(AFP) French police on Tuesday dismantled a camp of about 800 migrants in the port city of Calais, the biggest such operation since the sprawling “Jungle” shantytown was broken up four years ago.
Calais continues to attract migrants from the Middle East and Africa who set up makeshift camps along France’s northern coast from where they hope to make the passage across the English Channel to Britain.
Since January 1, French authorities have intercepted at least 1,317 migrants as they tried to reach the UK, some by swimming across the busy waterway.
Tuesday’s operation started before dawn and had evacuated more than 600 people in 30 buses by the afternoon, according to local authorities, who added that 34 people were detained.
