Nine migrants from sub-Saharan Africa died from exposure to the cold near the border between Morocco and Algeria, in a remote mountainous area known for its freezing winter temperatures, human rights organizations reported. The bodies of seven men and two women were found in the Ras Asfour region.
According to the Moroccan Association for Human Rights, the victims succumbed to extreme temperatures that their exhausted bodies could not withstand. One of the migrants was from Guinea, while the others came from various sub-Saharan African countries, though their precise identities have not yet been established.
Every year, thousands of migrants attempt to reach Europe from North Africa, particularly via Morocco to Spain. Some try to reach the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla by climbing border fences or swimming, while others take the perilous Atlantic Ocean route to the Canary Islands. Moroccan security forces regularly announce that they have thwarted such attempts.
North Africa has become a major transit point for migrants heading to southern Europe. Security cooperation agreements with the European Union have strengthened the capacity of local authorities to curb migration flows. As a result, many migrants remain in Morocco for months, even years, working in the informal economy or relying on humanitarian aid while waiting for an opportunity to cross.
The Moroccan Association for Human Rights reported that six of the victims were buried last week, while two bodies were preserved at the request of their families. It stated that it is closely monitoring the situation. Another organization, the Moroccan Organization for Human Rights, called for "humanizing borders," decriminalizing irregular migration, and establishing mechanisms to locate missing migrants in order to prevent further tragedies.
