At least five migrants have been shot in the French port city of Calais, after a mass brawl between Afghans and Eritreans.<\/p>\n
French news agency AFP reports that four men have been hospitalised in a critical condition, and the fifth in a serious condition.<\/p>\n
At least 13 more people were reportedly injured due to “blows from iron bars”, the local prosecutor’s office said.<\/p>\n
It is not yet clear who fired the bullets.<\/p>\n
France’s interior minister said he would make an urgent visit to the area.<\/p>\n
“After today’s serious incidents I shall be heading for Calais tonight to take stock of the situation with the prefect, the mayor and local players,” Gerard Collomb tweeted.<\/p>\n
The initial fight, which lasted almost two hours, broke out on the city’s southern outskirts where migrants had been queuing for food handouts.<\/p>\n
A second melee then erupted at an industrial site around 5km (three miles) away.<\/p>\n
“Police intervened to protect the Afghan migrants faced with 150 to 200 Eritrean migrants,” the local prefecture said.<\/p>\n
Members of the French security forces have been sent to the area.<\/p>\n
Though the Calais migrant camp known as the Jungle was demolished in 2016<\/a>, hundreds of migrants are still living rough in the nearby woods, hoping to reach the UK.<\/p>\n Many of those left are young men.<\/p>\n Local charities put the number of such migrants living in Calais at around 800, while the authorities say there are between 550 and 600.<\/p>\n Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"