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Number of Calais Minors Exceeds 1,400 as Camp Dismantling Begins

© REUTERS / Charles PlatiauMigrants pass by a road sign as they leave the northern area of the camp called the "Jungle" in Calais, France, September 7, 2016
Migrants pass by a road sign as they leave the northern area of the camp called the Jungle in Calais, France, September 7, 2016 - Sputnik International
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The number of minors in Calais refugee camp has increased to more than 1,400, NGO Help Refugees said in a statement on Monday.

Aerial view of a makeshift camp as containers (front) are put into place to house migrants living in what is known as the Jungle, a sprawling camp in Calais, France, August 14, 2016 - Sputnik International
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) — While the overall population of Calais refugee camp has decreased as the eviction from the camp approached, the number of minors has in contrast dramatically increased to more than 1,400, influential non-government organization Help Refugees said in a statement on Monday.

​Earlier in the day, French officials started to demolish the notorious refugee camp known as "The Jungle" in the northern French port city of Calais with authorities expecting some 3,000 people to leave during the first day.

"Worryingly, those who remain include an increased proportion of minors and unaccompanied minors, with the overall number of minors up from 1,179 to 1,496 and the number of unaccompanied minors up a staggering 26 percent from 1,022 to 1,291," the statement said.

Migrants stand under makeshift shelters in the northern area of the camp called the Jungle in Calais, France, September 6, 2016 - Sputnik International
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The humanitarian organization that is actively involved in Calais activities together with French NGO L’Auberge des Migrants, added that the situation with unaccompanied minors remained desperate and expressed concern that many underage migrants who stay in Calais may be dispersed and go missing during the operation to clear the refugee camp.

"Although we wholeheartedly welcome the British government succumbing to public pressure and allowing unaccompanied minors to be reunited with their families in the UK, sadly, for over 1,000 remaining unaccompanied children, no protection is yet available," Help Refugees stressed.

On Sunday, the UK Home Office said that the first group of 70 children, with no family ties in the United Kingdom, arrived in the country.

As for the adult migrants who are being resettled from Calais, they will be moved to other refugee centers around France, a number of which reaches nearly 450, and will be offered an opportunity to seek asylum.

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