Nine African migrants died from freezing temperatures near Morocco’s border with Algeria, highlighting the deadly risks faced along migration routes. Their bodies were discovered in Ras Asfour, a remote mountainous area where winter cold bites sharply and survival becomes uncertain.
The Moroccan Association of Human Rights said the victims included seven men and two women overcome by extreme cold. The group said exhaustion left their bodies unable to resist freezing temperatures during the perilous journey.
One victim was identified as Guinean, while others came from various sub-Saharan African countries, with identities largely unknown. Morocco’s Interior Ministry did not immediately comment on the deaths or provide further official details.
Each year, thousands of migrants attempt irregular crossings from North Africa toward Europe, seeking safety, dignity, and opportunity. Many try reaching Spain through Ceuta and Melilla, while others risk the Atlantic toward the Canary Islands.
Moroccan security forces frequently report blocking such crossings under strengthened migration agreements with the European Union. Rights groups say tighter borders have pushed migrants into longer, deadlier routes and prolonged uncertainty.
Six bodies were buried last week, while families requested two be kept pending further arrangements, rights advocates said. Another rights organisation urged humane border policies, decriminalisation of migration, and systems to track missing migrants.