evidence of wrongdoing and defending the gendarmerie’s actions against the alleged violent assault by migrants.
Melilla remains a critical final stop on many migratory routes to Europe. Despite the resumption of daily life, the memory of that fateful day continues to weigh heavily on the city, its residents, and the migrants passing through. Since 2022, no border crossing of such magnitude has occurred, although smaller attempts have been recorded. In the last two years, about 1,770 migrants have crossed the fence, with the main route into Melilla now being via the sea. Yet, as time progresses, the silence and lack of accountability persist, leaving the families of the dead and missing waiting for truth, justice, and remembrance.