Editing Melilla (section)

=== Border securitization ===
[[File:Verjamelilla.jpg|thumb|The [[Melilla border fence]] aims to curb illegal immigration into the city.]]
Following the increasing influx of Algerian and sub-Saharan irregular migrants into Ceuta and Melilla in the early 1990s,{{Sfn|Ferrer Gallardo|2008|p=140}} a process of border [[fortification]] in both cities ensued after 1995 to reduce the border's permeability,<ref name=ser>{{Cite web|url=https://cadenaser.com/ser/2018/06/14/sociedad/1529011916_374813.html|website=[[Cadena Ser]]|title=Preguntas y respuestas sobre 20 kilómetros de cuchilas en Ceuta y Melilla|date=14 June 2016|first=Nicolás|last=Castellano}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|page=134|url=https://ddd.uab.cat/pub/dag/02121573n51/02121573n51p129.pdf|title=Acrobacias fronterizas en Ceuta y Melilla. Explorando la gestión de los perímetros terrestres de la Unión Europea en el continente africano|first=Xavier|last=Ferrer Gallardo|year=2008|journal=Documents d'anàlisi geogràfica|issue=51|<!--|pages=129–149-->issn=2014-4512|location=Bellaterra|publisher=[[Autonomous University of Barcelona|Servei de Publicacions de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona]]}}</ref> a target attained to some degree by 1999,{{Sfn|Ferrer Gallardo|2008|p=140}} although peak level of fortification was reached in 2005.<ref name=ser />

Melilla's border with Morocco is secured by the [[Melilla border fence]], a {{convert|6|m}} tall double fence with watch towers; yet migrants (in groups of tens or sometimes hundreds) storm the fence and manage to cross it from time to time.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-27601215 |title=BBC News – Hundreds breach Spain enclave border |work=BBC News |access-date=28 May 2014}}</ref> Since 2005, at least 14 migrants have died trying to cross the fence.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.es/espana/20140206/abci-menos-inmigrantes-fallecido-desde-201402061712.html|website=[[ABC (Spain)|ABC]]|title=Al menos 27 inmigrantes han fallecido desde 2005 tras los asaltos a la valla|date=6 February 2014}}</ref> The Melilla migrant reception centre was built with a capacity of 480.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26382589|title=African migrants storm into Spanish enclave of Melilla|access-date=3 March 2014|date=28 February 2014 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> In 2020 works to remove the barbed wire from the top of the fence (meanwhile raising its height up to more than {{convert|10|m}} in the stretches most susceptible to breaches) were commissioned to {{ill|Tragsa|es}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/2020-08-16/nuevas-vallas-ceuta-melilla-mas-altas-muro-trump-mexico_2713268/|website=[[El Confidencial]]|title=La nueva valla de Ceuta y Melilla será un metro más alta que el muro de Trump|date=16 August 2020|first=Alejandro|last=Mata}}</ref>

In June 2022, at least 23 sub-Saharan migrants and two Moroccan security personnel were killed when around 2,000 migrants stormed the border. The death toll has been estimated to be as high as 37 by certain NGOs.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-26 |title=Calls for investigation over deaths in Moroccan-Spanish border crossing |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/26/calls-investigation-deaths-moroccan-spanish-border-melilla-enclave-crossing |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref> Around 200 Spanish and Moroccan law enforcement officers and at least 76 migrants were injured. Hundreds of migrants succeeded in breaching the fence, and 133 made it across the border.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-26 |title=Death toll rises to 23 in Melilla border-crossing stampede |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/death-toll-23-melilla-border-crossing-stampede/ |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=POLITICO |language=en-US}}</ref> Widely circulated footage showed dozens of motionless migrants piled together.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Eljechtimi |first1=Ahmed |last2=Keeley |first2=Graham |date=2022-06-25 |title=Dozens of migrants piled together at Melilla border fence |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/dozens-migrants-piled-ground-melilla-disaster-rights-group-says-2022-06-25/ |access-date=2022-07-27}}</ref> It was the worst such incident in Melilla's history.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-06-27 |title=Melilla migrant deaths spark anger in Spain |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-61956104 |access-date=2022-07-27}}</ref> The United Nations, the African Union and a number of human rights groups condemned what they deemed excessive force used by Moroccan and Spanish border guards, although no lethal weapons were employed, and the deaths were later attributed to "mechanical asphyxiation".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moroccan probe finds 23 Melilla border dead likely 'suffocated' |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/7/13/moroccan-probe-says-melilla-migrants-likely-suffocated-to-death |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}}</ref>

Morocco has been paid tens of million euros by both Spain and the European Union to outsource the EU migration control.<ref name=publico>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publico.es/sociedad/melilla-ceuta-concertinas-altura-colectivos-melilla-ceuta-denuncian-nuevas-vallas-continuan-vulnerando-derechos-humanos.html|website=[[Público (Spain)|Público]]|title=Menos concertinas y más altura: colectivos de Melilla y Ceuta denuncian que las nuevas vallas continúan vulnerando los derechos humanos|first=Lucía|last=Muñoz Medina|date=29 August 2020}}</ref> Besides the double fence in the Spanish side of the border, there is an additional {{convert|3|m}} high fence entirely made of [[razor wire]] lying on the Moroccan side as well as a moat in between.<ref name=publico />

{{See also|Fortress Europe#Postwar usage|2022 Melilla incident}}