Immigrants storm fence at Spanish enclave in Morocco: 40 injured

Forty African immigrants were injured in a mass attempt to storm a fence surrounding the tiny Spanish enclave of Melilla on the Moroccan coast, which is the second attempt in less than 24 hours.

None of the injured was reported to be in serious condition, said Jesus Gomez Alvado, spokesman for the Interior Ministry in Melilla, who added that only one of the immigrants was admitted to a hospital in Melilla.

The incident occurred late Tuesday when some 400 immigrants, all sub-Saharan Africans, tried to breach the fence guarding the coastal enclave, about 160 kilometers from the Spanish mainland across the Mediterranean. Some 200 of them were reported to have managed to get through to Spanish territory, Gomez Alvado said.

It occurred just hours after another group of 500 immigrants had tried to enter Melilla, trying to climb over on makeshift ladders. Of the 500, some 100 immigrants, managed to slip through.

Deputy Interior Minister Antonio Camacho said on Wednesday that his department will reinforce the border with 40 more Civil Guard agents after what he called "serious incidents."

Spain had recently announced that it will double the height of the fence in an effort to make it harder for immigrants to climb over it. The fence will be raised to 20 feet along 6.3-mile long border with Morocco, the AP reports.