Two Sudanese migrants were killed and five others injured in two separate shootings at overcrowded migrant camps near Dunkirk, northern France. The tragic events occurred over the weekend of June 14–15, raising serious concerns among humanitarian organizations about safety and conditions in these camps. French police confirmed the deaths and said all the victims were of Sudanese origin. The victims were staying at a makeshift camp in Loon Plage, an area outside Dunkirk that is home to thousands of migrants trying to reach the United Kingdom.
According to French police and Agence France Presse (AFP), the first fatal shooting happened on Saturday, June 14, and left one migrant dead and five others wounded, including a child and a woman. A second migrant was killed in another shooting the following day, on Sunday. Local reports say the Sunday victim was a 24-year-old Sudanese man who was shot in the head. French newspaper La Nouvelle Republique reported that some of the wounded on Saturday had also been shot in the head or legs while attempting to flee the gunfire.
Police found 9mm bullet casings at the scene, suggesting the use of a handgun. By Monday, authorities had arrested two suspects in connection with Saturday’s shooting. The suspects are a 29-year-old Iraqi man and a 16-year-old Afghan, according to the public prosecutor’s office. An investigation into “murder and attempted murder by an organized gang” has been launched. Humanitarian workers on the ground say the shootings have left many of the migrants terrified and traumatized.
Organizations working in the area say tension has been rising in the camps for weeks. A spokesperson for the migrant aid group Utopia 56 (Utopia 56) noted that weekly police clearances have pushed more people into Loon Plage, worsening already dire conditions. The group estimates the number of migrants at the camp to be between 1,500 and 2,000, a significant increase from the winter months. Another group, Salam, confirmed this growing population and blamed the violence on poor living conditions and criminal trafficking networks that thrive in the chaos.
Salomé, a representative from Utopia 56, emphasized that most migrants are not responsible for the violence. Instead, she said, “This is the result of border policies that leave people in inhumane conditions.” She criticized the lack of mental health support after the shootings, saying no psychological care had been offered to the survivors or witnesses. Vulnerable people, including women and children, remained in the camp without any emergency shelter as of Monday.
The violence in the camps occurred alongside a surge in migrant crossings over the English Channel. On Friday, June 14, 919 people crossed into the UK in small boats, according to the British government. French authorities confirmed that nearly 100 people were rescued from failed crossings on Friday and Saturday. In total, over 16,000 migrants have made the dangerous journey across the Channel so far in 2025, surpassing figures from the same period in 2024.
Amid rising pressure, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reportedly urging French President Emmanuel Macron to step up efforts to stop the crossings. Ahead of the G7 summit in Canada, The Daily Mail reported that Starmer will ask Macron for stronger cooperation and enforcement along the French coastline. Despite the UK having paid France over €562 million in recent years to control departures, images of migrants boarding boats without police interference continue to stir political tension.
Starmer told reporters he is committed to reducing illegal crossings and acknowledged that while cooperation with France has improved, more needs to be done. He confirmed that he will also discuss the migrant issue with other European leaders at the G7, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. As these talks unfold, humanitarian groups on the ground are calling for immediate, humane solutions to protect the lives and dignity of migrants caught in the crisis.