A joint operation by the Marine Commandos of Foundiougne and the Gendarmerie Brigade led to the arrest of 92 individuals who were attempting to travel clandestinely to the Canary Islands. The intervention took place in the Bolongs de Mar Lodji, a strategic area often used by migrants to attempt the perilous journey to Europe. The migrants apprehended are divided as follows: 01 Nigerians;05 Ivoirians;07 Gambians;13 Malians:58 Guineans and 08 Senegalese. Of these, 46 are men, 31 women and 15 children, of whom 6 are boys. All hoped to reach the Spanish archipelago of the Canaries, considered as one of the main gateways to Europe for many migrants from West Africa. From the moment of their interception, the local authorities quickly set up a humanitarian assistance. Red Cross teams, health services and migrant protection organisations were mobilised to provide first aid and assess the state of health of the arrested persons. In his statement on the operation, the prefect of Foundiougne underlined the determination of the Senegalese government to combat clandestine emigration, a phenomenon which causes human losses every year. “We call on our fellow citizens and our African brothers to avoid these dangerous routes and to privilege legal ways for their future projects”, he declared. This operation is part of a wider effort to reinforce border and maritime controls frequently used by asylum seekers.
Clandestine emigration: 92 migrants intercepted in the Bolongs de Mar Lodji by the Gendarmerie of the French department of the Rhine
