Nine Migrants Die in Freezing Conditions Near Morocco — Algeria Border. Rabat, Morocco — 2025-12-15 Lead Paragraph: Nine African migrants have died from exposure to freezing temperatures near the Morocco-Algeria border, according to the Moroccan Association of Human Rights.
The bodies of seven men and two women were discovered in Ras Asfour, a remote mountainous region in Morocco known for its harsh winter conditions.
The incident has been described as deeply concerning and a violation of the right to freedom of movement.
The Moroccan Association of Human Rights stated that the deceased migrants, including one from Guinea and others from various countries across sub — Saharan Africa, succumbed to extreme cold.
The group emphasized that their exhausted bodies were unable to withstand the freezing temperatures.
The Moroccan Interior Ministry has not yet commented on the identities of the individuals who died. Every year, thousands of migrants attempt to cross from North Africa to Europe, often taking dangerous routes. Many aim to reach Spain’s enclaves in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla, by scaling border fences or swimming.
Others seek to reach Spain’s Canary Islands through a longer Atlantic Ocean route. Moroccan security forces regularly report blocking such attempts.
The Moroccan Association of Human Rights has called for the humanization of borders, the decriminalization of illegal migration and residence, and the creation of a mechanism to track missing migrants to prevent such tragedies.
Six of the bodies were buried last week, while two were kept at the request of their relatives.
The incident in Ras Asfour highlights the dangers faced by migrants attempting to cross the Morocco — Algeria border. Further details about the migrants and the circumstances surrounding their deaths are expected to emerge in the coming days.
