A new operation against insecurity, irregular immigration and unsanitary housing was launched on Tuesday April 16 in Mayotte, a French archipelago in the Indian Ocean, a year after the start of a first intervention called “Wuambushu”, announced the French Overseas Ministry.
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Some 1,700 gendarmes, police and soldiers must be engaged for this operation, called “ Mayotte clear space » and which should last 11 weeks. In the 101st French department – and the poorest – a “ hundred specialized reinforcements […]including border police and judicial police officers […] will help us carry out this precision work », Underlined the ministry to AFP.
“ We have 60 particularly sought-after individuals and a goal of 1 300 bangas [cases, NDLR] to destroy, twice as much as Wuambushu 1 was able to do “, he added. An envelope of five million euros has been released for the emergency accommodation of migrants arrested as part of the operation.
Normally, 1,600 gendarmes and police officers are already stationed in this territory of 350,000 inhabitants, according to the ministry.
Increase in violence in recent days
“Mayotte Place Nette” takes the continuation of Operation Wuambushu launched in the spring of 2023, which already aimed to fight against illegal immigration – largely from neighboring Comoros, delinquency and to destroy the unsanitary huts organized into shanty towns, which are increasingly numerous on the island. Handicapped by a chaotic start, Wuambushu did not have the expected results.
Recent days have been marked by an increase in violence in Mayotte, where motorists are stoned on a daily basis, as are clashes between gangs of young people from rival villages. The company managing the school transport network notably mentioned a “ record » stone stones last week.
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