Thousands of asylum seekers attempt to flee Morocco into Spain's Melilla

Around 2,500 migrants stormed the border fence separating the Spanish enclave of Melilla from Morocco, with some 500 managing to cross, in one of the largest influxes in recent years.

The migrants used "hooks" to scale the high fence that separates the tiny territory from Morocco and threw rocks at police, the Spanish government's local delegation said in a statement on Wednesday.

"The great violence used by the migrants... overwhelmed the Moroccan security forces who were trying to prevent them from reaching the fence," it added.

Three Spanish Guardia Civil police suffered "slight injuries" in the incident and three migrants were also treated for injuries near the fence.

About 2,5000 sub-Saharan African migrants stormed the border at around 9:30 am (0830 GMT), but Spanish security forces managed to "neutralise most of them" and only 500 managed to get in, the statement said.

READ MORE: Record hundreds of migrants attempt crossing into Spain's Melilla enclave

Europe's land border with Africa

Melilla and Ceuta, another Spanish territory in North Africa, have the European Union’s only land borders with Africa.

They are favoured entry points for African undocumented migrants seeking a better life in Europe, who get there by either climbing over the border fence or by swimming along the coast.

Claimed by Morocco, the two cities have long been a flashpoint in diplomatic relations between Rabat and Madrid, which insists both are integral parts of Spain.

In mid-May 2021, Spain was caught off guard when more than 10,000 people swam or used small inflatable boats to cross into Ceuta territory.

Last year 1,092 migrants managed to enter Melilla, a 23-percent drop from 2020, according to interior ministry figures.

READ MORE: Why is the rift between Morocco and Spain widening?