A fresh shooting at a migrant camp in northern France on Sunday claimed the life of one person and left two others critically injured, according to a police source. This incident occurred just one day after gunfire erupted in the same vicinity, killing a 24-year-old Sudanese man and injuring five others, including a child.
The latest shooting happened near the Loon-Plage migrant settlement, located outside Dunkirk, which is home to over 1,500 people, many of whom are waiting for a chance to cross the English Channel to the UK.
Authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims from Sunday’s attack. However, for Saturday’s incident, police confirmed that all victims were Sudanese. Two suspects have been arrested in connection with that shooting — a 29-year-old man who said he was Iraqi and a 16-year-old who claimed Afghan nationality.
The local prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into the suspected murder and attempted murder by an organised group.
France and the UK have both intensified efforts to clamp down on human trafficking networks that charge migrants exorbitant fees to attempt the dangerous Channel crossing in overcrowded and often unsafe vessels.
On Friday alone, British authorities reported that 919 migrants arrived on their shores aboard 14 small boats. So far this year, at least 15 migrants have died at sea during such crossings, according to French officials.
The Channel migration surge continues to grow, with over 36,800 people making the journey in 2024 — a 25% rise from the previous year. French authorities also reported a record 78 migrant deaths in 2024 while attempting the crossing — the highest toll since the trend began in 2018.
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