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Calais migrants: Five shot in mass brawl Calais migrants: Five shot in mass brawl
(about 1 hour later)
At least five migrants have been shot in the French port city of Calais, after a mass brawl between Afghans and Eritreans. At least five migrants have been shot during a mass brawl between Afghans and Eritreans in the French port city of Calais, local officials say.
Four Eritrean youths aged 16-18 are in a critical condition and have been rushed to a local hospital for surgery, AFP news agency reports. Four Eritreans aged between 16 and 18 are in a critical condition in hospital. It is not clear what sparked the fight at a queue for food handouts.
A fifth man was taken to nearby Lille due to the severity of his injuries. Hundreds of migrants have converged on the area in an attempt to cross the Channel to the UK.
At least 13 more people were wounded due to "blows from iron bars", the local prosecutor's office said. A sprawling camp known as the "Jungle" was dismantled near Calais in 2016.
What led to the violence? Interior Minister Gérard Collomb said the violence had reached a new level. In total, 22 people were injured in clashes in three separate places.
The cause of the clashes is not yet clear but the initial fight on the city's southern outskirts broke out in the afternoon, where migrants had been queuing for food handouts. This is the worst outbreak between migrants in Calais for months, and the use of firearms is a worrying escalation, the BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris reports.
How did the violence unfold?
The cause is not yet clear but an initial fight on the city's southern outskirts broke out on Thursday afternoon, where migrants had been queuing for food handouts.
Around 100 Eritreans and some 30 Afghans were caught up in the violence, which lasted almost two hours and started when an Afghan fired shots, AFP said.Around 100 Eritreans and some 30 Afghans were caught up in the violence, which lasted almost two hours and started when an Afghan fired shots, AFP said.
Four people were taken to a local hospital in a critical condition while a fifth was taken to nearby Lille.
A second melee erupted shortly afterwards at an industrial site around 5km (three miles) away, when between 150 and 200 Eritreans armed with iron rods and sticks clashed with about 20 Afghans, the local prefecture said.A second melee erupted shortly afterwards at an industrial site around 5km (three miles) away, when between 150 and 200 Eritreans armed with iron rods and sticks clashed with about 20 Afghans, the local prefecture said.
Later on in the afternoon further violence broke out at a food distribution point in an area of Calais not far from the site of the old migrant camp known as the Jungle. Later in the afternoon further violence broke out at a food distribution point in an area of Calais not far from the site of the old "Jungle" camp.
French Interior Minister Gérard Collomb visited Calais overnight and said the clashes had been exceptionally serious. One of the most seriously wounded was said to have been hit by a bullet in the back of the neck.
"There's been an escalation of violence that has become unbearable for both the people of Calais and the migrants," the minister said.
Security forces were sent to the area and there were no reports of incidents during the night.Security forces were sent to the area and there were no reports of incidents during the night.
Visiting Calais, Mr Collomb added: "There's been an escalation of violence that has become unbearable for both the people of Calais and the migrants".
The government would take control of food distribution, currently done by charities, with those groups working in association with authorities, he said.
Why are the migrants there?Why are the migrants there?
Though the Jungle camp was demolished in 2016, hundreds of migrants are still living rough in the nearby woods, hoping to reach the UK. Many of those left are young men. Though the "Jungle" camp was demolished in 2016, hundreds of migrants are still living rough in the nearby woods, hoping to reach the UK. Many are young men.
Local charities put the number of such migrants living in Calais at around 800, while the authorities say there are between 550 and 600.Local charities put the number of such migrants living in Calais at around 800, while the authorities say there are between 550 and 600.
Tensions between Afghans and Africans always run high in the area, the BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris reports. The Calais "Jungle" became the French symbol of the European migrant crisis, and some 7,000 people - most from the Middle East and Africa - were living there before the area was cleared.
This is the worst violence between migrants in Calais for months, and the use of firearms is a worrying escalation, our correspondent adds. Earlier this month, President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Theresa May signed a treaty to speed up the processing of migrants in Calais.
Mr Macron has said that France will not allow a new migrant camp to be set up in Calais, and French police have been accused of brutality by some activists.
He is expected to unveil a new migrant policy next month, which will include speeding up the application process for asylum seekers and faster removal of those who fail to be accepted.
Charities and some of the president's allies have accused the government of taking a hard line on immigration.